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Styles · Czech Pale Lager

Beer style · BJCP 2021 3A

Czech Pale Lager

Czech Lager

Representative The guidelines publish this style’s ranges per variant or not at all, so these are a representative envelope instead.

Original gravity
1.028–1.044
Final gravity
1.008–1.014
Bitterness
20–35 IBU
Color
3–6 SRM (6–12 EBC)
Alcohol
3.0–4.1 % ABV

What it is

The everyday Czech tap beer: low gravity, soft water, bready Bohemian malt and a generous helping of Saaz. It tastes considerably fuller and more bitter than the gravity suggests, thanks to traditional mashing and long lagering. The brewer is chasing flavor density at session strength.

Flavor

What a Czech Pale Lager should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Floral, herbal and spice, with room for grassy or earthy/woody.

Malt

Grainy, with room for bready/biscuit or sweet/honey.

Fermentation

Clean, with room for sulfur.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What Czech Pale Lager has classically been brewed with.

Also right on character

Varieties whose loudest notes all sit on this style’s hop wheel, best fit first. How much to use is the recipe’s question; these are the ones that taste right.

And 16 more hops whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.