CHICAGO, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1842, Josef Groll brewed the world's first golden beer and revolutionized an entire industry. Pilsner Urquell, translated as "original source," remains a revered beer, both for its importance in beer history, as well as its intricate brewing process, including use of soft water, Saaz hops, pale malts and triple decoction.

Pilsner Urquell is inviting home brewers throughout the U.S. to take their shot at brewing a Czech-style pilsner, aiming for the standard Groll first brewed nearly 170 years ago. Three winners have the chance to earn trips for two to Plzen, Czech Republic this fall to tour the historic brewery, as well as attend the International Master Bartender Competition in Prague.

The Pilsner Urquell Master Home Brewer competitions will take place in New York, Washington, D.C. and Chicago this August, inviting home brewers from across the country to take on this challenging beer style.  

Each competition will feature a panel of experienced judges, including Vaclav Berka, the Pilsner Urquell Brew Master in Plzen.  Contestants will need to bring along three 10 to 14-ounce bottles of their home brew. The judges will sample each beer and select winners based on the following criteria:

• 70% -- Accuracy to style (Czech-style pilsner)
• 15% -- Cleanliness (absence of off flavors)
• 15% -- Artistic impression

"Home brewing is becoming more and more popular, and these brewers keep getting more talented, so we're excited to offer this challenging opportunity," said Berka, who is only the sixth Pilsner Urquell Brew Master since 1842. "The competitors will need to brew carefully, but the potential prize, including their wonderful batch of beer, should be a strong incentive."

The dates for the Pilsner Urquell Master Home Brewer competition are:

• New York, NY -- August 8, 2011
• Washington, D.C. -- August 10, 2011
• Chicago, IL -- August 12, 2011

Pilsner Urquell is limiting the competition in each city to the first 50 home brewers who reserve a spot by emailing their name, phone number and competition city to PilsnerUrquellUSA@gmail.com.  Pilsner Urquell will follow up directly with contestants to share the exact time and location of the competitions. More information and official rules are available at Facebook.com/PilsnerUrquellUSA .

No purchase necessary. Contestants must be 21 or older, and a legal resident of the United States (except CA). Void in CA and where prohibited by law. Begins at or about on 04/04/11 and ends on 08/012/11. Log on to Facebook.com/PilsnerUrquellUSA for entry details and for official rules.

About Pilsner Urquell

Created in Plzen, Czech Republic in 1842, Pilsner Urquell revolutionized the brewing industry as the world's first golden beer, creating a new style of beer that became known as pilsner, named after its city of origin.  For more than a century and a half, Pilsner Urquell has been offering discerning beer drinkers a balanced and refreshing beer that has become the standard against which all others are compared.  Nearly 90 percent of the world's beer is a variation of the original golden beer, making pilsner the most popular beer style in the world and further establishing Pilsner Urquell as a true original.  For more information visit www.pilsnerurquell.com.

For more information, contact:

Thomas Ryan
312-496-2970
Thomas.Ryan2@TenthAndBlake.com  

Jim Furrer
212-994-7559
Jim.Furrer@rfbinder.com

SOURCE Pilsner Urquell