What’s the point of all this suffering if you don’t have fun – many people think and grab a (beer) bottle. Even if not everyone gets it. It’s good if the beer is at least free of questionable substances. Öko-Test knows what’s in the bottle in addition to alcohol levels – and also dispenses one.
The Germans love their Pils. Hopefully only in moderation. Because “Alcohol destroys more than you think,” explained a campaign by the Federal Ministry of Health. In the meantime, the suspicions that alcohol causes massive damage to the body have increased quite a bit. The lesser evil is the well-known fact that, analogously to the blood alcohol level, the probability of suffering from a hangover afterwards increases. That being said, remembering your name the next morning is a good thing.
Despite this, the Germans like to go to extremes when it comes to alcohol. According to the German Center for Addiction Questions (DHS), Germany remains a “high consumption country” when it comes to alcohol in an international comparison. Among them should also be one or the other beer. Or more precisely, Pils beer. Because that’s what people like to drink in this country.
In view of the risks mentioned, it is not wrong if the after-work beer is at least free of questionable substances. Öko-Test has investigated exactly this topic and examined what 50 types of Pilsner from the bottle have to show in this regard. The testers quoted the first piece of good news as: “All in all, the result is excellent: we can recommend 45 with “very good” and “good”.
And this despite the fact that 12 of the test persons contained at least traces of the controversial pesticide glyphosate. Most pilsners, however, are clean. Which is the second good news. For example, well-known brands such as “Berliner Pilsner”, “Bitburger Premium Pils”, “Pilsner Urquell”, “Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle”, “HasseröderPremium Pils”, “Oettinger Pils”, “Veltins Pilsener” and “Warsteiner Premium Pilsener”.
If you’re missing your favorite pilsner now, you don’t have to be disappointed. Because Öko-Test is once again generous and issues one. The test result for all varieties is available for free here.
Apart from that, the laboratory commissioned by Öko-Test examined all the beers for contamination by mold and bacteria. However, a pilsner was then so badly contaminated that the testers advised against it. In the “Pinkus Pils, Bioland” (“insufficient”) pediococci were detected. The germs, which belong to the lactic acid bacteria, spoil the taste of the Pils and lead to an undesirable buttery off-taste. The contamination is not harmful to humans, but the beer suffers as a result significant reduction in quality.
A little product information at the end: Pils is a bottom-fermented beer that was not invented by a Bohemian in Pilsen, but originally by a Bavarian (in Pilsen). And they drink it the least these days; the Pils is mainly spread in the north of the republic. It tastes hoppy and tart. Bohemian Pils beers often have a malty residual sweetness that North German Pils beers do not have.
According to the Purity Law of 1516, only barley, hops and water may actually be used for brewing in this country. In Germany, on the other hand, the “Provisional Beer Act” of 1993 is legally binding, according to which almost only malt, hops, yeast and water are permitted. Some types of sugar and colorants are also permitted for top-fermented beer. Also, brewers are allowed to use some clarifying agents if they are filtered out again.
(This article was first published on Thursday, May 19, 2022.)
