Mmmm, beer……

For the connoisseurs of a fine brew, there is a wide range of choice in this part of the world. A few are recognisable, such as Heineken and Budweiser – Heineken is as we know it, but Budweiser (or ‘Budvar’) is the real thing – literally. The name was stolen by an American brewery last century, and they’ve taken upon themselves to do their darnedest to ruin the reputation of a very fine product. The others are probably not known to the general populace however this will not present an issue, as I have magnanimously taken it upon myself to try them all to draw back the curtains of confusion. First up is Pilsner Urquell, a Czech Pilsner labelled as ‘the original pilsner’. This particular example had a cornucopia of flavours, some quite robust, but none which were overbearing. Well worth a try. Staropramen (‘old spring’) comes from Prague in the Czech Republic, and has been around over 100 years. The hops aren’t so noticeable, and it’s a little sweeter and softer than Pilsner Urguell, and is a real treat. An early, but definite, lead so far. I also have to take my hat off to the owners of Staropramen – InBev from Belgium. When they took over the brewery in 1993, they stopped the management from installing stainless steel plant, and ordered them to continue using the old style open fermenters. Further still, when a new brewhouse was built in 1997, it was modelled on the original plant – open fermenters included. Related: A (very) short history of beer