A pilsner IS a lager. Lagers are cold fermented with a bottom fermenting yeast. Ales are Warm fermented with a top fermenting yeast. Almost all beers fit either the ale or lager category. The only exception are a few “steam” beers also known as california commons. Which use a lager yeast at ale temperatures.
Not very much. Both of them ferment in cool temperatures, but, originally, only pilsners were stored in freezers. Since lagers are kept that way now too, there’s no real difference.
Think of pilsner has a subset of lager. Lagers are bottom fermented in cool temps with a secondary fermentation (lagering phase) that helps clear and settle the brew. Pilsners are highly hopped, light colored lagers.
4 Responses to Whats the difference between Lager and Pilsner?
barbara d
September 29th, 2010 at 10:28 am
lager is for real men!!
carinata
September 29th, 2010 at 10:49 am
A pilsner IS a lager. Lagers are cold fermented with a bottom fermenting yeast. Ales are Warm fermented with a top fermenting yeast. Almost all beers fit either the ale or lager category. The only exception are a few “steam” beers also known as california commons. Which use a lager yeast at ale temperatures.
Sandsquish
September 29th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Not very much. Both of them ferment in cool temperatures, but, originally, only pilsners were stored in freezers. Since lagers are kept that way now too, there’s no real difference.
ironbrew
September 29th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Think of pilsner has a subset of lager. Lagers are bottom fermented in cool temps with a secondary fermentation (lagering phase) that helps clear and settle the brew. Pilsners are highly hopped, light colored lagers.