pilsner

It's true that most pilsners are lighter in body and color than most ales, but good pilsner is a wonderful thing, and not to be disparaged, especially a nice cold one in the summertime.

The flavor of pilsner is much more dependent on the type and quantity of hops used in brewing than on the malt, which is a more significant factor in determining the character of an ale. Pilsner Urquell tastes mainly (and pretty strongly) of saaz hops, a typical Czech variety with a spicy-flowery aroma. Urquell is bitter enough that I have beer-wimp friends who won't drink it.

I especially like Brooklyn Pilsner, which is nearly impossible to find outside of NYC, and difficult even there, except in summer.

A pilsner is indeed defined by its hops. One thing that donfreenut doesn't touch on while slamming pilsners is that all popular commercial beers use adjuncts like corn or rice. This, along with weak hopping contributes to the lack of flavour in popular American beers.

While Canadian Beers also have adjuncts (corn is popular) which lead to the lack of flavour, they are typically hopped stronger, leading to a marginally better beer.

But Joe Consumer still has no taste when it comes to beer.