Pilsner beer

Serve it well chilled, around 4–7 °C, so it stays crisp without the cold masking its hop aroma. Chill the glass too if the room is warm.

Tilt a clean glass and pour slowly down its side; when it is nearly full, straighten the glass to build a foamy head. A gentle pour helps keep the bubbles and aroma lively.

Its crisp bitterness pairs well with salty, fried food such as fish and chips, pretzels and schnitzel. It also cuts through the richness of sausages and cheese.

Yes. Use it in beer batter for fish or vegetables, or add a splash to a stew; simmer it so the raw beer aroma cooks off. Its bitterness can become more pronounced as a sauce reduces.

Keep it upright in a cool, dark place, away from sunlight and heat, which can spoil its flavour. Once opened, keep it cold and drink it promptly, as it quickly loses its fizz.

Pilsner is a style of lager, not a separate brewing family. Compared with many other lagers, it is typically pale, crisp and noticeably hopped; the classic Czech style is associated with Saaz hops.

For beer batter or a stew, use another pale lager with a similarly crisp, mild flavour. For a non-alcoholic option, sparkling water can replace the liquid in batter, though it will not add beer's flavour.

The name comes from Plzeň, a city in what is now the Czech Republic, where the pale lager style was first brewed in the nineteenth century.