Czech beer
Encyclopedia
Beer in the Czech Republic has a long and important history. The first brewery is known to have existed in 1118. The city of Brno
had the right to brew beer from the 12th century, and the two cities most associated with Czech beer, Plzeň and České Budějovice
(Pilsen and Budweis in German), had breweries in the 13th century.
Hops
have been grown in the region for a long time, and were used in beer making and exported from here since the twelfth century. The Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world.
The most famous Czech
beer brands (and the most imported ones) include Pilsner Urquell
, which was the world's first pilsner and pale lager
beer, and Budweiser Budvar (in some countries trademarked as Budějovický Budvar or Czechvar).
The history of beer in the modern Czech Republic, historically Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, goes back further than the creation of Pilsner Urquell in 1842. Before then Bohemia in particular was famous for its wheat beers, known in Czech as "světlé pivo" or "light beer" - the same term used in German "weissbier" or in Belgium "witbier".
Most towns had at least one brewery, the most famous brewing cities in Bohemia were Budweis, Plzeň and Prague
. Other towns with notable breweries are Rakovník
, Žatec
and Třeboň
.
Much of the early brewing history of Bohemia is centred around various monasteries, although today there are very few Czech monasteries brewing and selling beer to the public.
was for centuries also known by its German name, Budweis. Brewing is recorded in the city since the 13th century.
Today the city has two main breweries:
The modern Budějovický měšťanský pivovar was founded in 1795 as the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Budweis, as such it is the oldest brewery in the world to use the term "budweiser" when referring to its beer. In 1895 the Budějovický Budvar brewery opened as an ethnically Czech alternative to the German dominated Budějovický měšťanský pivovar.
In 1876, the US brewer Anheuser-Busch
began making a beer which it also called "Budweiser
." This led to the "Budweiser trademark dispute" between beer companies claiming trademarks rights to the name "Budweiser." In the European Union
, Budějovický Budvar is recognized as a product with Protected Geographical Indication. Because of such disputes, Budvar is sold in the United States and Canada under the label Czechvar and according to the verdict of Court of Justice of the European Union
in July 2010, czech Budweiser Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name in the whole European Union
.
Pilsner Urquell
was the first "pilsner" type beer in the world. In 1842, a brewery in Plzeň employed Josef Groll
, a German brewer who was experienced in the Bavarian lager
method of making beer. Beer in Pilsen at the time was not of very good quality and they needed to compete. Groll developed a golden Pilsner beer, the first light coloured beer ever brewed. It became an immediate success, and was exported all over the Austrian Empire
. A special train of beer travelled from Plzeň to Vienna
every morning. Exports of Czech beer reached Paris and the United States by 1874.
Today, beers made at Plzeňský Prazdroj are: Pilsner Urquell
, Gambrinus
and Primus.
in 993AD. It is also recorded that in 1088AD, King Vratislav II granted a tithe of hops to the Canons of Vyšehrad
Cathedral in order to brew beer.
Today the Prague
brewing scene is dominated by Staropramen
, although there are several smaller breweries, the oldest being U Fleků
, which was founded in 1499.
Since the 1990s various brewpubs have been established in the city.
and there are only few breweries with a long tradition, namely Starobrno in Brno
and Černá hora
.
However, there has been a boom of microbreweries since the 2000s. Breweries Akciový Pivovar Dalešice, Pegas and Richard have been gaining country wide popularity, despite little production.
. This varies in colour from pale (Světlé), through amber (Polotmavé) and dark (Tmavé) to black (Černé) and in strength from 3-9% abv. Top-fermented wheat beer (Pšeničné pivo) is also available.
According to Czech law, categories of beer, regardless of colour or style, are:
being registered as a trademark by the first brewery). The term has come to mean any pale, hoppy lager as a result of imitations of the original beer, especially in Germany where the style is common.
For the trademark dispute between Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
and the Budweiser Budvar Brewery
see Budweiser trademark dispute
.
held each year by the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Pilsen with music by local bands on four stages in the town.
The Czech Beer Festival
(Český pivní festival) in Prague
is the biggest beer festival
in Czech Republic held for 17 days every year in May, you can taste more than 70 best brands of Czech beer.
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
had the right to brew beer from the 12th century, and the two cities most associated with Czech beer, Plzeň and České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
(Pilsen and Budweis in German), had breweries in the 13th century.
Hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
have been grown in the region for a long time, and were used in beer making and exported from here since the twelfth century. The Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world.
The most famous Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
beer brands (and the most imported ones) include Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell
Plzeňský Prazdroj , known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell , is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world...
, which was the world's first pilsner and pale lager
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
beer, and Budweiser Budvar (in some countries trademarked as Budějovický Budvar or Czechvar).
History
Most towns had at least one brewery, the most famous brewing cities in Bohemia were Budweis, Plzeň and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Other towns with notable breweries are Rakovník
Rakovník
Rakovník is a town in the western part of the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic located between the cities of Prague and Plzeň. It has a population of approximately 16,000.- Trade and business :...
, Žatec
Žatec
Žatec is an old town in the Czech Republic, in Louny District, Ústí nad Labem Region. It has a population of 19,813 .The earliest historical reference to Sacz is in the Latin chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg of 1004. During the 11th century it belonged to the Vršovci - a powerful Czech...
and Třeboň
Trebon
Třeboň is a historical town in South Bohemian Region of Czech Republic. The population stands at 8,862 .-History:Třeboň was established around the middle of the 12th century. In 1366 the House of Rožmberk become owner of the estate...
.
Much of the early brewing history of Bohemia is centred around various monasteries, although today there are very few Czech monasteries brewing and selling beer to the public.
Beer in České Budějovice
The city of České BudějoviceCeské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
was for centuries also known by its German name, Budweis. Brewing is recorded in the city since the 13th century.
Today the city has two main breweries:
- Budějovický měšťanský pivovar a.s.Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu' or ' was the name for the beer and the administration of the "" , which in 1795 was founded by the German-speaking burghers of the Bohemian city of Budweis in the Kingdom of Bohemia)...
- Budějovický BudvarBudejovický BudvarBudweiser Budvar Brewery is a brewery in the city of České Budějovice , Czech Republic, that is best known for brewing a beer known as Budweiser Budvar in the European Union, Czechvar in the United States and Canada, and either Budweiser Budvar or Budějovický Budvar in the rest of the world.-...
n.p. (Budweiser Budvar)
The modern Budějovický měšťanský pivovar was founded in 1795 as the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Budweis, as such it is the oldest brewery in the world to use the term "budweiser" when referring to its beer. In 1895 the Budějovický Budvar brewery opened as an ethnically Czech alternative to the German dominated Budějovický měšťanský pivovar.
In 1876, the US brewer Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
began making a beer which it also called "Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
." This led to the "Budweiser trademark dispute" between beer companies claiming trademarks rights to the name "Budweiser." In the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Budějovický Budvar is recognized as a product with Protected Geographical Indication. Because of such disputes, Budvar is sold in the United States and Canada under the label Czechvar and according to the verdict of Court of Justice of the European Union
Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union is the institution of the European Union which encompasses the whole judiciary. Seated in Luxembourg, it has three sub-courts; the European Court of Justice, the General Court and the Civil Service Tribunal.The institution was originally established in...
in July 2010, czech Budweiser Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name in the whole European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Beer in Pilsen
Pilsner Urquell
Plzeňský Prazdroj , known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell , is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world...
was the first "pilsner" type beer in the world. In 1842, a brewery in Plzeň employed Josef Groll
Josef Groll
Josef Groll was a Bavarian brewer, best known for his invention of Pilsener beer.The citizens of Pilsen were no longer satisfied with their top-fermented Oberhefenbier. They publicly emptied several casks of beer in order to draw attention to its low quality and short storage life...
, a German brewer who was experienced in the Bavarian lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
method of making beer. Beer in Pilsen at the time was not of very good quality and they needed to compete. Groll developed a golden Pilsner beer, the first light coloured beer ever brewed. It became an immediate success, and was exported all over the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
. A special train of beer travelled from Plzeň to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
every morning. Exports of Czech beer reached Paris and the United States by 1874.
Today, beers made at Plzeňský Prazdroj are: Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell
Plzeňský Prazdroj , known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell , is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world...
, Gambrinus
Gambrinus (beer)
Gambrinus is a beer brewed in the Czech Republic at the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery. It is one of the most popular beers in the Czech Republic. The beer is named after Gambrinus, a legendary king of Flanders known for his mythical brewing abilities. Gambrinus sponsors Gambrinus liga, the premier...
and Primus.
Beer in Prague
Much of the brewing history of the Czech capital is connected to the various monasteries in the city, with brewing first recorded at the Benedictine Břevnov MonasteryBrevnov Monastery
Břevnov Monastery is a Benedictine monastery in Břevnov, Prague. It was founded by Prince Boleslav II and Saint Adalbert, bishop of Prague in 993 AD....
in 993AD. It is also recorded that in 1088AD, King Vratislav II granted a tithe of hops to the Canons of Vyšehrad
Vyšehrad
Vyšehrad is a castle located in the city of Prague, Czech Republic. It was probably built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River...
Cathedral in order to brew beer.
Today the Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
brewing scene is dominated by Staropramen
Staropramen
Staropramen Brewery is the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic, situated in the Smíchov district of Prague. It was founded in 1869 and the brand name Staropramen, literally meaning “old spring,” was registered in 1911...
, although there are several smaller breweries, the oldest being U Fleků
U Fleku
U Fleků is a pub and microbrewery in Prague, Czech Republic. It occupies buildings around a central courtyard at Křemencova 11 in New Town, , not far from the National Theatre...
, which was founded in 1499.
Since the 1990s various brewpubs have been established in the city.
Beer in Brno and South Moravia
The region of South Moravia is known particularly for winemakingCzech wine
Wine in the Czech Republic is produced mainly in southern Moravia, although a few vineyards are located in Bohemia. However, Moravia accounts for around 96% of the country's vineyards, which is why Czech wine is more often referred to as Moravian wine ...
and there are only few breweries with a long tradition, namely Starobrno in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
and Černá hora
Cerná Hora (Blansko District)
Černá Hora is a market town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 1,900 inhabitants.Name of the place come from a hill whose vegetation is darker than the neighbourhood....
.
However, there has been a boom of microbreweries since the 2000s. Breweries Akciový Pivovar Dalešice, Pegas and Richard have been gaining country wide popularity, despite little production.
Modern beer styles
Nearly all beer brewed in the Czech Republic is lagerLager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
. This varies in colour from pale (Světlé), through amber (Polotmavé) and dark (Tmavé) to black (Černé) and in strength from 3-9% abv. Top-fermented wheat beer (Pšeničné pivo) is also available.
According to Czech law, categories of beer, regardless of colour or style, are:
- lehké - a "light" beer brewed below 8° Balling and with less than 130Kj per 100ml
- výčepní - "tap" beer, though it can be bottled, brewed between 8° and 10°
- ležák - "lager" beer, brewed between 11° and 12.99°
- premium - "special" beer, brewed above 13°
Names
Originally Pilsner was a specific term for beers brewed in Plzeň (with Pilsner UrquellPilsner Urquell
Plzeňský Prazdroj , known better by its German name Pilsner Urquell , is a bottom-fermented beer produced since 1842 in Pilsen, part of today's Czech Republic. Pilsner Urquell was the first pilsner beer in the world...
being registered as a trademark by the first brewery). The term has come to mean any pale, hoppy lager as a result of imitations of the original beer, especially in Germany where the style is common.
For the trademark dispute between Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
and the Budweiser Budvar Brewery
Budweiser Budvar Brewery
Budweiser Budvar Brewery is a brewery in the city of České Budějovice , Czech Republic, that is best known for brewing a beer known as Budweiser Budvar in the European Union, Czechvar in the United States and Canada, and either Budweiser Budvar or Budějovický Budvar in the rest of the world.-...
see Budweiser trademark dispute
Budweiser
Budweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century...
.
Festivals
Pilsner Fest is a two day beer festivalBeer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
held each year by the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Pilsen with music by local bands on four stages in the town.
The Czech Beer Festival
Czech Beer Festival
Czech Beer Festival is the biggest beer festival in the Czech Republic, held for 17 days every year in May in Prague. The festival features around 120 different beers,...
(Český pivní festival) in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
is the biggest beer festival
Beer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
in Czech Republic held for 17 days every year in May, you can taste more than 70 best brands of Czech beer.