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Styles · New Zealand Pilsner

Beer style · BJCP 2021 X5

New Zealand Pilsner

Provisional Styles

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.044–1.056
Final gravity
1.009–1.014
Bitterness
25–45 IBU
Color
2–6 SRM (4–12 EBC)
Alcohol
4.5–5.8 % ABV

What it is

A pale, dry, cleanly fermented lager that exists to show off New Zealand hops — the tropical, citrusy, grassy character of Motueka, Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin over a pilsner base. Hoppier in flavor than a German pilsner without the herbal, noble edge, and the fruit is the point rather than a flaw.

Flavor

What a New Zealand Pilsner 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

Citrus and tropical, with room for stone fruit, berry, floral, grassy, herbal or resin/pine.

Malt

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

Fermentation

Clean, with room for sulfur.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What New Zealand Pilsner 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 105 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.

And 21 more yeasts whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

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.