Beer Brands You Must Try On Your Visit To The Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has been brewing beer since the 10th century and is the country with the highest beer consumption per capita in the world. The Czechs are somewhat traditional when it comes to beers, ales aren’t very popular in the country and the most famous Czech brands focus strictly on lagers. Here are five beers you should try on your next visit to the Czech Republic.

Pilsner Urquell

The world’s first pale lager gets its name from Pilsen, the city in the Czech Republic where it was originally brewed (and it’s still produced today). Pilsner is made using pale malts and soft water. It has a very distinct “hoppy” taste and an alcohol content of 4.5%-5%.

Pilsner Urquell is served almost everywhere, but if you have a chance to tour their original brewery in Pilsen (about an hour outside Prague) you’ll get a double treat. Since 1993, Pilsner Urquell has been brewed using cylindrical metal tanks, but brewery visitors can also taste the “old” type, brewed in open barrels and stored in the brewery’s cellar. A great way to compare tastes and an experience you can only get in the Czech Republic.

Kozel

Kozel (which means “male goat” in Czech) has been around since 1874. Although they produce four types of beer, if you just order a Kozel, you’ll get a typical pale beer with a 4% alcohol by volume (ABV). Kozel’s name comes from the beer’s look and feel, a thick, almost black beer with a dark foam, which makes it feel very strong and masculine. Kozel has won a lot of international awards and is favorite of both locals and expats.

Svijany

Svijani often gets ignored by visitors who usually go for Kozel and Pilsner Urquell simply because they are more widely distributed and that’s a huge mistake. Svijani is one of the oldest beers in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1534, the brand is also special because it produces unpasteurised lagers. This brings a unique “true” taste to the drink that makes it different to other Czech beers. While most beers in the Czech Republic have an alcoholic content of 5 % ABV or less, Svijany also produces a special pale ale (the Svijany Baron) that contains 6,5% ABV, as well as a special wheat beer.

Matuska

The Matuška is one of the country’s youngest beers but it has already built up a serious following. Matuška is a craft beer brewed as clean as they come with no added extracts or sugars, using different types of yeasts and specially filtered water. Matuška produces several beers, including typical ales and lagers full of body.

If you want something special, try their Zlata Raketa (meaning Gold Racket) beer. With an alcohol content of 7% and undertones of citrus and tropical fruit, its a great choice if you want something lighter and sweeter than the typical Czech lager.

Bernard

A family brewery dating back to the 16th century, Bernard got a major makeover in 1991, when new owners took over and switched to making unpasteurized beer using traditional methods that include letting the beer mature in cellars. Bernard makes their own yeast culture and uses microfiltration for a final “clearing” process that doesn’t affect the taste or color of the beer.

While Bernard produces the ever popular lagers, they also make ales and flavored beers. Bernard beers are known for being particularly full bodied and bitter, so if you’re after a strong beer with a lot of personality, this is the brand to try.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.