Beer in the Czech Republic
[2] The most common Czech beers are pale lagers of the pilsner type, with a characteristic transparent golden colour, high foaminess, and lighter flavour.
Other top-selling brands include Krušovice, Starobrno, Březňák, Zlatopramen, Lobkowicz, Bernard, and Svijany.
[6] Most towns had at least one brewery, with the most famous brewing cities in Bohemia being České Budějovice, Plzeň, and Prague.
Brewing is recorded here since the 13th century, and the beer produced was commonly referred to as Budweiser Bier (pivo z Českých Budějovic).
[8] The modern Budějovický měšťanský pivovar was founded in 1795 as the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Budweis and is the oldest brewery in the world to use the term "budweiser" when referring to its beer.
Because of such disputes, Budvar is sold in the United States and Canada under the label Czechvar, and Anheuser-Busch sells its beer as Bud in most of the European Union.
In 1842, a brewery in Plzeň employed Josef Groll, a German brewer who was experienced in the Bavarian lager method of making beer.
It is also recorded that in 1088 AD, King Vratislaus II granted a tithe of hops to the Canons of Vyšehrad Cathedral in order to brew beer.
[15] South Moravia is known for winemaking, and there are only few large breweries, namely Starobrno in Brno and Černá Hora, although since the 2000s, Akciový Pivovar Dalešice, Pegas, and Richard have been gaining popularity, despite smaller production.
Czech beers vary in colour from pale (světlé), through amber (polotmavé) and dark (tmavé), to black (černé), and in strength from 3–9% ABV.
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.
[23] Over fifty percent of beer in the Czech Republic is exported to Slovakia, Germany, Poland, and Russia.
[24] There has been a steady decrease in beer consumption within the Czech Republic, but breweries have noted an increase in their production due to rising international interest.
[30] Currently, the Plzeňský Prazdroj group of breweries produces the following beers: Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Velkopopovický Kozel, and Radegast.
Additionally, in 2010, they began sales to the United Arab Emirates, Syria, South Korea, Vietnam, and Argentina.
[32] The company credits their growing sales to Asian countries like Vietnam and Taiwan to the number of international visitors to the Czech Republic.
[34] Additionally, it is speculated that the increase in beer exports and consumption is contributed to by the fact that its parent company, SABMiller, was sold to the Japanese Asahi Breweries.
In April, right after the sale to Ashai Breweries, Plzeňský Prazdroj began exports to China.
[37] Karel Kraus, manager of the Pilsner Urquell brand, credits the company's success to their increase in beer on tap, which is exported to more than thirty countries and represents twenty percent of the Pilsner Urquell beer industry.
