Podkováň Czech Lager now available in the UK!

Czech beer is something of an institution, but it's not as well known as it should be in the UK. Many beer drinkers will have heard of, seen or drunk some of the Pilsner Urquell, Budvar or Staropramen beers widely available, but there are many lesser known, smaller breweries that also uphold the country's proud brewing heritage with a wide selection of high quality offerings.

A brief history of Czech Beer

Although monks were brewing beer in Bohemia in the early middle ages, it was in 1842 that the traditional Bohemian Pilsner we know today was born.

As the quality of beer brewed by individual burghers in the city of Plzeň (Pilsen) varied so much, they decided to establish a single brewery, Pilsen Burgher, known later as Pilsner Urquell, to make better beer. Bavarian master brewer Josef Groll's iconic style had a malty, biscuity, toasty character with some diacetyl (Diacetyl is a chemical compound, formed naturally during the brewing process with a buttery caramel or butterscotch flavour and is generally considered an off-flavour, but low levels are traditional and allowed in certain styles like Czech pilsners) adding a little sweetness and a soft, rounded, butterscotch-like mouthfeel. Saaz hops provided mild, earthy and spicy notes with very low bitterness.

Note that Saaz is the historical German name for the Czech town of Žatec. The German name became widely recognised during the 19th century, when the Czech region of Bohemia formed part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The surrounding agricultural landscape of Žatec is so integral to brewing heritage that it is now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Renaissance architecture in a Pilsen market square

Pilsen lager's popularity spread throughout Bohemia and the surrounding countries, so the style was soon copied. As a result, in 1859, Pilsen Burgher registered 'Pilsner Bier' as a trademark, although this is also used by other beers from the area.

You can read more about the history of Czech beer on The Czech Beer Alliance website.

Podkováň Brewery

One Czech brewery which launched earlier this year at the London Craft Beer Festival is Podkováň.

Founded by monks in Kováň, central Bohemia, the brewery has been producing beer since 1434 and continues to use many of the original brewing methods, while integrating state-of-the-art technology.

Six pillars of authentic Czech brewing

At Podkováň, they adhere to six pillars of authentic Czech brewing:-

• Pure spring water
  Beers are brewed with pure water from a 300m underground spring.
• Open-top fermentation
  Bottom-fermented lagers are made in the traditional way, using wide, shallow open-top vats and double decoction mashing (Double decoction mashing is a traditional brewing technique where part of the mash - the mixture of grain and water that becomes wort - is removed, boiled separately and then returned to the main mash twice to raise the temperature, creating a fuller-bodied profile with rich malty, toasted and toffee flavours from the ensuing Maillard reaction).
• 40-day maturation
  Each batch matures naturally for around 40 days at low temperatures to achieve balance and a clean, smooth finish.
• Finest ingredients
  Only specially selected Bohemian hops and premium malts are used.
• Master Brewer
  Antonín Červený, the chief brewer with over 25 years' experience, personally oversees production.
• Traditional classic and dark lagers
  Both a golden, light classic lager and a richer dark lager are made, using Saaz hops and barley malt, while the dark lager also incorporates crystal and roasted barley malts. Both are 4.8% ABV.

The Classic Lager

👀 Appearance: Bright mid-gold colour with a frothy white head.

👃 Nose: Fresh, delicately floral and a little grassy with gentle notes of citrus, caramel, brown bread and malt.

😋 Palate: Palate is similarly bright and clean with hints of lemon, lightly buttered toast, spice, cereal and leafy herbs plus a refreshing bitter tang on the finish. Diacetyl is mild, but adds some body and creaminess to the mouth feel.

😋 A sessionable beer that could also be enjoyed with a variety of food styles.

The Dark Lager

👀 Appearance: Dark brown with a persistent, frothy creamy head.

👃 Nose: Notes of caramel, chocolate and coffee nibs with touches of raisins and dates plus a hint of orange zest.

😋 Palate: Notes of barley sugar and smooth malt chocolate with a touch of roasted hazelnuts, a hint of smokiness and a refreshing, subtle bitter citrus tang.

😋 There's a lightness here that you might not expect from a dark beer, which makes this lager very drinkable on its own, but it would also pair well with hearty meat and vegetarian stews.

Distribution and prices

Podkovan lagers are available in 440ml cans and 30L or 50L steel kegs. Current trade prices for 12x440ml cans are £18.20 for the Classic Lager and £19.20 for the Dark Lager. The brewery also produces a Pilsner Lager (3.4% ABV), Monastic Special (5.5% ABV) and Alcohol-Free Lager (0.5% ABV) and you can contact the company directly for further information on distribution and pricing.

Additionally, the company provides branded merchandise, including premium glassware, and can supply and install draught dispense equipment with ongoing maintenance.

A webshop is currently being developed for on-line ordering and you can find a list of venues and shops currently stocking Podkováň lagers on their website.

See the dedicated page on The Write Taste for further beer reports and reviews.