glossary P
PALE ALE
A name applied to a particular bottled-version of draught bitter, pale ale was first brewed in London in the mid- 18th century, but did not gain fame until Bass produced this style of beer at its Burton-on-Trent
brewery, since when Burton has become synonymous with pale ale. This is because the Burton water contains gypsum, which precipitates the most ultra fine sediments suspended in a beer, providing a much paler shade of ale:
hence Pale Ale, thus Burton Pale Ale. See also India Pale Ale.
PAREL
Budels brewery, Holland. Fine quality, fairly strong "top- fermented" beer with a delicately rich aftertaste.
PASTEURISATION
Beer is usually pasteurised (flash-heated) to stabilise and preserve it, protecting it from organic spoilage.
PASTOR ALE
Brasserie d'Annoeullin, France. A filtered, but unpasteurised Bi�re de Garde that is light in body, yet rich in flavour, with assertive fruit softening to a lush, full, finish.
PECHE Belhium. Lambic beer flavoured with marinated peaches.
PELFORTH BRUNE
Pelforth brewery, France. Dark, full-bodied, malty beer with a smooth finish.
PELFORTH PALE
Pelforth brewery, France. The light-bodied pale Pelforth does not have the quality or character of the Brune.
PILS, PILSENER or PILSNER
Much abused designations that now encompass lager-type beers of any strength, quality or age, these terms were originally restricted to lagers brewed in the Czech village of Pilsen.
As Pilsener caught on, the Czech village name was coined for any top-quality, well-hopped lager of at least 5% ABV, which was brewed from Pilsener malt to give the very long and delicate, almost floral flavour for which this beer was
justifiably famous. Real Pilsener or Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic is best enjoyed in a Prague bar, as the genuine article found elsewhere in the world is not quite as fresh and snappy. So-called Pilsener (or Pils or Pilsner) is
now brewed all over the world, but the best imitations are usually German, although the use of Pilsener malt is rapidly diminishing in all but the finest examples. Producers include Ceres (light, lacklustre), Dortmunder Actien (dull
DAB Meister Pils), Dortmunder Hansa (light, wishy-washy Pils), Dortmunder Kronen (fresh and hoppy Pilskrone), Dortmunder Ritter (too much clumsy malt, not enough flowery finesse for a true Pils), Dortmunder Thier (a Pils that
has some hoppy character, but is not special), EKU (a Pils that is too full to be classic), Forschungs (called Pilsissimus, it defies pronunciation should you have one too many), Gulpen (amusingly named X-Pert, this Dutch super-premium
style beer has a touch too much colour for a classic Pilsener, but is beautifully bottle-conditioned, which adds a smooth, refined quality to its nicely hopped palate and finish), Haake- Beck (light, basic, but a delightfully fresh and
aromatic, if somewhat fluffy-headed bottle-conditioned Kr�usen Pils), Hacker- Pschorr (bog-standard Pils), Holsten (soft, easy, unexciting Pilsener), Kulmbacher M�nchshof (dry, simple Pilsener), Kulmbacher (well-respected
Schweizerhof-br�u, with a classic, long, dry finish), Kulmbacher L�wenbr�u (light but hoppy Pils), Lindeboom (decent Dutch Pilsener), Tucher (off-dry, simple Pilsener) and W�rzburger Hofbr�u (simple, malty Pils)
PILSISSIMUS
Forschungs brewery, Germany. An interesting malty- styled Pils, but don't try to pronounce it if you have had a few too many.
PILSKRONE
Dortmunder Kronen brewery, Germany. A fresh Pils-style with a pleasantly hoppy character, but lacks the class and concentration of Kronen's Export and Classic beers.
PILSNER URQUELL
Czech Republic. See above entry.
PINKUS ALT
Pinkus M�ller brewery, Germany. Although this "top- fermented" pale-coloured beer utilises 60% Pilsener malt and 40% wheat malt, it is neither a Pilsener, nor a wheat beer as such. Pinkus Alt is
an interesting oddity with a rich, ripe, malty flavour that reflects its four months conditioning.
PINKUS HEFE WEIZEN
Pinkus M�ller brewery, Germany. A delicate, spritzy white or wheat beer with an easy drinking, mild finish.
PINKUS PILS
Pinkus M�ller brewery, Germany. Lightly-hopped Pilsener of reasonable quality.
PINKUS SPECIAL
Pinkus M�ller brewery, Germany. A 100% organic beer made in true Pilsener-style, with fine, long, delicate flavour and a well-hopped finish.
PINSEBRYG
Neptun brewery, Denmark. A strong, smooth, but rather bland beer with a repulsive green colour, deliberately induced to herald the beginning of spring! What next, brown underpants?
PIPAIX (Generic)
Belgium. A type of Saison beer, usually in a large corked bottle and may be aged for up to 12 months. See Saison.
POPERINGS HOMMELBIER
Van Eecke brewery, Belgium. A very well hopped Abbey-style beer.
PORTER
A very dark, top-fermented beer first brewed in London in the 18th Century.
PRINZREGENT LUITPOLD WEISSBIER
Kaltenberg brewery, Germany. This is a crisp, unpasteurised wheat beer with a typically tart taste reminiscent of stewed apple on the finish.
PSCHORR-BR�U WEISSE
Hacker-Pschorr brewery, Germany. Fluffy- headed wheat beer with a sour-biscuity flavour, finishing with a fine spiced-apple tang.
on to glossary entry Q