Hello beersapien friend! We want to close the cycle on the Czech brewing school with some beer recommendations that you can find in our store. And it is that the Czechs consume more beer per capita than any other nation in the world, including Germans, Irish and Belgians. Each Czech drinks an average of 138 liters of beer per year , that is, almost a half-liter bottle every day.
We do not want you to reach those amounts, but we do want to provide you with a selection of beers so that you can try some of the most refreshing beers we have. And not only that, with each beer we're going to tell you five curiosities about the Czech brewing school that you probably haven't been told before. Shall we start?
1. Beer has been produced in Czech monasteries since at least AD 993
Although it is believed that beer was brewed in the region from before, the first written document on the process is from the Benedictine monks of the Břenov Monastery. To honor these monks, we suggest a beer with its own god in the can, the Espiga Beer Mosaic Goldess , a Bohemian Pilsner brewed with authentic Saaz hops.
2. During the 13th century, the theft of hops was punishable by death.
That was the ruling of King Václav II of Bohemia at the end of the 13th century, which gives an idea of how important hops were. for the country's economy. One of the Pilsen beers that we have with more emphasis on this ingredient is El Cantero Hoppy Pils , a classic German pilsner style, very fresh and drinkable, with hops as the protagonist .
3. Czech beer measures degrees of fermentation rather than volumes of alcohol.
Czech beer is classified according to the Balling scale, which represents the “weight” of liquids. A higher proof means more sugar, resulting in a higher alcohol content and a stronger (less bitter) taste. Although most Czech beers are between 10 and 12 proof (approximately 4-5 percent alcohol content), there are also some specials that can be 20 proof or higher.
If you want to refresh yourself with a Pilsen with a low alcohol content, we recommend the Attik Motueka Fans New Zealand , made with a New Zealand hop that gives it a very sweet and smooth aroma. With its only 4.9% ABV, it is ideal for taking more than one in summer.
On the contrary, if you want to go strong, but still have that refreshing flavor, we advise you to go Imperial Pilsner style with the Bidassoa Adur . This stronger version of the Pilsen has a very pronounced hop and a high alcohol level (6.3%).
4. Old school Czech beer drinkers sometimes prefer more foam than beer.
In many bars it is possible to see some tables where the different styles of throwing the beer are called, depending on the proportion of foam that is desired. This happens because there are those who prefer to drink more foam than beer. In the past, it was a common way to determine the quality of beer: to test the sweetness of the head and the bitterness of the beer separately.
So if you have been curious to drink foam and beer separately, we recommend the Peninsula Pils , a transparent golden Pilsen with a very white and very persistent foam.
5. The etiquette of the toast.
Do you know how to toast when drinking beer in the Czech Republic? When clinking the jars, one must say na zdraví , which means "to your health". But also make sure you make eye contact with each person (otherwise, rumor has it you may get seven years of bad sex, and we don't want that for you buddy) and if the toast includes a large group, avoid crossing your arms with someone else at the table.
To toast, we suggest an old recipe beer, such as Slow Rhythm , from El Cantero. This Kölsch-style beer ( man does not live by Pilsner alone ) combines current brewing techniques with the traditional style.
And as always, if you want to know more about education and beer styles, we recommend that you pay attention to our online tastings and the special packs that we prepare for each school. Na zdraví !
Source: destinationchequia.com