First Serving Of Pilsner Urquell

On November 11, 1842, Josef Groll’s new beer was first served to the public in Pilsen. Traditional accounts name three local inns as the first places where the beer was tapped: Zum Goldenen Adler, Zur Weißen Rose, and Hanes. The first serving revealed why the beer was visually different from older dark and cloudy beers. Served in glass, its clear golden color and white foam made a strong impression and helped define the identity of pilsner as a bright, pale lager. For the Beer Chronicles timeline, this date marks the public debut of Pilsner Urquell and the beginning of the pilsner style’s wider cultural life.