Well, there’s a style of beer that isn’t that well known in the UK. It used to be a style that was the most popular in Bavaria until the 20 th century and was popular in Czechia in the late 1700s. Of course, the arrival of pale golden lagers swept the nation in the late 1800s, glassware was cheap and accessible to the common people. Who wouldn’t want to gaze at the light dancing through the golden suds before you quench your thirst? Hall, Timothy (2003). "Pivo and Pohoda: The Social Conditions and Symbolism of Czech Beer Drinking". Anthropology of East Europe Review. 21: 109–126.

In this case, Budweiser Budvar have had 750 years to refine this recipe using their whole cone Saaz hops, spring water from their own artisan well that runs underneath the brewery and Moravian barley - all sourced from Czechia - to make a lager that is a joy to drink. Of course, all the above would be moot if the lager itself didn’t come up to scratch in the taste department. Thankfully, Freestar’s trio of European hops (Saaz, Perle and Hallertau, to be specific) give the lager a classic beer taste, with a nice mix of floral flavours, light bitterness and mild maltiness on the palate. While many low ABV lagers have strange or unpleasant aftertastes, Freestar has a clean finish which doesn’t linger. Kenety, Brian (2005-08-22). "Centuries-old 'Budweiser Bier' heading for St Louis to take on American giant". Radio Praha . Retrieved 2017-12-06. MAPA: Komu patří pivovary v Česku? Čtyři piva z deseti jsou z Prazdroje". iDNES.cz. 14 October 2015. The label is visually striking, with the only part in red the Ceske Budejovice crest which is consistent across all their range of beers. The fingerprints are very 'private investigator' with the names and signatures of Adam Broz, Brewmaster at Budvar, and Ales Dvorak, Budvar official Beer Sommelier giving it a nice design touch.While a simple lager may not be the most exciting or innovative of beers, especially in the craft beer age, it's a fitting testament to how good a beer can be if you nail the basics. Budvar Original: Taste Test Taste: A very forward malty sweetness balances nicely with the floral hops, which finishes slight spicy. Bitterness is low but it does pop it's head out for a brief moment. Carbonation is sharp around the mouth. An alcohol free version of crisp, Italian-style lager, Birra Morretti, Moretti Zero is our favourite among them. Staying commendably close to the flavour of the original, this alcohol-free lager has an even balance of crispness, maltiness and hoppiness. Like many alcohol-free beers, it pours without much of a head, has a less robust body than its full-fat counterparts and is a tad on the sweet side. However, on the whole, Birra Moretti is a satisfying and worthwhile tipple for those abstaining. King, Jeremy (2005). Budweisers into Czechs and Germans: A Local History of Bohemian Politics, 1848-1948. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691122342. Budweiser supports British farmers sourcing 75% of it's malted barley locally and aiming to reach 100% of British barley by 2020.

Made with the best quality Moravian malted barley, with the addition of caramalts, Munich malt and a touch of roasted malt, the brewery’s own artesian well water and of course, the whole-cone Saaz hops that give the signature character to its better-known sibling, Budvar Original. Fermenting this beer is much the same as the Original, with a leisurely 12 days required. It is then transferred to the cool horizontal lagering tanks for over six weeks to condition, develop and for the flavours to meld into the beer the brewers want it to be.

The best lagers to buy in 2023

Nuttiness is the main flavour you get when you pop the cap off the bottle, with a touch of malt and a smokey, roast flavour all mingling together. Originating in Northern Europe, lagers are a type of beer brewed using bottom fermenting yeasts. Able to operate at cooler temperatures, bottom fermenting yeasts work more slowly and less vigorously than yeasts used to produce other beers, and are named for how they tend to sink to the bottom of the fermentation vessel once finished. Once brewed, lagers tend to be matured in cold storage. How are lagers different from ales? Vessel: Glass 330ml green bottle. Drunk out of my Coopers Tulip. I do appreciate the slightly dated, almost retro label. Smell: A beautiful bouquet of grassy floral hops, a slight graininess to the beer. The bitterness is slightly metallic but not in an unpleasant way. Lightly toasted malts and a hint of bread.

Dark lager is alchemy; taking the lightness and texture of a lager and bring to it flavours more associated with stouts. Budvar Dark is mastery of this art. The American classic of Hamburger and chips are a match made in heaven for an ice cold American lager like Budweiser. Due to the fatty nature of this dish it can easily become stodgy and boring, however, Budweiser's high carbonation cleanses the palate after each bite.History [ edit ] Budweiser Budvar's headquarters and brewery in the Kněžské Dvory suburb of České Budějovice, pictured in 2011 1265–1895 [ edit ] Consequently Budweiser Budvar beer is imported as "Czechvar" in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines and the United States [18] [19] and Anheuser-Busch sells its beer as "Bud" in most of the European Union. Easily one of the better known dark lagers and a real crowd favourite for a reason, this is a must-try for anyone who loves lager; European or otherwise. Budvar Dark: Taste Test Pilsner: Originating in Czechia, and popular across central Europe, pilsners are lightly straw coloured lagers, tending to come in at around 4 to 5%. Pilsners, on the whole, are a tad hoppier and more aromatic than your typical lager, and are characterised by a mild, pleasant bitterness. Budweiser Budvar Brewery and the American brewery Anheuser-Busch have been engaged in an ongoing trademark dispute over the name Budweiser since the start of the 20th century. In 1939, only one week before the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Budweiser Budvar agreed to concede exclusive rights to the American brewery in the United States area. [16] During World War II and the Cold War, Budweiser Budvar was unable to compete with then independent Anheuser-Busch. In 1994, then CEO of Budweiser Budvar Jiří Boček decided not to sign a trademark agreement with the American brewery to divide their territory across the world. [6] On 29 July 2010, Anheuser-Busch lost its last-instance appeal in the European Court of Justice, meaning it may not register the name Budweiser as a European Union trademark for beer. [17]

The profile of the beer, as always with Budvar, is one of harmony. It has a modest 24 IBU (International Bitterness Units) from the hops, but the roast of the specialty malts gives the beer a note of bitterness too. It’s a combination that balances the touch of sweetness from the caramalts and ties the profile together. Budvar Dark manages to tread the tightrope that keeps it refreshingly drinkable, while delivering a fistful of flavour. Notes of roasted malt, baked caramel, a touch of ground coffee and cocoa are joined with aromatic floral hints and brown bread. Feel: Not watery or thin, it does hold some body. Nicely carbonated but not excessively so like some Euro lagers or Australian adjunct lagers. Drinkability and sessionability is extremely high. Original, 90-day matured pale lager and flagship of the brand, marketed as a premium lager, contains 5.0% ABV (inCzech: 12° or Ležák). The original beers from places like Budvar tend to date from hundreds of years ago, so they've had plenty of practice to make a solid beer. Oliver, Garrett (2011). The Oxford Companion to Beer. p.191. ISBN 978-0195367133. , s.v. 'Budweiser Budvar'This is the new style of label for Budvar Dark which is designed to make it more attractive to other places in Europe, with the addition of the words in Czech. a b Notte, Jason (2016-05-11). "Budweiser's 'America' no longer exists". MarketWatch . Retrieved 2017-12-06. The flavour follows this nutty pattern, but there's also sweetness in there too from the caramel malt that helps to make it a more rounded beer rather than a straight nutty lager.