The history of Czech lager - Part 1

Czech pale lager known also as pils is the most popular beer type in the word. It’s the champ everywhere, from its homelands in central Europe to China (now the world’s biggest beer market) to distatnt places like Australia, South Africa and Brazil. So how this all started? Answer to this question can be divided in two parts. In this article let’s dig into the history of lager itself and in the next one discover more about the Czech pils itself.

Despite the fact that the original pils was made in the Czech republic, the origin of lager in general is linked to Germany. The key for the first lager ever made was the invention - or better said a random cultivation of new kind of yeast. In fact two different strains of yeast needed to crossbreed so the lager brewing was even possible. But how did this happen?

Beer restrictions

Back in the 16th century, Bavaria (part of today’s Germany) was quite the exclusive beer club. They imposed a ban on top-fermented beer production, staunchly protecting the local bottom-fermented brews that were the pride of the region. But there was a problem: the Bavarians were fond of wheat beers, which are typically top-fermented. This popularity posed a real dilemma for the traditional beer makers. To navigate around this brewing conundrum, special licenses were issued for brewing wheat beer.

New yeast, new beginning

We can argue that lager has two fathers who were rivals as bitter as the beer they both produced – Baron von Degenberg and Duke Maximilian. In 1548, the von Degenberg family managed to snag one of these coveted licenses. Duke Maximilian I spent half a century watching with a mix of envy and awe as the baron cashed in on the ever-popular wheat beer. It wasn't until the baron passed away without a male heir that the Duke saw his chance to swoop in and purchase the license. What followed was a fascinating brewing experiment under one roof, using various types of yeasts, some for bottom-fermenting and others for top-fermenting. 

According to the records from the Hofbräuhaus brewery, this setup led to inevitable yeast contamination and, interestingly, the accidental creation of a hybrid yeast. This new blend produced a beer of such superior quality that it became the new standard. From the historical documents of the Hofbräuhaus, this innovative beer eventually made its way to the Spatenbräu brewery, which also housed a brewing school, spreading the knowledge of this new style of beer. 

Lager likes it cold

This is how the world was introduced to "Lagerbier," a term from German that translates as "storage beer," suggesting both its aging potential and its requirement for extended periods of maturing in cold. The necessity for maintaining low temperatures for lager brewing is among its most significant challenges. Achieving a consistent cold environment throughout the seasons, particularly during spring or even summer, was no trivial task. Historically, the only solution was to stockpile ice in the cellars. During winter, people would harvest ice from frozen lakes, cutting it into large blocks and transporting it to the brewery. There, the ice was kept in cellars insulated with straw, highlighting the pivotal role that the invention of refrigeration later played. With the advent of easier cellar cooling, lager production saw further increase.

Even before these technological advances, a significant milestone had already been reached in the history of lager. Brewmaster Josef Groll crafted the first pils – a Czech-style lager brewed in Pilsen that was so exemplary it set the standard for the entire category of beer. This novel recipe swiftly captivated the globe. Let’s delve further into the pils glass and explore the distinct qualities of this exceptional drink in the second part of our story.