Libation of the Month
Pilsner Urquell
Where to Find It
Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon
14th and Scott streets, Wilmington, 658-4600
1812 Marsh Road, Wilmington, 308-3560
harryshospitalitygroup.com
In craft-brew circles, a session beer is low in alcohol—generally less than 5% ABV—and highly refreshing. Consequently, you can sip several during a happy hour with friends, a day on the beach or a picnic.
Pilsner Urquell, however, was around long before today’s easy-drinking beers hit the shelves. The Plzeň, Czech Republic, brewery was founded in 1842, and the beer is the gold standard for pilsners. Indeed, if a Czechoslovakian bar doesn’t offer Urquell, they don’t serve pilsner.
The essential ingredient is aromatic Saaz hops, which only grow in Žatec and are harvested in August. The straw-like color is another pleasing characteristic. So is the crisp, thirst-quenching finish that makes Pilsner Urquell perfect for warm weather.
Xavier Teixido of Kid Shelleen’s is a fan, which is why Pilsner Urquell is on the restaurants’ menu. Don’t even try to pour him a raspberry pilsner. “Stop it,” he tells bartenders who suggest it.
Only the real deal will do.
Related: This Wilmington Brew Works Beer Celebrates Delaware State Parks
