Pilsner is Not Champagne

by Cynthia Sin-Yi Cheng
June 24, 2009

Cynthia Sin-Yi Cheng

Pilsner Urquell
$9 per six-pack
At your local deli or supermarket

Pilsner is not champagne.

You’re thinking, “Silly, I know that.” Well, that’s what I kept thinking, too, when I attended a Pilsner Urquell food pairing tasting. But over and over I saw similarities between the two beverages. And not just the bubbles.

Here’s why:

1. Buttery Taste: Pilsner Urquell has layers of complex taste, and although it’s very different in taste profile from champagne (esp. with the beer’s signature spice and the bitter finish from Saaz hops), it has a butterscotch profile that many Chardonnay-based champagnes also share.
2. Glassware Counts: As with champagne, the glass you serve your drink in will enhance or deflate your experience. Try having your champagne in a regular water glass and see how the bubbles are less effervescent and the aromas dulled. For Pilsner Urquell, the suggested serving glass is lean and tall. Pouring at a 45-degree angle till the glass is 2/3 full then tilting the glass upright gives a good amount of mousse to top of the glass.
3. Crystal Clear: Both beer and champagne started out as cloudy drinks. Josef Groll, the first brewmaster of Pilsner Urquell, decided to make a golden, bright beer by filtering.
4. Food Companions: No need to beat the subject to death, but I do have champagne regularly with my meals (the sky’s the limit with cuisine pairing). I actually end up ordering beer with food a lot, too. Both champagne and beer are thought of as before-meal or stand-alone drinks, but I find both to be versatile and satisfying food companions. Beer and cheese are one of my favorite pairs. Try Pilsner with a Havarti or any other cow’s milk cheese. I find it a brilliant experience.
5. Not just for Partying: While both drinks are associated with partying and gatherings, besides moving both to the dining table, I’d like to urge everyone to savor them more, rather than drink them mindlessly.

Cheers!