Czech Beer Day 19.6.2019

I was lucky to be among the beer writers and drinks trade people invited to the Czech Beer Day at the Embassy of the Czech Republic on Wednesday 19 June, 2019.

A welcome greeting from CzechTrade's Eva Provot was appreciated. The useful programme started with a printed welcome 'Na zdravi!' from: Libor Sečka, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic. A feature by CzechTrade's Martin Macourek explained the differences between Real Bohemian Lager and normal beer that include 'double mashing and double fermentation' and that maturation takes place much longer than normal lager.

Details of available beers available were listed including those from the eight breweries in the newly formed Czech Beer Alliance.

The CBA website includes further details about the breweries and Bohemian brewing history.

Later I would meet Martyn Railton, MD of Euroboozer, an import and distribution company that works alongside the Czech Beer Alliance and is also featured in the programme.

The Czech Beer Day is held on the private lawn behind the embassy which is also overlooked, from the east side, by the embassy of the Slovak Republic (on the right of the photo above).

Although Jeff Evans was unable to attend today he advised me in advance that the beer from Budvar would be reliably good. 

At the Budvar bar I was served by Josh who regularly visits Budweiser Budvar in the southern city of České Budějovice from his Budvar UK Bristol base. Josh says there are regular direct trains from Prague costing £5. He recommends visiting the state-owned brewery in colder months when the temperature difference between the outside air and the Budvar storage cellars is less than in the summer.

Josh also mentioned that the Original (5% ABV) lager, which I was drinking, is matured for 90 days in the cellars. I noticed that you need a strong arm to lift a full 50cl heavy glass of Budvar! Budvar dark lager and Budvar Kräusened unfiltered lager (pronounced Kroy-Zened) were also available.
Any visit to the brewery could be combined with a visit to picturesque Český Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 15 miles further south.

(Official Photo by Mrs Šárka Kotzinová _MG_0231)

Music from a singer with keyboard accompaniment carried across the lawn. It was a surprise to hear him singing 'From Russia with Love' at one point! 

 Dodging the unwelcome rain, I reached the long white open tent on the west side of the lawn.

The attractive label design drew me to the stand for beers from the Jarošovský brewery which reopened in 2015. The design by Little Greta creative consultancy won a Gold in the World Beer Awards 2017. Tereza explained that the brewery takes its name from the town of Jarošov in the south east of the country.

Cvikov Klíč 12° (4.9% ABV), a favourite beer from the previous month's Real Bohemian Lager workshop at the Czech Embassy, was the next beer to enjoy, as the rain continued. The town of Cvikov, in the north of the country is close to the German border. The craft brewery uses only water from its own 80m deep well, Czech hops and Czech malt. 

(Official Photo by Mrs Šárka Kotzinová _MG_100)

I asked about travelling from Prague to the brewery and was advised to hire a car. However, subsequent research shows that it is possible to travel by train to nearby Svor in about three hours by train, changing at Mladá Boleslav.

Pivovar Kutná Hora also takes its name from its place of origin. Kutná Hora was once the favourite residence of several Bohemian kings. Situated about 40 miles east of Prague, the historic town can be reached by train in about an hour with some journeys requiring a change at Kolín.

Having tasted only pale lagers so far, it was time to try a semidark lager from Bohemia Regent (Pivovar Třeboň). Petr Vok (5.3% ABV) is brewed with Pilsener, Munich and Caramel malts coupled with Herkules, Aurora, Saaz and Kazbek hops. 
The traditional brewery is located in Třeboň, a spa town, about 90 miles south of Prague. Trains from Prague require a change at Veselí nad Lužnicí. Trains from České Budějovice, which is less than 20 miles away by road, take an indirect route which also requires a change at Veselí nad Lužnicí.

The rain eased and people gathered to watch a cooking demonstration at the Retigo combi oven stand. Joining this gathering would soon be rewarded with a plate of freshly cooked food without having to get too wet while waiting! 

I met up for a chat with a group that included John Cryne, standing under the shelter of the white marquee.

From the north of the country, near the Polish border, the long established Pivovar Frýdlant is situated beside the river Smědá near Frýdlant castle. The unfiltered / unpasteurized draught beers available were 11° Albrecht pale lager (35 IBU), 12° Kateřina dark lager (50 IBU) and 15° Albrecht India Pale Ale (87 IBU). These beers are also supplied in 700ml flip top bottles.
Frýdlant v Čechách railway station is served by trains from Liberec. However a journey to/from Prague would involve at least one more change of train.

My last beer at the Czech Beer Day was from Pivovar Matuška. The brewery was established in Broumy by experienced brewer Martin Matuška in 2009. The team includes his son Adam Matuška who graduated in 2009 and art director Jakub Matuška aka Masker responsible for the brewery logo featuring hops and barley.

I enjoyed Matuška Apollo Galaxy from a gold rimmed glass. The 5.5% ABV pale ale (61 IBU) is brewed with Pilsner, Bavarian and Carapils malts together with Apollo, Galaxy and Citra hops.
Lying just inside the Central Bohemia district, Broumy is in the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area of deciduous forest and the Berounka river valley. The nearest station to the brewery is Zdice about 8 miles away. Zdice is served by trains from Prague, Pilsen / Plzeň and Ceske Budejovice. 

Martin Macourek & Libor Sečka - (Photo by Mrs Šárka Kotzinová _MG_0017)

After 6pm there was an official greeting from Libor Sečka, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic. This was followed by Martin Macourek announcing several prize winners from the guest list who came forward to collect their beer-related prizes. Perhaps I will be a lucky winner next year?!
 
Hopefully there will be an opportunity to try Czech beers again locally, in Newbury, either from a pub with a wide range of bottles like the Catherine Wheel or a shop like Inn at Home.

Thanks to everyone involved in organising this much appreciated event. Let's hope the weather will be more summer like in June 2020.