wessmith
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- Joined
- 10/1/04
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The mainstream beers of the Czech Republic seem to be in even more strife than their Belgium compatriots. I purposely tried a 6 pack of the "new" Pilsner Urquell before I left and was not terribly impressed. Same scenario as I outlined for the Belgian mainstream beers - lots of calcium chloride and other mineralisation replacing that old beguiling maltiness of PU as I'm sure we would all like to remember it. So how does it taste at "home"? - exactly the same. An even bigger surprise was the Budweiser Budvar - they too have gone down the same megalager path of mineralisation. Very disappointing. That left me with Krusovice in both Pilsner and Schwartz beer versions. I like both (they are available in Australia) with a leaning to the darker version.
Industry colleagues explained the "rationalisation" of brewing in Czech and the number of smaller breweries that were being shut down. In the town of Hradec-Kralove where I stayed, the local brewery - "Pivovar Hradec-Kralove" closed 2 years ago with all the equipment being removed. Their beers were known under the "Lev" brand and used to be exported to the US and Germany among other countries.
Prauge is awash with signage for both PU and Budweiser Budvar with the occasional sign for Krusovice and then some of the smaller breweries. It was impossible to find any other Czech brand around the sidewalk cafes although I did find Schofferhofer on the menu at one cafe in the old town square and enjoyed its freshness for an early lunch - exactly one week ago. Seems a long way away now as I type this!
Prague, by the way is a beautiful city and well worth the visit even if not for the beer. I took this pic as I reckon it somes things up pretty well - and very sadly....
Wes.
Industry colleagues explained the "rationalisation" of brewing in Czech and the number of smaller breweries that were being shut down. In the town of Hradec-Kralove where I stayed, the local brewery - "Pivovar Hradec-Kralove" closed 2 years ago with all the equipment being removed. Their beers were known under the "Lev" brand and used to be exported to the US and Germany among other countries.
Prauge is awash with signage for both PU and Budweiser Budvar with the occasional sign for Krusovice and then some of the smaller breweries. It was impossible to find any other Czech brand around the sidewalk cafes although I did find Schofferhofer on the menu at one cafe in the old town square and enjoyed its freshness for an early lunch - exactly one week ago. Seems a long way away now as I type this!
Prague, by the way is a beautiful city and well worth the visit even if not for the beer. I took this pic as I reckon it somes things up pretty well - and very sadly....
Wes.