Sampling on beer in Czech Republic (I)

When I first got to Czech Republic a guy in the bus mentioned me that very day to be cautious with the Czech coins - that I can buy a lot of beers with that. How to do sampling on beer in CR where a wide range of beers is available, with more than 80 breweries?

So we started with the local, the omnipresent beer of Brno - second largest Czech city -  'Starobrno'. Maybe the locals love this beer, but I've found it a little bit too bitter, and 'filling', how the Americans are calling the thing.

Funny things was when we first stoped for a beer in CR, we asked for a 'pivo' (beer), we got a ... Stella Artois (also the Americans are very fond of the Belgian beer)

Then we hit a very local pub where they had a local brand called 'Ferdinand' (24 Czech korunas ≈ 1 euro) very tasty in the way that is a honey beer, maybe the first option for a girl, along with the dark version of Velkopopovicky Kozel (which is maybe one of the few Czech dark beers that has less alcohol - just 3,8% - than its blonde edition ). But the locals are appreciating the light-coloured ('svetle') version of Kozel, which I've found it to be plain water, we can say is very light and clear - the American refreshement type.

As draught beer is normally served in half-liter glass mugs everywhere here and the waiters are asking you for 'another pivo' when you haven't finished your last pint, we really have to introduce Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell), which is the most popular, fair enough. The term 'pilsner' came into use when the brewery in Pilsen (Plzen) made the beer for the first time in 1842.

The original Budweiser comes from Czech Republic

The bohemian region has also another known brand, coming this time from south, Budweiser Budvar, brewed in Ceske Budejovice, exported very well, like Pilsner Urquell. The 'Czech Budvar' (Budweiser), the beer which calls itself 'the beer of kings' is different from the American Bud, and claimed, by the Czechs, to be the original Budweiser, though is not that much appreciated as a beer here. On the other hand Czech Budvar has also a 'Specialni pivo' edition that has no less than 7% alcohol.

There's no king of the beer here, but tons of local delicious beers

So it is quite impossible to say which Czech beer is the best. 'Radegast' has won the Czech beer of the year three times in a row. 'Velkopopovicky kozel' won the gold medal for beer in 1995. Then maybe 'Gambrinus', which is the biggest beer brand in selling number, telling maybe by its price.

If we're discussing by the amount of malt extract used in the brewing process then the highest degree is served in a bottle by 'Pernstein' from Pardubice.

You can find on the shelves of Czech supermakets also commercial and fancy models and cans - 'Kopparberg' (a Sweedish pear cider), a glutten free beer like 'Celia' ( 'bez lepku 4%), but Czech are not going for cans and 0,33 ml bottles at all.


Then 'Bernard' is packed like Grolsch, 'Svijany' is a very good beer, 'Primator Weizebier' - 5% also,  and so on. Let's mention also some en-gross brands ( 'Greslak' , 'Klasik' :), 'Pardal' ('vyladěné samotnymi pijaky = tuned by the consumers themselves', 'Branik' 4,1 %, etc. Again, another couchsurfer confirmed that she diggs Svijany beer and also Staropramen 12° nonfiltred.

UPDATE! Someone asked us where is 'Lobkowicz', 'Krušovice' and 'Poutnik ' from our list . Oh, now we remember - we tried 'Lobkowicz' and 'Krušovice' since we got to CR - 'Krušovice' very good,  'Lobkowicz' we cannot remember much. But not 'Poutnik ' at all, so we've been offered this list with all the places in Brno where we can find the beer. Now we remember even more - we tried Policka in Boro pub - nice.

Our beer-to-try-list: 'Indian ale'  and 'Weizen' (available for sure in 'The immigrant' pub (a good environment + 

a delicious double hamburger, in Brno. Also, we've been advised to go to Středověká krčma in náměstí Svobody
for a 'Svijany' (again!) and also 'Korma' (the mixture of beer and medovina = special alcoholic drink made of honey). Also, to enjoy 'Litovelské pivo' and 'Cerna Hora' beer (which we tried couple of days ago, we found it very

good. Also 'another Brno's small brewery is in the city centre, its called Pegas - worth to visit as well.

So keep doing the sampling for us.

Conclusion: First choice, of course – the Pilsner larger – top fermented and maturated at low temperatures – something that gave a name to the whole category.

* The first Czech cookbook, written by Magdalena Dobromila Rettigova, included a recipe for beer soup!

# Sampling pe bere în Cehia. Când am ajuns prima oară în Cehia un tip mi-a zis să am grijă de monedele lor pentru că o să-mi cumpăr multe beri cu ele. Făcând un top pe scurt al celor mai consumate beri ar fi Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquel - pe bună dreptate - a introdus şi categoria de bere pilsner), Staropramen (ieftină şi decentă), apoi probabil Starobrno (omniprezentă ca firmă pe toate barurile, slabă ca bere). Starobrno e chiar amară şi 'less filling' cum spun americanii.

Apoi Ferdinand (24 de coroane ≈ 1 euro) mai dulce, probabil cea mai bună bere pentru de fete din Cehia, alături de berea Cozel brună.

Când am ajuns prima oară în Brno şi am cerut un pivo (bere), cum mi-a recomandat o prietenă, mi s-a adus un Stella Artois. Când în Cracovia într-un pub am cerut o bere bună ni s-a recomandat o bere din Cehia, deşi over-the-counter barmanul mai avea şi 8 branduri poloneze.