Among the Czech sights there are many old bridges, medieval castles and majestic cathedrals. But true gourmets fly to Prague not only for walks along the Vltava embankment, Golden Lane or Old Town Square. They are interested in beer. In the Czech Republic, it is officially recognized as a protected geographical mark and not every foamy drink can get the right to be called that.
The complex process of audit and control of each stage, from the selection of raw materials to delivery to the consumer, is carried out by the state agricultural and food inspection of the country. According to its standards, only four trade marks have the right to be called Czech beer, and the drink must be produced without fail in a national brewery.
Four beer whales
The most famous beer brands in the country that have been awarded the right to be called Czech beer are Velkopopovicky Kozel, Gambrinus, Pilsner Urquell and Radegast:
- Velkopopovitsky Kozel dates back to 1874. This variety is brewed in the Central Bohemian region and in Pilsen. The drink is also mentioned by Hasek in The Adventures of the Gallant Soldier Švejk.
- The first Radegast was brewed in 1970 in the town of Nosovice, and today this beer in the Czech Republic is represented by the bottom-fermented varieties Original with an alcohol content of 4.0% and Premium - with 5.0%.
- Gambrinus was named after the king who is credited with the very idea of creating beer. The year of birth of this variety is 1869, and the homeland is the city of Pilsen.
- Pilsner Urquell means "pilsner from the source". It is the world's first pilsner and its history began in 1842. The golden Czech variety is recognized all over the world. For example, in a Parisian pub on Boulevard Montparnasse, among 140 sorts of foamy drink, it is only after Pilsner Urquell that the bar's card says - "The best beer in the world".
Czechs love their foamy drink so much that they consider it a national treasure. They advise tourists to try only draft beer, rightly believing that bottled or canned beer does not have those amazing properties that freshly brewed and live ones have.
Classification of beer in the Czech Republic
There is never enough good beer - this is the motto of Czech fans of the foamy drink. Here it is divided into light and dark, which can be mixed before serving and get "chopped" beer. This option is adopted only in the Czech Republic, and the resulting drink is distinguished by the lightness of light beer, seasoned with dark bitterness.
