How we brew unpasteurised beer in Pelhřimov

Pilgrimtown Brewery brews traditional Czech lager, unpasteurised, without chemical additives and with an emphasis on traditional craft methods.
The foundation is crystal-clear water from the sacred Křemešník Hill, quality Czech malt and Saaz hops – the ingredients that give the beer its characteristic taste and aroma.

The beer brewing process
week of fermentation in open vats
1
weeks of maturation in lager cellars
6–8
below ground, where the beer matures
13 m
pasteurisation – the beer stays alive
0

The brewing process of Poutník beer

  1. Malt and waterraw materials in
  2. Mash tun – mashingthe mixture is heated in the kettle
  3. Kettle during mashingthe mash is boiled
  4. Lauter tunseparating the wort from the spent grain
  5. Kettle during hoppinghops are added
  6. Wortthe beer wort is formed
  7. Coolercooling the wort
  8. Cultured yeast and airpitching
  9. Fermenting room (spilka)bottom fermentation in open vats
  10. Lager tanksmaturation in lager cellars
  11. Filterfiltration
  12. Fillingbottles and kegs

The journey of beer, step by step

  1. 1

    Mashing – malt becomes sweet wort

    Water and crushed malt are heated and stirred at precisely controlled temperatures. The starches in the malt turn into fermentable sugars, creating the foundation of the beer's future flavour.

    After Saaz hops are added (for bitterness, aroma and stability) and the mixture is boiled further, the sweet wort becomes wort.

  2. 2

    The fermenting room (spilka) – where beer is born

    The cooled wort travels to open fermentation vats, which today only a small share of Czech breweries still use. With brewer's yeast, bottom fermentation takes place here for about a week, and the beer gains character, aroma and smoothness.

    The yeast works naturally, without pressure or speeding up, which is why Pelhřimov beer is full and balanced.

  3. 3

    Lager cellars – maturing 13 metres underground

    The beer is transferred by gravity, without pumps, into the lager tanks, where the depth keeps the temperature naturally constant. It matures here for 6 to 8 weeks and gains a smoother taste, a fuller body and better drinkability, without any chemistry.

    This is where young beer becomes a finished lager.

  4. 4

    Filtration and filling – on its way to kegs and bottles

    The beer is pumped through a fine quartz filter that removes the remaining yeast. Without the filter, we would get unfiltered beer with a more pronounced taste and more living cultures.

    Before filling, it also passes through a microbiological filter. Thanks to it, pasteurisation – which would affect taste and aroma – is not needed, and the beer stays fresh, full and characterful.

Taste the result

You can buy Poutník from Pelhřimov in the brewery shop.

Our beersWhere to buy

Frequently asked questions

What is mashing?

The first step of brewing. Malt is mixed with water and gradually heated at controlled temperatures, producing sweet wort – the foundation of the beer's flavour.

What happens in the fermenting room?

Here the beer undergoes bottom fermentation in open fermentation vats. This is where its character, aroma and smoothness are born, and the brewmaster can keep a closer eye on the fermentation.

Why does the beer mature in lager cellars?

Long maturation at a stable temperature gives the beer a fuller body, a smoother taste and better drinkability. Nothing is rushed here.

What are the lager tanks 13 metres underground for?

The depth keeps a constant temperature throughout maturation, so the flavour develops calmly and the quality stays stable.

What does filtration do to the beer?

It removes remaining yeast and fine particles. The beer is then clearer, more stable and ready to be filled into kegs, bottles or cans.

How long does it take to brew one beer?

From the first mash to the finished lager, several weeks pass. Maturation takes the longest.