ON THE HOP

Diplomat Czech Pils, Citizen Beer

There are few things better than a cold glass of golden pilsner on a midsummer’s day. Most beer drinkers know that. There’s a problem with this picture, though: in South Africa, a good pilsner is hard to find. While beers derived from the pale pilsner style dominate the world market, most have been so neutered that they’re barely recognisable as pilsners. Take Hansa Pilsener: it’s quaffable by the litre, but it’s more of a pale lager than a pils. A pilsner should be much more bitter; its hoppiness far more pronounced.

Luckily, breweries around South Africa are taking to making authentic pilsners. Cape Brewing Company (CBC) in Paarl makes an excellently clean German-style pils with a spicy, throat-catching hoppiness. It’s terrifically sating, and is becoming more available across the country as CBC’s reach extends further.

Joining it in the Parthenon of good SA pils is Citizen Beer’s Diplomat Czech Pils, released just a fortnight ago. Diplomat claims its own identity with sweet malt on nose and palate and a prominent, almost floral Saaz presence. “Saaz is such a lovely hop,” says Citizen’s Gary Pnematicatos, “but most people haven’t truly tasted it.”

Czech pilsners are generally a touch darker and more bitter than their German cousins — and Diplomat sticks to form. While it isn’t quite as clean as CBC’s offering, it still makes amazing summer sipping. Both Diplomat and CBC Pils are available online from leagueofbeers.com.