What the heck is a Continental Pilsener?

This is a term I am only really familiar with with respect to homebrew kits. Not sure to which continent this style actually refers.

I am partial to the Czech and German style pils. And I know exactly what these beers are.

As far as continental pilsner goes…

how is the style defined?

What would be a commercial example?

I’ve always interpreted this to mean continental European malts (e.g., German or Belgian).

[quote=“Brew Meister Smith”]This is a term I am only really familiar with with respect to homebrew kits. Not sure to which continent this style actually refers.

I am partial to the Czech and German style pils. And I know exactly what these beers are.

As far as continental pilsner goes…

how is the style defined?

What would be a commercial example?[/quote]

It’s not defined. I think it is just a generic BS marketing term for your aforementioned brew kits.

As far as I know, it just means European. Could be Czech or German style. Try Pilsner Urquell, Warsteiner, heck even Heineken, etc.

Maybe. But anytime I’ve had a Czech pilner or German style pilsner it has had a direct connection to the style. But any “continental pilsner” I’ve ever tried did not strike me as anything close to what I know as Lager beer from central Europe.

In fact, the C. Pils done by Festabrew pasteurized brewers wort (a Canadian thing) definitely shows notes of North American hops and nothing I would consider noble.

continental pilsner is kind of a generic term used for pilsners that don’t fit into one of the specific european styles (german or bohemian) but is still substantially different from american pilsners. Think heineken, stella, etc.

If north american brewers are using the term to market their north american hopped and malted lagers… well… you’ll know better than to trust that brewer’s description next time, i guess.

It does refer to “European Pilsners” generally… as Europe is known as “the continent”. This would distinguish it from American Pilsner and all other gold lagers that call themselves “pilsner” but aren’t really pilsner. Does that mean that Heineken, Becks, Stella Artois, Carlsberg, Amstel, etc. are “Continental Pilsners”? That’s how I interpret it. Cheers Beerheads.

This generally is how I always interpreted the term. I just never had a “Continental Pilsener” that actually tasted like any European Lager I have had. So I thought I might be incorrect in my assumption.

Guess my original assumption was correct. Also seems like any company that has made a continental pils that I have tried just sucks at mimicking the style.

This generally is how I always interpreted the term. I just never had a “Continental Pilsener” that actually tasted like any European Lager I have had. So I thought I might be incorrect in my assumption.

Guess my original assumption was correct. Also seems like any company that has made a continental pils that I have tried just sucks at mimicking the style.[/quote]
Yes, I agree. If you want a good continental pilsner, I highly recommend going over there. :stuck_out_tongue: Centuries of brewing tradition, access to sought-after ingredients and attention to detail in the brewing process produce beers that are rarely duplicated here. My wife and I were in Warsaw, Vienna, Brataslava, Prague and Munich in June and we had some outstanding beers. We had fresh-from-the-source and delicious examples of continental pilsners (and other outrageously good beers) for 10 straight days. Cheers.