Pilsner Urquell rant

See Michael Jackson's take on this;
http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000054.html
The last paragraph ;
Where does this leave the most familiar example in Britain, Pilsner Urquell? This brewery has abandoned its famous wooden fermenters and lagering vessels and reduced its yeast from five strains to two. It is probably the world's best Pilsner, as well as being the original, but it is not as great a beer as it was. It has, notably, lost some of its complexity and its malty fullness of flavour.

 

As Zimbo said, they are down to just the H strain now. Many say PU has had a long slide in taste as the process has been modernized. Maybe that is what you were pointing out?

 

I respect Urquell, but I just can't handle diacetyl anymore. Even when it's "supposed" to be there, I just can't do it.
My favorite Czech pils that I can get is Zatec. It reminds me of a south German pils.

 

Chris, have you ever tasted Golden Pheasant (Zlatý Bažant) beer? It is brewed in Slovakia but it is a Czech Pilsner as far as I am concerned. I personally do not perceive any diacetyl in that beer (and I can perceive diacetyl).

Cheers!

 

No, but I actually saw some on the shelf yesterday. At first I thought it was something else, that's why I noticed it. No clue how long it's been on that shelf, but I might try and grab some.

 

“No clue how long it's been on that shelf…” Yeah, that is indeed a challenge. There is a place for a batch code on the bottle but the last time I purchased this beer where a code should be printed it was blacked out.

IMO, Golden Pheasant is a tasty Czech Pilsner when it is fresh but needless to say not so pleasant if it is old.

Apparently a few years ago the imported Golden Pheasant beers had a best before date printed on the bottle; this is mentioned in the below video review. This video review is ‘interesting’.

Cheers!

 

Yep I checked myself this morning and the date on the bottom of can states Oct 15 14 and I just assumed it was pkged on that date so my bad if they use enjoy by. Soooo very good for an old beer in that case. These are the throw back logo 16.9 oz cans. Thanks for straightening me out.

 

this brings such distant memories... Last (and first) time I had Golden Pheasant was in 1994 in western part of Ukraine (particularly the region that borders Slovakia)

I remember liking it and don't remember any diacetyl either. But again, that was long time ago...

Have you tried Žatec? I thought it was a pretty good style representative.

 

Yes, I have had a few bottles of Zatec. I was not a big fan of those bottles since the beer was too one dimensional on the malt side of things. I prefer Pilsners that are more balanced; i.e., more of a Noble hop presence to balance the malt.

I find that fresh Golden Pheasant has a pleasant balance of Pilsner malt flavor/aroma and a restrained but noticeable Noble hop flavor/aroma.

Cheers!

 

Hmm. Maybe I need to revisit both to compare.

 

The 'trick' will be getting two bottles of comparable age.

Cheers!

 

I think it might have been. For many still not a bad beer but I just get more annoyed whenever I remember the heights it once reached. No longer as complex or soft and lacking that gorgeous gentle almost salty fullness which I use to love.

 

Albino Rhino. Certainly one of the better you tube beer reviewer. Love his complete focus.

 

Correction alert: My apologies, the can I looked at this morning was from another Pilsner not PU. The PU can on the bottom clearly states Apr 04 15 11:41 after double checking my facts. I will do a search as I am curious which use enjoy by and those that use pkg date.