Photo © Nicole Quasté

Czech Republic boasts a long history of beer making and drinking as home to the original pilsner and original Budweiser. With the highest beer consumption per capita and some of the most delicious varieties anywhere in the world, Czech Republic is a beer drinker’s paradise.

On my most recent trip to Prague, the city where beer is as common, if not more common, than water, I quickly discovered that if I was going to fully embrace the Czech culture, I’d need to partake in its longest tradition.

Prague’s picturesque cobblestone streets and alleyways are lined with pubs, so finding a spot to grab a beer is not difficult.

When it comes to the city’s favorite drink, it’s more about quality than quantity. Unlike a traditional bar in the United States, bars in Prague display a single type of beer on a sign outside of the bar, indicating the variety available inside. There is seldom more than one type of beer served at any given bar.

One of the most well-known Czech beers in the world is Pilsner Urquell, and you can’t walk a few steps in Prague without stumbling across a Pilsner Urquell bar. The second-largest brewery in Czech Republic is Staropramen, an unfiltered brew distinguishable by its creamy, citrusy layer of foam on top. You’ll also find Budvar, the original Budweiser, and Kozel, which comes in a light and dark variety.

When you sit down at a bar or restaurant, you can expect the waiter to bring you a beer without even ordering one, and they’ll simply keep coming until you indicate you are done. The Czech word for beer is “pivo”, pronounced “pee-voh”. To continue ordering a beer in a bar or restaurant, simply say “Pivo, prosim”, or “Beer, please.” This will let the server know you’d like a traditional 10-degree lager, the most commonly drunk variety.

© Sean Pavone | Dreamstime.com

There are usually three choices of beer at any given bar in Prague: a 10-degree, 12-degree and a dark beer, known as “tmavy.” The degrees represent the amount of sucrose by weight. A 10-degree beer is usually around 4.5 percent alcohol, while a 12-degree is about 5 percent, both of which are low compared to the average craft beer in the United States. Most beers are brought in a large half-liter glass, but you can simply say “Male pivo, prosim,” for a smaller beer. Don’t forget to tip at the end of the night, though the common tip amount is not much.

One of the most unique aspects of beer culture in the Czech Republic is the option to choose your amount of foam. In some restaurants and bars, you’ll find four different ways to pour a beer. A Crème Urquell (hladinka) is the classic Czech pilsner with about one quarter of the glass filled with foam. A Slice (košt or šynt) comes with a “six-finger foam,” which is two fingers of beer, three fingers of foam and one finger of empty glass. A Sweet (mlíko) style of beer is a glass almost entirely full of foam, while the Neat (čochtan) style fills the glass with no head of foam.

The best part about all of this great beer? An average beer in even the most tourism-heavy areas of the city will only cost you a couple dollars; and if you venture outside of Prague’s main district into the surrounding neighborhoods, districts and countrysides, you can enjoy a pint for only a few cents.

Cheers!

— Nicole Quasté, assistant editor