The Department of Morality (the missus) hands me a couple packages of steak for the BBQ. I look at the price and ask her if she really wants me to sear these suckers, she usually doesn’t trust me with such a prime cut. She tells me she is busy and I have to. How would you like them done I ask? “If you burn them you die.” It seems now she has become the Department of Mortality as well. Although The COMDB Guide to the Fine Art of BBQing (formerly The COMDB Guide to the Manly Art of BBQing) tells us that ”well done is well done”, when my life is on the line the instructions I have just received from the missus take precedence.
As I flip these steaks every 7 seconds and wonder if my will is up to date, I am quaffing a Pilsner “Urquell” and it brings to mind Steve Erkel from the old TV show Family Matters*. The missus always liked that show and I got to thinking that if these steaks burn I could do a Steve Erkel “ Did I do that?” impression and the missus might laugh and it would prevent my ultimate and imminent demise. Unfortunately I don’t think I could do a Steve Erkel impersonation to save my life. Lets get back to the Urquell at (and in) hand.
The word Pilsner means “from Plzen” a town that is now part of the Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell which means “original source of the Pilsner” is in fact the original pilsner, brewed in the town of Plzen since 1842. It must have been quite a revelation in its day in comparison to all the heavy brews that were the standard.
The original pilsner pours golden with a bright white head with some bubbles in action. Malt aroma with some traditional European graininess as well. The taste is true to the aroma, grain and malt forward, flavourful and refreshing, no hops or bitters. A little bit of carbonation. It all ends up as a good solid malt grain balance. Low ABV but definitely not light, it is full of flavour. A good solid traditional pilsner, some history in a can. I believe the craft beer industry has improved on the original concept (see the Ace Hill review for example) by standing on the shoulders of giants as it were.
The fact that I am writing this review, and therefore still alive, is not a testament to my ability to impersonate Steve Erkel. What it means is that for the first time in recent memory I did not burn the steaks.
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