Pilsner Urquell

{{short description|Czech lager beer}}

{{About|the beer|the brewery that produces this beer|Pilsner Urquell Brewery}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox beverage

| name = Pilsner Urquell

| type = Beer

| image = Pilsner Urquell logo.svg

| caption =

| brewery = Pilsner Urquell Brewery

| style = Cool fermented beer

| year = {{start date and age|1842}}

| last_year =

| abv = 4.4% {{cite web|url=https://www.prazdroj.cz/en/znacka/pilsner-urquell |title=Pilsner Urquell |access-date=2023-12-20 }}

}}

File:Plzeňský Prazdroj.jpg]]

Pilsner Urquell ({{IPA|de|ˈpɪlznɐ ˈʔuːɐ̯ˌkvɛl|lang}}; {{langx|cs|Plzeňský prazdroj}} {{IPA|cs|ˈpl̩zɛɲskiː ˈprazdroj|}}) is a lager beer brewed at Asahi Breweries' Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Plzeň (German name: Pilsen), Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the world's first pale lager,[http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/pils.html German Beer Institute, PILS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019092501/http://germanbeerinstitute.com/pils.html |date=19 October 2011 }} and its popularity meant it was much copied, and named pils, pilsner or pilsener.[http://msed.vse.cz/cz/social_activities University of Economics Prague, Brewery tour of Pilsner Urquell] It is hopped with Saaz hops, a noble hop variety that is a key element in its flavour profile, as is the use of soft water.{{cite web |url=http://www.pilsner-urquell.com/html/en_gb/_2_1_3.html |title=Pilsner Urquell |access-date=2007-10-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703122607/http://www.pilsner-urquell.com/html/en_gb/_2_1_3.html |archive-date=3 July 2007}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pilsner-urquell.com/html/en_gb/_2_2_2.html |access-date=2007-10-16 |title=Archived copy |archive-date=15 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715083846/http://www.pilsner-urquell.com/html/en_gb/_2_2_2.html |url-status=dead }}

Almost all draught Pilsner Urquell is sold filtered, but small quantities are available in limited amounts unfiltered. The majority of the beer is sold in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and South Korea, it is also sold in China, Japan,{{cite news |title=Plzeňský Prazdroj upped its exports again, with Pilsner Urquell surpassing the 1 million HL mark |url=https://www.prazdroj.cz/en/plzensky-prazdroj-upped-its-exports-again-with-pilsner-urquell-surpassing-the-1-million-hl-mark |work=Prazdroj |date=25 April 2018}} the United Kingdom,{{Cite news|title = Czech this out|publisher=Ben Viveur|date = 16 May 2012|url = http://benviveur.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/czech-this-out.html|access-date = 23 May 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://threehundredbeers.com/post/87515908589/pilsner-urquell|title=98. Pilsner Urquell|work=threehundredbeers.com|access-date=28 August 2015|archive-date=27 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327150419/https://threehundredbeers.com/post/87515908589/pilsner-urquell|url-status=dead}} Canada, United States,{{cite web|title=Keepers of the Craft Content|url=http://www.draftmag.com/pilsner/index.php?age=y&page=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140921200229/http://www.draftmag.com/pilsner/index.php?age=y&page=|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 September 2014|website=Draft Magazine|access-date=21 September 2014}} Sweden,{{cite web|title=Gyllen Prag, the Czech restaurant in Gothenburg: beer|url=http://gylleneprag.se/olen/|website=Gyllene Prag|access-date=8 September 2016}} Hungary and Austria. In recent years, the unpasteurized "tank" version of the beer has become increasingly available.

It is available in 330 ml, 355 ml and 500 ml aluminium cans and green or brown bottles.

The brewery was part of the SABMiller group of companies from 1999 to 2017. As part of agreements with regulators before Anheuser-Busch InBev was allowed to acquire SABMiller in 2016, Pilsner Urquell was sold to Japan-based Asahi Breweries in 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.financierworldwide.com/asahi-group-to-buy-inbev-beer-brands-for-78bn/#.WJKu_VMrLX4 |title=Asahi Group to buy InBev beer brands for $7.8bn |author= |date=February 2017 |website=Financier Worldwide |publisher=Financier Worldwide |access-date=1 February 2017}}