Tasting

What does a Pils from the north taste like? Mostly of fresh bread and lemon, with a dry, slightly grassy bitterness that lingers at the end. Sweetness is barely present; the beer feels lean and leaves the mouth dry. The foam should be creamy and fine-pored, leaving traces on the glass as you drink—known as lacing.

Good examples include Flensburger Pilsener from the swing-top bottle and Dithmarscher Pilsener from Marne. Anyone wanting to try a craft beer will find Lillebräu in Kiel. These are flavor examples, not recommendations.

A suitable glass for Pils is the tulip, a glass with a slightly flared rim that holds the foam and gathers the aroma. People often drink straight from the swing-top bottle, but the aroma unfolds better in a glass, and you can see the color and the head.

The ideal serving temperature is around 6 to 8°C (43–46°F). Too cold, and you can barely taste anything; too warm, and the bitterness turns coarse. The glass should be rinsed cold beforehand, since grease or detergent residue kills the foam.

When pouring, tilt the glass and let the beer run down the side until it's half full. Then straighten the glass and pour into the center so the foam rises. There's no fixed pour time—it depends on the equipment and temperature. With a swing-top bottle, there's no tap involved: you push the lever, hear the plop, and pour as described.