A short history
Brewing in Bohemia goes back at least a thousand years, and the region has long grown some of the world’s most prized hops around the town of Žatec (Saaz). But the defining moment came in 1842. Unhappy with the quality of local beer, the citizens of Plzeň built a new civic brewery and hired Bavarian brewer Josef Groll. Using pale malt, soft local water, Saaz hops and lager yeast, he produced a clear, golden beer that looked stunning in the new glassware of the era.
That beer, Pilsner, conquered the world. Today the vast majority of beer brewed on the planet is some descendant of it. České Budějovice, known in German as Budweis, added its own famous lager tradition, leading to a long-running trademark fight with an American brewer.
The beer culture
Czechs have topped global per-capita beer consumption rankings for decades, often drinking well over 130 litres a person each year. Beer is cheaper than water in some pubs, and the local hospoda is a social hub where regulars have their own tables.
Pouring is an art. The hladinka is a standard pour with a thick, creamy head; the šnyt is a mostly-foam half pour; and the mlíko is a glass of nearly all foam, meant to be downed quickly. Many pubs are tied to a single brewery and take pride in careful cellar and tank management, especially “tankové pivo,” unpasteurised beer delivered to pubs in large tanks.
Czech beers are often labelled by their original gravity in degrees: a “desítka” (10°) is a light session beer, while a “dvanáctka” (12°) is fuller and stronger.
Signature styles
- Czech Pale Lager (Světlý Ležák): golden, richly malty and hoppy, with a spicy Saaz finish.
- Světlé Výčepní: the lighter, lower-gravity draught beer that powers everyday drinking.
- Czech Dark Lager (Tmavé): smooth and gently roasty, sometimes slightly sweet.
- Polotmavé: an amber “half-dark” lager with caramel notes.
Traveler’s tip
Book the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour in Plzeň, which ends with a taste of unfiltered beer in the historic sandstone cellars. In Prague, look beyond the Old Town for neighbourhood pubs and newer microbreweries. When your glass is nearly empty, the waiter will likely bring another without asking, so rest a beer mat on top to signal you are done.