1842 in 2009

In 1842 the world was changed forever. The citizens of Pilsen in the Czech Republic not only built a new brewery but also hired Josef Groll, a Bavarian brewer to brew an experimental beer using bottom fermenting yeast. Groll had been experimenting a long time with new recipes for bottom-fermented beer and on the 5th of October 1842, Groll produced the first batch of Urquell beer, which was characterized by the use of soft Bohemian water, very pale malt, and Saaz hops.

The Beer industry in the United States was basically built on this beer. Due to it's drinkablity and it's longer storage life. Today, nearly 90 percent of the worlds beer is a variation of this original golden beer,
making pilsner most popular beer style in the world.

Last Tuesday at The Bohemian brewey in Midvale, Utah Brewers tried to replicate as an
authentic recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner as close as possible, using truly authentic
imported Czech floor malt, from Weyermann Malting co. Mashed using a true triple decoction,
long 2 hr boil, three hop additions all with Czech Saaz hops, and fermenting with Bohemian's
Czech lager yeast.

The Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner malt from Weyermann(R) is actually Hand Crafted in the last floor malting facility in the Czech Republic. It is produced from Tolar and Hanka barley varieties which have their genetic roots in Hanna barley, which was the variety used by Josef Groll to brew the first Pilser Urquell in 1842. The malting process used to produce this malt is very labor intensive and traditional and produces as an authentic "old" malt as you can find today.

So between the malt used and the mashing, brewing and fermentation method, it's as authentic of the Original Czech Pilsner from 1842 as they can recreate. Bohemian's 1842 Pilsner, should be more bitter and have more hop aroma than their normal Pilsner. It will ferment and lager for about 5-6 weeks and should be available around the 15th of May. Prost!