Best Czech beer?

Urquell, especially straight from the tap.

(Some may object because it's quite commercialized, but that doesn't mean it's bad, though.)

- Risto -

What are your criteria for "best" ?

I like the Korbel beers, but that's because the house yeast gives them an unusual, almost perfumy character. They're brewed by the Malý Rohozec brewery, which may or may not still be in business.

Zlatopramen and Primator are pretty good as the more commercial beers go. Rychtar beers, from the Hlinsko brewery, are worthwhile too.

It's worse than "quite commercialized" (thanks to modernization and SABMiller). It's dumbed down. Gone are the wooden lagering kegs, which helped give the beer character in the old days. It's just another international pale lager now.

But perhaps you could put this in context by mentioning the other Czech beers you've tried, particularly the ones from the smaller brewers that are still making beers of character and distinction.

Maly Rohozec was still there two years ago. I like Primator, Dacicky, Policka and many more. Of the big names Budvar is my favourite, I'd say the likes of Urquell, Gambrinus, Kozel and Radegast are way above the average international lager if you drink them on tap in the Czech Republic or Slovakia. The latter countries has some excellent lagers too: Zlaty Bazant, Kelt, Topvar, Saris, you name it.

Cheers, Jomar

see

Bah. It may not be what it once was a good 30 years ago now, but it is far from "just another international pale lager now." Or are you serious in lumping it in with Heineken, Beck's, Stella Artois, Carlsberg, (American) Budweiser, etc.? If you are, you're daft.

PU is far from the best Czech beer I've ever sampled, but it's hardly just a run-of-the-mill yellow fizzy lager, and I'm not likely to turn down a fresh half-liter of the stuff.

There are all sorts of intereting beers from tiny Czech breweries, most of whose names I no longer recall.

That said, at least among Czech beers reasonably readily available in the States, Starobrno would be at my list of the top. But even that pales in comparison to some of the local Czech beers I've had the pleasure of sampling.

-Steve

That's o.k.

Holger

Hi NG,

anyone tried Czech Hefeweizen? I have been there two times but did not found any. I must say there was no bad lager I tasted, neither Hell or Dunkel. Maybe I was lucky... I cannot remember the brewery but one 10° called Primus was very nice in my opinion.

Prost,

Bastian

Primator Brewery in the city of Nachod (near Polish border) is brewing a nice Hefe-Weizen.

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Haven't been there so I can only refer to what one can get in California, but I have been partial to Brauczech as of late. Lot of assertive hop character and a nice yeasty flavor. I also like Topvar from Slovakia, reminds me of Budvar but is much less expensive.

--Dan E

Hi Dan,

I never heard of that. Is it really Czech? Mr. Google also does not know much about it. Any details?

Prost,

Bastian

Hear, hear. I hope Nobody We Know has just let his youthful exuberance run away with him here.

Probably a brand-name for the foreign market. Example: Kralovsky Lev in the US was realyy Pernstejn from Pardubice, Czechvar eq Budvar etc. Zamek in the UK eq Samson

See

Cheers, Jomar

California,

I agree, Starobrno is excellent.

Hoedown wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@noemailaddress.nev:

I'll vote for Staropramen.

Yes. Gambrinus "Bile" (Czech for "White"). I don't think it's brewed any more, which is a shame. It was quite good. Before lager brewing became the norm of nearly all Czech beer-making, Bohemia was known for wheat beers that compared well with their southern-German counter- parts.

It's possible to find some ordinary beers in the Czech lands, but I've not had anything truly bad, and some that are quite good, yes.

Primus? Not Gambrinus 10?

Hi NYK,

You are right, of course not every beer is outstanding. That was what I meant, no really bad beers.

No, it is called Primus. Also comes from the same brewery as Gambrinus:

Best regards and Prost,

Bastian

I vote for LEV. why? Because I can get it in UTah, of all places.

Recently (Friday 28 May 2004 17:02), Dan Iwerks () proclaimed:

I agree. it is very very good.

Kozel?

Korbel is a winery, and far from the Czech Republic.

Yes, Kozel is fantastic, especially the dark.

but that's because the house yeast gives them

Been enjoying one of the Primator bock beers. Very nice.

One of my favorite Czech beers would have to be Mestan dark, but I am not sure it even exists anymore.

I thought the pilsner (style) produced by the loal brewery in Cesky Krumlov was one of the best I found in my travels there.