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Czech Lager / 3A

Czech Pale Lager

Unfiltered BJCP Styles Style Profile

This BJCP record is outside the Certified Cicerone® Level 2 beer-style list and is included for Advanced Cicerone® review.

Certification exam alignment
Advanced Cicerone® BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Exam
Source
BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines

Overall Impression

A lighter-bodied, rich, refreshing, hoppy, bitter pale Czech lager having the familiar flavors of the stronger Czech Premium Pale Lager (Pilsner-type) beer but in a lower alcohol, lighter-bodied, and slightly less intense format.

Aroma

Light to moderate bready-rich malt combined with light to moderate spicy or herbal hop bouquet; the balance between the malt and hops may vary. Faint hint of caramel is acceptable. Light (but never intrusive) diacetyl and light, fruity esters are optional. No sulfur.

Appearance

Light yellow to deep gold color. Brilliant to very clear, with a long-lasting, creamy white head.

Flavor

Medium-low to medium bready-rich malt flavor with a rounded, hoppy finish. Low to medium-high spicy or herbal hop flavor. Bitterness is prominent but never harsh. Flavorful and refreshing. Low diacetyl or fruity esters are optional, but should never be overbearing.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light to medium body. Moderate carbonation.

Comments

The Czech name of the style is světlé výčepní pivo.

Characteristic Ingredients

Soft water with low sulfate and carbonate content. Traditional Czech hops. Czech Pilsner malt. Czech lager yeast. Low ion water provides a distinctively soft, rounded hop profile despite high hopping rates.

Style Comparison

A lighter-bodied, lower-intensity, refreshing, everyday version of Czech Premium Pale Lager.

Vital Statistics

IBU
20 - 35
SRM
3 - 6
OG
1.028 - 1.044
FG
1.008 - 1.014
ABV
3% - 4.1%

Commercial Examples

  • Bernard světlé pivo 10
  • Březňák Světlé výčepní pivo
  • Notch Session Pils
  • Primátor Antonín světlé výčepní
  • Radegast Rázna 10
  • Únětické pivo 10°

Style Attributes

bitter bottom-fermented central-europe hoppy lagered pale-color pale-lager-family session-strength traditional-style

Similar Styles: How to Tell Them Apart

Use these guideline-based sensory contrasts to organize comparative tasting practice.

These lower-strength pale lagers retain enough malt, hops, and bitterness to avoid tasting neutral. Czech Pale Lager is richer, rounder, and more bread-focused with a creamy presentation, while German Leichtbier is leaner, cleaner, drier, and more plainly grainy or crackery.

Compare with: 5A. German Leichtbier

By aroma

  • Czech Pale Lager has light to moderate bready-rich malt, fuller and richer than German Leichtbier's grainy-sweet or slightly crackery aroma.
  • Both may show spicy or herbal hops, but Czech Pale Lager can add a faint caramel hint, light fruit, or low diacetyl.
  • Its long-lasting creamy head and moderate carbonation reinforce a rounder impression than the lean German beer.

By taste

  • Czech Pale Lager presents medium-low to medium bready-rich malt with prominent but never harsh bitterness and a rounded, hoppy finish.
  • German Leichtbier finishes more simply dry with lighter grainy malt and a cleaner, more highly attenuated palate.
  • Optional low diacetyl or fruit can add Czech character that should not appear in clean German Leichtbier.

Quick tell: Bready-rich malt and rounded Czech bitterness favor Czech Pale Lager.

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