How Czech Pilsner changed the world (not just beer)

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This week we're telling the TRUE story of the origin of Pilsner and pale lager, the beer that went on to take over the world - and expanding it to show that it didn't just change what we drink, but how we see ourselves both in Europe and the US.
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[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

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[@The4stro]

im czech, and it's interesting to see someone talk about pilser urquell like that. you're talking about it as something worth travelling the world for, and i can just go to the nearest store or to a better pub and buy it

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Haha - I hear and feel this all the time about British brands. We all tend to ignore or under-appreciate what is right outside out front door.

[@The4stro]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel just btw, Pilsner urquell doesn't taste that good from a can. if you can get it in a glass bottle or even better, on tap, it's infinitely better than the canned stuff

[@miroslavspacek5737]

@@The4stro agree, bottle is much better than aluminium can

[@frufruJ]

@@miroslavspacek5737 Yeah aluminium cans are covered in plastic on the inside and it affects the taste of the beer. In my experience, PU is EXTREMELY sensitive to just about everything. I've had PU that was bliss, and I've had PU on tap in a railway station pub where it was so disgusting I couldn't even finish it. TBH, my current favourite beer is Ratar from Radegast. Unfortunately they went down with the IBU when they rebranded it (used to be 50), but it's still nice and the most bitter, I think, from all the big brands.

[@miroslavspacek5737]

@@frufruJ Ive worked in the production of cans. Its a transparent paint and its allowed to have some imperfections of this paint which means that the beer is in direct contact with aluminium on for example 5 small particles. Detection of these imperfections are controlled quite frequently many times every shift with detection fluid and some sort of UV light as far as I remember.

[@lomien007]

Learning about my country's history through the eyes of foreigners can be fun. Greetings from Czech Republic :)

[@dampaul13]

The Saaz hop aroma and flavour from a fresh draught Pilsner Urquell is a truly life-changing and beer-affirming experience. Sadly, that hop aroma and flavour dissipates so quickly, especially in cans/bottles, that most people have never or will never get to try the way the beer is meant to taste. Did an Urquell tour many years ago with a couple of travel buddies. A rather large Czech man named Tom was the tour guide. Everyone else was silent and didn't say a word, while I couldn't stop asking questions. Tom loved that I had knowledge and an interest in beer. He gave us two plastic cups, filled them up, and told us to drink, as gave everyone else one cup, only half full, and continued talking. Tom kept motioning us to drink so he could keep filling out cups. He found another couple of places to give us more beer during the tour while everyone else had disposed of their cups. At the end of the tour, after he said goodbye to everyone else, he took us into a private bar where he piled us with more beautiful pale lager. Finally, we went and had a few beers with him and some other workers after their shift. An incredible day. Also did the Budvar tour on the same trip. Still an awesome tour but a lot less eventful.

[@xiucutil6170]

Sending greetings to you guys from Czechia, hats down, you have real thorough knowledge about our beer ;)

[@albundy5398]

Warning, smartass comment: I've noticed that "Urquell" has a weird pronunciation in the Anglophone world, there's even that yeast called "Urkel". It's ofc a German word meaning "original spring" and in German it's stressed on the first syllable which sounds exactly like German Uhr=clock and the "qu" in "quell" is the same as the Kv- in Kveik (the yeast) , so the German pronunciation would be something like "UHR-kvell"

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Love a good smartass comment like this, thanks!

[@andrewsteer8860]

Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

[@VelkyAl]

@@albundy5398 it's kind of sad that we call it Pilsner Urquell rather than its Czech name...Plzeňský Prazdroj.

[@craftbrewer5401]

Use Google translate. Set to German. Type in Urquell and have it say the word.

[@albundy5398]

@@craftbrewer5401 Yes, that's a good example of a standard German pronunciation. Though most people would pronounce the "u" rather voiceless, more like a soft "f". The translation as "source", however, is way to unspecific.

[@loufigouk]

I was listening to my second favourite beer podcast this week (Brulosophy) and they have a shout out to your new book! Word is spreading. Looking forward to reading it. Love and Beer!!

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

@@loufigouk no way! That's VERY cool! I'll have to listen in.

[@MartinKyral]

Budvar stayed state owned for one reason: to make sure it won't end up under AB. Make no mistake, AB would pay hefty price to settle the brand disputes for good. And as a little bonus, every year it generates nice addition to the national budget.

[@robinsebelova7103]

Yes, Budvar is not ČEZ, but it certainly generates a positive income in hundreds of milions CZK.

[@filiplesko3262]

I would still rather sell a beer brewery to Babiš than sell it to some Japanese.

[@johanserko2719]

@@filiplesko3262 Babiš my goat

[@zinstonehead]

It seems so that the whole country would by under AB again next year. We are just stupid..

[@PotatoSmasher420]

@@zinstonehead Geez guys, this is about AB as in Anheuser-Busch, not Andrej Babiš you fools...

[@Les1Tom]

Fascinating video with great explanation of Czech beer and their history. The two of them both Urquell and Budvar are two of my favourite beers.

[@ecophreak1]

PU for the summer and Budvar in the winter, spring and autumn depends on the weather. Ordered your book last week, looking forward to reading it

[@harmanbrewing7517]

Great vid! Czech Lagers are my go to. Went to Budvar brewery for my 50th last year. Tank fresh original is an experience I’ll never forget. If only they gave out the 33 as I do prefer the higher ibus. Ps. If you didn’t try Desitka by Matuska at LCBF seek it out. It’s top tier.🤘🍻

[@tomstepp6945]

i'm addicted to your channel. Please don't stop

[@Gosudar]

It really makes sense to use "Czechia" instead of "the Czech Republic" when talking about the history of the country. While it has been known as "Czechia" for centuries, it became "the Czech Republic" only after it, well, became a republic in 1918 (or even in 1993 after the dvorce with Slovakia/Slovak Republic), i.e. long after the Pilsner Urquell brewery was founded. About the history, "mess in terms of the borders" is probably not the description I would use. Czechia has in fact one of the oldest and most stable borders on the continent. If you look at the map of Europe in 1000 AD, you can see Czechia right there in the middle with pretty much the same borders it has today. It is therefore in fact one of the oldest countries in (almost) continuous existence. It was inded part of various supranational entities like the HRE or the Habsburg monarchy for centuries (and now is part of the EU), but its core territory has remained pretty much intact until today. The Czech-German rivarly was indeed a major thing in the past, especially since the rise of nationalism in Europe in the 19th century. German was used as the lingua franca of the vast multiethnic Habsburg monarchy (however most if its inhabitants didn't speak it), but when the Habsburgs (namely Joseph II in 1780s) tried to actually make it the official language of the monarchy, it backfired massively and was one of the initial moments of the Czech, Hungarian and other "national revivals" among the non-German peoples of the monarchy. Language and ethnicity had remained major political issues of the monarchy since then pretty much until its demise during WWI.

[@Pidalin]

In the past, people were mostly using their regional names like Bohemia, Moravia or even smaller parts. Even now in 2024, pretty much no Czech uses name of whole country when we say we go back from vacation, we don't say we are going back to Czechia or Czech Republic, we say we are returning to Bohemia, Moravia, Prague, Brno, whatever city or region you live in. Name Czechia is maybe used for centuries in some other languages, but for local people, it's new and because of high competition between regions, most of people don't even want to use name of whole country, especially when it has "Czech" in it's name. Bohemians and Silesians don't consider themselves Czechs. 🙂

[@Gosudar]

@@Pidalin Czechs, especially the younger ones, use the names "Česko" and "Czechia" on a daily basis and have absolutely no issue with them. It is true that many still use "Čechy" (vracím se do Čech) instead of "Česko", but this has nothing to do with some regional rivalry, they use it as the name of the country, an older and more familiar version of the same name. "Česko" evolved from "Čechy" in the same way "Rakousko" form "Rakousy", "Švýcarsko" from "Švýcary", "Španělsko" from "Španěly", etc. The name "Czechia" is a Latinized version of the original Czech name of the country (Cžechy) and was coined by Czech scholars in the 16th century so that they could use it in Latin instead of "Bohemia" (i.e. "the land of Boii") which is an exonym and has never been used in the Czech language. Tha vast majority of Czech-speakig people do consider themselves Czechs, of course. Some may prefer their regional identity (Moravian, Silesian, etc.) over their national or ethnic one when referring about themselves, but that's nothing unusual in Europe. There are far more "regionalized" countries there in this regard (Italy, Germany, Spain, etc.) than Czechia.

[@zinstonehead]

@@Pidalin I am proud to live in Bohemia, but I also like the entire Czech Republic.

[@Pidalin]

@@zinstonehead Yes, but ask Moravians and Silesians what they think about some "Czech" Republic or Czechia. 🙂

[@noctucat]

Czech here as well. Awesome video. Next time you're in Czech Republic, check this little brewery called "Zichovec". I love everything they make. And they make a lot kinds of beer.

[@malkocy]

3:30, as we grow, our taste buds also grow, as we age, our taste buds also get experienced.. That's why many things we eat or drink we don't appreciate as we do when we get elder and older.. Because we don't get the taste and we can't compare with other things.. Cheers, great video again..

[@ianlaker9161]

Such great and informative content as always. I've had the book on pre-order since you first announced it Jonny. Can't wait!

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Thanks for the support!

[@IanCrofton83]

Unbelievable content guys.. keep it up 💪

[@pierogi7z7kapusta]

The budvar brewery story you speak of… You can imagine a similar feeling in England 1100s. These normans came in, taking over all the prestigious, top layers of society, imposing French and the English being absolutely sick of them

[@Stevesulsh]

Would love to visit the Budvar brewery. The method of pouring the beer was a revelation on the budvar vlog, have the book in my amazon basket ready to go

[@archaeologistify]

You're an excellent talker. Thanks for this captivating piece of history.

[@Czechbound]

Hello from Prague. Very interesting history of Budvar

[@Nejedlej07]

This video appeared in my recommended and I did not expect this to be such an interesting lecture about Czech history connected to beer! Great video, greetings from Czechia ✌️

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@pv4669]

Great brewing history, love the content. I wish you would have poured the American Budweiser to show the color comparison. I must have some Czech blood as I too drink over 227 pints a year! 🤣 Thanks guys!

[@민서-l5d]

In Korea, budvar dark lager has just been imported. I like budvar as a drinkable lager. Pilsner urquell is great lager too. Thanks for giving information.

[@andyhiggy]

Cracking vid chaps. I would've like to have seen a more hardcore hardpour on the PU. Sounds like the old brewer at PU was just as prone to mistake as the rest of us home Brewers. It's not really a brewday without a fuck up. I totally agree on how awesome the Budvar dark is. Urquell is still my utility beer till I die though.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Haha I hear you on the hard pour, but with one can I didn't want to risk giving it all to Brad!

[@ilcorvo9559]

Brilliant retelling of the story of Budvar. If only we in England had found ways to retain our macro beer culture.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Indeed. We have torn down most of our historic breweries, and destroyed so many of our records.

[@TommyRepulsed]

When you hear those founding stories of Pilsner and Budweis it is quite funny that today most czechs preffer Pilsner while Germans tend to like Budwar because it is less bitter and more like current German Beer. Pilsner has a special property that you can drink like 3-4 litres of it and hardly have a hangover the next day. There are beers that cause a headache after one glass.

[@MrMajsterixx]

Sorry but I dont agree, Iam czech and this is a myth same as with mixing alcohol, its just the dehydratation that causes the headache, you have to keep yourself hydrated = after you finish drinking have atleast 1L of non alcoholic bewerage and you wont have headache ever again. Iam tellin you that as a guy that drinks 6 beers a day.

[@unemployed_clown]

Agree with the first part. Second seems rather far stretched. I haven't heard about anyone getting headache after 3 beers let alone one glass. Maybe I'm surrounded by alcoholics though... :)

[@TommyRepulsed]

@unemployed_clown well, Bernard for example gives me heartburn. I've had a headache after the Proud pale lager, but it could have had other reasons...

[@jirkau555]

@@unemployed_clown Budvar always gives me headache if I drink more than one, but other Czech beers I can drink 10,15,20 a night and be quite okay (or hungover, but no headache)

[@churaqgaming]

Good stories! I love me some Dark Kozel, the best dark beer I know of.

[@petrsvetr5271]

Pilsner got his light colour from using new method of malt drying. It was inveted by Englishman, but in that time no one in England want to use it. It uses lower temperatures so malt stay light. It was also quiet expensive in these days to buy malt kin if you could dry it above fire instead.

[@tomstepp6945]

I'd love to see your list of the must visit brewery's in Europe

[@ondrejsubi202]

Come to visit Zatec during Docesna festival - first September weekend. You will find more than 50 breweries. I bet you will love it😉

[@Forloa]

Born in Pilsen so instant like. Thx for this interesting vid

[@kibicz]

There is great book called "Budweisers into Czechs and Germans: A Local History of Bohemian Politics, 1848-1948" by Jeremy King, which deal with exactly the reasons behind Budvar foundation mentioned in the video.

[@alejandroramirez4470]

the part of mentioning czech fighting off german influence is similar to how mexican people started to add things into beer, michelada style, because they didn't just want pilsner beer. Hispanic people who are now living in the US are learning more about different styles, but we've still got a way to go.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Is that right? I'd love to know the full history of the michelada.

[@alejandroramirez4470]

​@TheCraftBeerChannel Well, Wikipedia might not say much on that but I wasn't aware until probably the past decade Mexicans did this. I can say certainly though lime was common to see added to a beer as I grew up.

[@roryomoore5306]

Great episode! As to the fact that Budvar is a national symbol to the Czech people... I had a history professor in college/university when we were studying pre American colonial history state that Americans started to refer to ourselves as American instead of British when we started brewing our own beer. Of course way before AB came along. Can't wait for the book!

[@ausfoodgarden]

It's interesting that here in Australia, Budvar is usually labeled as Budejovicky Budvar. I think if it carried the Budweiser name a lot of people would think it's like that awful American rice beer. Fantastic video guys.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

That is interesting! Clearly a conscious decision not to make that association... either that or the legal fight in Aus is being won by AB InBev.

[@andrewsteer8860]

It’s amazing how it’s now exported all over the world and the quality is still so good isn’t it?

[@TheYrthenarc]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel It's more than likely the second option, I don't see Budweiser Budvar voluntarily abandon their trademark in any market, especially given that it's contested.

[@lightoftheworld417]

The name is different in US for legal reasons.

[@santiagokaderian544]

Is there some information of what did they drink before lagers? Cheers from Argentina.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Before 1842 and Pilsner Urquell? It would have been ales made with wheat (some evidence that the Hefeweizen even originated in Czechia not Bavaria!) and also likely dark lagers and ales inspired by those of Munich and northern Germany (bocks)

[@petrcizek7721]

We brewed lagers couple of years before 1842 (I'm Czech), but it's not well documented. Pilsner Urqeull is definitely the first lager with stable recipe and commercial success. Before 1842 there were brewed top fermented beers including wheat, In middle ages beer was more like thick soup, it was safe to drink as it wasn't contaminated with bacteria as water

[@TomášMalík-q6u]

Wiezen crafted by czech monks

[@daikidetbilisi]

I love these videos as the stories are a great and discussions are fun with beers that we can easily get in many parts of the world. Equally, I hate these videos equally cos I always have to go to work gasping for a beer at 7am…

[@AlmirSevero1]

In Brazil the name of budvar is czechvar. For sure the AB InBev got the rights for Budweiser there

[@unemployed_clown]

AB really works for being one of the most hated companies worldwide.

[@redanthalas8830]

You should try Bernard, that's the best large brewery in Czech.

[@Tigerufoeye]

Thanks a lot for your incredible story and beer addiction ....... bros ...... greetings from Pilsen with beer in my veins. Next time you are in my town, drinks on me 🙂

[@zbynekriha]

In the video you mention that Czechs were often part of some states around. Well, that's not entirely accurate. Often enough Bohemia was the centre of such a grouping, one of them being the Holy Roman Empire.

[@frufruJ]

Well, yes, Prague was the seat of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire for 100+ years, but after the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, we pretty much became marginal. By the 19th century, we were the industrial centre of the Habsburg Empire, but that was it. We were only important for our factories.

[@MFCM2]

We don’t drink much Budvar (budweiser) in czech pubs. But PU and their sister breweries colectively occupy 40% of czech beer market

[@vsznry]

You guys should give your thoughts on Tom Holland's BERO.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

We saw that news but kind of assumed it would just be a contract brand with is name on. We do want to do an episode on celeb brewed beer (this, Elon, Jeremy Clarkson, etc)

[@BiscuitGeoff]

Strong thumbnail action. Who’s the artist?

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Ha well I think we all know it was (terrifyingly) AI - though then adapted by Brad who is a graphic designer.

[@BiscuitGeoff]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel Ah, I am a poor, sweet, naive soul and the thought never crossed my mind. I thought it would be something the publishers had got for the book. Nevermind.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

@@BiscuitGeoff oh damn sorry to disappoint you there.

[@MartinKulle]

I must confess that I was unaware of some of the facts you have stated here. I appreciate it very much. One small correction. Most of the time, when you talked about Germans, it was about Austrians - same language, but a different nation. I have one problem with the taste of Budvar. It's too sweet for me and after 4 beers I get a hangover in the morning. That's why I'd rather suck on a Pilsner Urquel than a Budvar. However, Pilsner Urquel increases the price enormously and is more expensive in the Czech Republic than in Germany. Another thing I have noticed is that the taste of PU abroad, specifically in the USA, is a bit more fruity than here. When I checked the brewery on the can, it was made in Poland, possibly Holland (or Belgium, not sure).

[@VanAdventuresBavaria]

"Vilshofen and Schärding, Traunstein and Erding in Bavaria has four places where you can drink the best beer." - Josef Groll - inventor of the Pils from Vilshofen Now it's up to you to find the breweries that still exist.

[@zachi3731]

Great history lesson in these two breweries! Love both of them but in the US Budvar (called Czechvar here thanks to Budweiser) comes in much fresher so I tend to get that more often as my go to beer for American football on the weekends. Can often find cans of Budvar that have been canned within the last month or two.

[@tomstepp6945]

Where did you source Budvar

[@zachi3731]

@@tomstepp6945 I live in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa and we have a grocery chain called Hyvee. Hyvee has a wine and spirits section with tons of great local craft beer and has a section with lots of European import beer. Budvar (Czechvar) is one of them and has been coming in fresh lately.

[@tomstepp6945]

@@zachi3731 you fly I’ll buy

[@zachi3731]

@@tomstepp6945 Lol I can't tell if you are serious or joking. Odds are if your local liquor store, wine and spirits or grocery store does not carry it, they can order it if you ask them to.

[@tomstepp6945]

@@zachi3731 I tried. No luck. One more specialty Wine and Beer shop but I’m thinking another zero

[@Carl810]

Where did you guys film this episode

[@Carl810]

Ps I’ve just received a copy of beer school

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

It's called the Beer Merchants Tap in Hackney Wick, East London. Jonny helped open in back in 2018!

[@philipcooper8297]

The true secret behind Pilsner is in the water. Bavarian water is very hard (full of minerals) and that influences the taste of the final product. Cross the mountain range east to Pilsen and you get very soft water, perfect for Pilsner beer. So pure luck was involved in inventing Pilsner beer, as the rest was just already known procedures used all over Europe.

[@Tomenczo]

What I find funny is the size of the beers you have :D ... u barely can find these little cans here in Czech Republic :D ... is that a kid's size version?

[@pac4life88]

I expect that anyone who has been lucky enough to have had a Pilnser Urquell straight from the oak barrel in the cellars under the brewery has a shared fondness of that time and of drinking that amazing beer in that location. I know I do, and even that brief mention of it at the start of this video connected me to you and brought a smile to my face. And isn't that what beer is really about? Shared experiences which are sometimes experienced togther or but often experienced apart.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Amen!

[@zbynekprochazka9542]

this is my first your video and i discovered it just becouse of algorithm but you speak about czech beer i am glad you speak about czech beer there is my coment for YT algorithm to help you if i have something about video i will post it under this coment

[@janlampert5688]

Hey, guys can you do report on Brewery " U Fleků " in Prague? Year 1499?

[@Clyde__Frog]

Whats IBU's?

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

International Bittering Units - a measure of the isomerised alpha acids in beer, essentially a way to calculate how bitter a beer is going to be. Not 100% accurate as a lot of other things feed into it, but it gives an indication.

[@Clyde__Frog]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel Thanks!

[@davidpelc]

There were not riots in 19th century between czech and german speaking citizens in Kingdom of Bohemia, there was healthy competition in businesses, culture and science. And i say that as Czech German. 🙂 By the way, you couldn´t say who is ethnical German and ethnical Czech, the difference was mostly just in language and if you decided to speak german, then czech speaking people were talking about you as about German and vice versa.

[@tomfu6210]

Sorry, but there were violent clashes. There even was a student "war" in Prague over university insignia. But yes, it was mostly cultural and economical competition.

[@toncek9981]

There indeed was a nationalistic tension, especially after 1848 and then 1861 - since 1848 nationalism was really on the rise throughout Europe (so both Czech and German) and in 1861 absolutism ended in Austria, so for large part of people focus shifted from the problem of citizen rights to the question of national rights. Your're right that it was mostly peaceful (as in pub fights or at most angry mobs fighting hooligan-style, but nothing like actual massacres in Polish-Ukrainian areas in 20th century), but the competition probably often wasn't exactly what we would call healthy. However you're definitely right about ethnicity back then being actually quite fluid and more about language and self-identification than anything else...

[@AdamTheGuitarist]

As a czech - even by recent studies that show we are basically a 50/50 mix of slavic and german especially due to this history

[@lilnunu1553]

@@AdamTheGuitarist pseudoscientific bs, literally cant be proven

[@lilnunu1553]

youre simply lying now, tensions were high and there was no competition in business, culture or science. all of it was german.

[@adamhercik581]

I'm Slovak and Czechs are our big bros. Always remember one thing. ALWAYS trust Czechs when it comes to beer.

You have summoned the Czechs!

[@StianEilertsen]

It is a matter of taste and for me Budvar Original is not a very good beer. As said during the video it is a Helles type of beer not a pilsner style. But you should mention Budvar 33 which was made to correct this. Budvar 33 has 33 IBU, which gives it a proper bitterness and for me it is a good beer. I do not drink Budvar Original, none of my Czech friends in Prague drinks it and compared to Urquell there are not many pubs in Prague that have Budvar. I experienced the same in Brno. Thanks for your great channel - it is always lovely to experience you two talking about Czech beer. Keep up the good work.

[@zinstonehead]

I'm Czech and I like beer.

[@unemployed_clown]

I'm a car and I like petrol.

[@vaclav_fejt]

I'm not a huge beer connoisseur, but your history lesson made me feel all patriotic and want to buy a bottle of Budvar. 😀 Despite my Praguer friend says it's a sour pisswater. He prefers Staropramen (owned by Molson Coors). My Budweiser friend says Staropramen tastes bad and Budvar is the best. I frankly don't taste the difference.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Haha - tell your friend that these beers are all different, but not so different that one is good and the other "piss water". Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@VelkyAl]

I look forward to the video about US Budweiser and pointing out that its origins are at least 30 years ahead of the establishment of Budvar. There is such irony in the appellation arguing given that a company that was established as an avowed Czech enterprise is arguing over a German word, and let's not forget the actual "original" brewery that used the term "Budweiser", modern day Pivovar Samson, heirs the Burgerliches Brauhaus Budweis, founded in 1795 (a full century before Budvar) and now owned by....yup AB-InBev. On Pilsner Urquell, I think it was Evan who debunked the whole emptying of barrels on the town hall steps story as being little more than excellent marketing, his series on the founding of Pilsner Urquell, and myths surrounding it, is absolutely foundational. It would seem more likely that the reason for the poor reputation of Plzen beer was that it was more expensive than imported Bavarian beer, and thus went bad because no-one was drinking it - just because the local stuff was not being drunk doesn't mean people weren't drinking beer at all, as ever it is an issue of economics, people wanted good, cheap beer, they didn't really care where it came from.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

We do indeed talk about the complexities and ironies of the IP dispute - and how it has lasted so long because there really is no clear solution to it. As for the rest, that's talked about in the book at length

[@jackhorzempa3962]

I suspect that not too many know that the original Budweiser beer of 1876 was a contract brewed product: “The Anheuser-Busch brewery in the 1800’s produced a number of beer brands but the beer that made them famous was Budweiser. Budweiser was first brewed in 1876. The brewery’s business name then was E. Anheuser Company's Brewing Association. Not too many people know this but the original Budweiser was a contract brewed beer; Adolphus Busch brewed this beer for his friend Carl Conrad.” Cheers!

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

@jackhorzempa3962 they will once they read my book! The whole story is in there, including how it ended up complete Anhauser beer.

[@jackhorzempa3962]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel Yup! From my article: "Anheuser-Busch Brewing would acquire the rights to the Budweiser brand in 1883." Cheers!

[@VelkyAl]

@@jackhorzempa3962 yep, the history of Anheuser-Busch is fascinating.

[@naiveknight47]

Pivo (beer) in Czech language means "the thing you can drink" - so you can start from this translation andtaste the meaning yourselves :)

[@lilnunu1553]

or, maybe, just maybe, its because its literally the same word in every slavic language?

[@janaussiger4111]

Also both the Czech Budvar and US Budweiser are not original Budweiser beer. The brewery that jumpstarted Pilsner brewing in Budweis was the German Bürgerbrauerei. The current czech Budvar was founded decades later, actually even later than Anheuser Busch which also named the beer after the german Brewery. Currently the old german brewery is the Samson brewery, which AB actually bought to piss Budvar off some years back.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

We talk about all this in the video and at much great length in the book.

[@johnsean100]

1) wrong glass. Beer glass and it's width has reasons for Pilsner (and nearly all czech beers). You shloud cool your glass in cold water and then pour beer in wet glass. It will remain cool for longer time, because taste really depends on temperature and should be 6,5-7°C. 2) Pilsner goes bad even in glass bottles and in cans...not bioloically bad, but tastes different and smells like weed. Keep your beer in cool place even when storing and never leave your beer on sunlight. 3) if you let beer on the table for so long it loases foam, it's stale...it oxidizes quickly. That's main difference between czech beer and american piss, foam is necessary for isolation from air. Drink first, chat later...It's small beer, just 2-3 sips.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Well aware of all these things, in fact we made a video specifically about how to pour pilsner (kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y37IaqyLoNB8jbc) but this video was not really about perfect pours and temps - the beer was the background to a deep dive into the history of Czech identity. Finally, lightstrike (the effect you mention about weed) does not happen with cans, and very slowly with brown bottles. It only really applies to green and clear glass.

[@johnsean100]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel It should be like this, but in case of Pilsen it does not. I don't know what they changed, the taste of beer is all the same, they are testing it all the time, but what happens in nonoptimal conditions changed a lot. It should happen only in glass and after some time, but for pilsen in last 15 years it happens in cans and even in kegs. Just try a test and leave can in slightly higher temperature for a while. 15 years ago we had a lot of pubs with keg pilsen and it was ok, today Pilsen is undrinkable unless its in pub with a tank where it's cooled for whole time. We used to buy keg pilsen for parties, we had to stop. I have not found any other beer behaving like this (unless extreme conditions), even their Kozel does not change, Budvar does not change , any but Pilsner.

[@unemployed_clown]

I love the "weed" smell of Pilsner Urquell! How could I speed up that process? Keep it in direct sunlight?

[@johnsean100]

@@unemployed_clown yep, direct sunlight is killer for all beers, for pilsen it's enough just to let it in warm conditions (everything over 28°C, the warmer, the faster it goes) But you are ruining national jewel, wouldn't it be better to drink beer with taste as it was originally meant and then get some real weed?

[@unemployed_clown]

@@johnsean100 Thank you. Well, it's rather hoppy smell and I believe that people should do (eat, drink) what they fancy. You have fresh cabbage but you can make sauerkraut which is something similar in essence, no? Who knows, maybe I will start a beer revolution. 🤭Also, as a czech, I drink mostly craft beers from small breweries. In corona times, I was supporting them as much as I could (fondly remember standing in front of one in the snowy winter, handing beer to me throught the window as we couldn't go inside, almost got frosty fingers many times haha) so I have a feeling that I am "privileged" to do little experiments. Keep real weed with me also, don't worry 😇edit: btw If you're against modifications, do not look into how polish breweries make today's beer - they literally don't care at all.

[@ZkratkaSepta]

ČESKO ZMÍNĚNO!!!!!!!!!🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🇨🇿🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@miradur4014]

hello from Czech republic, in our country beer saved a lot of people in the Middle Ages, it was not safe to drink water from wells, but beer is boiled so it is safe, even children drank it, it was not filtered, it was mostly wheat and very nutritious, it was even eaten warm like soup👍🍺🍻 and yes, his beer should have been darker, he just didn't succeed, thank God for that, our brewery greeting is "God bless you" - "Dej Bůh štěstí"

[@gas4348]

That is a common myth which is told everywhere in Europe. Medieval beers were much lighter so yes, even childred drank it, but people did not drink beer because it was "safer". People had wells then too and polluting water sources was a very major offence, which was punished quite severly.

[@Bowmancz]

Well, well…. I live in Budweis, but when I drink beer, I choose Pilsner (Budvar is too sweet for me, I prefer more bitter beers - you should see the faces of town patriots at the table when I order Pilsner on the table full of Budvars ). I am more wine and whiskey & bourbon person, but I watched the whole video and went to open a beer. The paradox is that nobody told me the story of Budvar - a brewery from my town known all over the globe, until I saw a video from two foreign guys… thanks.

[@ondrejkratochvil4589]

Yeah, and until pretty recently it was the only type of beer you could get in any Czech pub 😕 fortunatelly in the last two decades or so the stouts, ipas etc. also started to appear on menu in some 'intelectual' pubs (and some local manufacturers strated to make them as 'specials'), but it's still not a common thing...

[@Luckyou69]

WHERE RADEGAST 12

[@saad-t7k]

The Budwar is not a case in our country. Třiadvacátý ročník degustační soutěže České pivo „Smyslem degustační soutěže České pivo 2023 je podporovat kvalitu a jedinečnost českého piva, a vyzdvihnout produkty, které patří ke špičce domácí produkce,“ říká k výsledkům soutěže Tomáš Slunečko, výkonný ředitel Českého svazu pivovarů a sladoven a dodává: „Jedná se o důležitou součást našich aktivit, kterými podporujeme tradici českého pivovarství a českou pivní kulturu.“ Světlé ležáky Na první místo mezi světlými ležáky se letos probojoval Zubr Gradus, který si tak meziročně polepšil o jednu příčku. Druhé místo obsadil Konrad 12° a třetí místo získal Bernard Sváteční ležák 12. 11% světlé ležáky Z prvního místa v kategorii 11% světlých ležáků se může těšit Velkopopovický Kozel 11. Druhé místo si odnesl Litovel Josef 11,5% a třetí příčka patří pivu Holba Šerák. Světlá výčepní piva V kategorii světlá výčepní piva zvítězil Litovel Moravan. Na druhém místě následovala Radegast Rázná 10, třetí místo obsadil Zubr Gold. Tmavá piva V kategorii tmavá piva již potřetí zvítězil Bernard Černý ležák 12. Druhou příčku obsadil Konrad 11° Tmavý ležák a třetí místo získal tmavý ležák Černovar Černé. Nealkoholická piva neochucená Mezi nealkoholickými neochucenými pivy vyhrály Krušovice hořké nealko. Pomyslnou stříbrnou medaili si odnesl Birell a na třetím místě se umístil Holba ryzí nealko. Nealkoholická piva ochucená Mezi nealkoholickými ochucenými pivy zvítězil Litovel Pomelo. Na dalším místě se umístil Birell Pomelo-Grep a třetí místo si udržel stejně jako vloni Litovel Řezaný citron nealko. © 2024 Český svaz pivovarů a sladoven

[@jotdoc]

Damn, what's with the beer swirling? It's not wine. Don't swirl it!

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

@jotdoc doesn't matter what the liquid is, swirling releases the aroma.

[@jotdoc]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel I beg to differ mister. You don't need to release any more aroma, since the beer was poured into warm glasses, you've waited quite a while to drink it and both of you held the glasses in your hands, so it was already quite warm just by that. Moreover, swirling the glass releases carbon dioxide and the associated aromatic compounds, which may cause these delicate nuances of the lager to dissipate too quickly. Less carbon dioxide makes the beer flat because of decarbonation. So...I appreciate the whole interview, but I would say, the beer tasting could be done more...properly - pouring corectly the whole chilled beer into chilled glass (I assume you don’t have the option to pour beer from the tap) while making nice foam, now swirling it, warming it for a bit in hands if needed to release the aroma. Cheers from Czechia.

[@yarike91]

Czech Pilsner Beer is cheaper in Germany than in Czech Republlic...

[@janaussiger4111]

Not really Czech, Bohemian. Germans had big part in creating it and Bohemian can include both Czechs, Germans and even Jews.

[@simonn8212]

Horrendous AI thumbnail. Unless you need it to feed the algorithm, please don’t 🫣

[@NekorektniPochybovac-or8bi]

So the history of Pilsner beer is presented here in a terrible way. Martin Stelzer, a builder from Pilsen, was given the task of building and brewing good beer in the brewery. Nobody talked about Bavaria. This was invented by the twenty-nine-year-old Martin himself and he went to Bavaria to look for a brewer for his new brewery. Everyone rejected him everywhere. When he was at home, in Vilshofen on the Danube, in the pouring rain, he found an inn in the evening, where there was a pretty rude twenty-seven-year-old brewer. He also rejected Martin. They started drinking together, and when they got very drunk, a bet was made: if Josef brews Martin a good beer, Martin will in return weigh his beer for Josef in Vilshofen for three weeks disguised as a donkey. Martin dragged that Josef Groll to Pilsen, and Josef cooked something completely different there than he had cooked up to that time. Exactly according to your current idea. When the new beer was first introduced in the square in Pilsen, it was as quiet as the grave. Josef skilfully and quickly tapped the greedy drinkers and they suddenly tasted the beer on command. Then there was a roar of excitement. Pilsner Urquell was born. The drinkers booed, cheered and rejoiced, and Pepa said to Martin aside: that's all beautiful, but if I don't know how I cooked it and now I have to repeat it! Josef Groll did it for the second time. 1842. Every beer drinker must remember that year. Beer was born! For three weeks, Martin drove a horse-drawn carriage around Vilshofen and the surrounding area, delivering Josef's beer. But because Josef was a terrible scoundrel, he was already expelled from the Pilsen brewery in 1846. Throughout his life, Josef tried to brew as sterile a beer as possible in Pilsen, but he never succeeded. One day they were drinking again in his pub in Vilshofen, having fun, and suddenly Pepa is sleeping with her head on her half-finished mug. As it turned out, he was not asleep. He was dead. Martin Stelzer's great-grandson only bought the story of the Pilsen brewery at the beginning of the 2020s. Martin Stelzer was a Czech German, and the traditionally lazy Czech with his hands behind his back envied and hated him for a thousand years. As our emperor and Czech King Karel IV said: if a German neighbor has a goat, Bohemia will do nothing to have a goat too. Instead, he wishes the German that his goat would die. We are such a small, poor nation.

[@Frohicky1]

You must remember, The Germans are absolutely obsessed with purity

[@andrewgreenwood2462]

Please blind taste Pilsner Urquell, Budweiser Budvar AND Utopian unfiltered or british lager from Devon. I struggle to drink the first two mentioned beers. Please do this comparison!

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

We love Utopian, and I bet in can it would do very well in comparison. On draft, with a Czech pour it would be interesting....

[@Vinnie13]

PU, still means something different to the medically minded and I cannot remove it from my brain 😂.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

If this means what I think it means, it's a common side effect of drinking lots of lager.

[@Vinnie13]

@@TheCraftBeerChannel spot on.

[@martinja9953]

Comunism vs Czech republic? The story was simple first we despised it then during TOTALITY we accepted it (well it was a total control) and now people hate it. We never banned the communists to exist… they just fell off and now its first time since their party didnt get elected and continues to fall. Thank god ya know :-D my grandpa was kulak and worked in Uranium mine cause he owned a small field where he grew food he often sold to locals. Lets just say if my grandpa ever saw me in communist party he would slap the commie out of me. (I am not a commie btw) 😂

[@lilnunu1553]

the communists are gaining popularity in czechia...

[@tyrannicalgod6064]

Im from Czech republic and I dont like Czech Beer, I like Belgian Beer Stella artois

[@bobhemphut4011]

Pretty bland chick.beer.. imho Tastes like sweet floral soap.

[@martich5554]

Like the video but Czechia wasn't pro Communism look at Velvet Revolution ty.

[@hredwolf]

First!

[@Mrgoosebum]

Give me a Sierra Nevada pale ale over Pilsner Urquell any day....i'll go stand in the corner

[@julianhaddrill4286]

urgh 🤮

[@reyn66]

I've had the PU, and the SN, and PU is very tasty, while the SN become too cloying after two beers. I would love to get my hands on a six pack of Budvar here in the U.S.

[@julesroy]

@@reyn66 Budvar is available all over North America as Czechvar

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

Well that's all personal taste - not quite the topic of this video! Both are world class beers.

[@lucaparolin5623]

I prefer a margherita over a pepperoni pizza... 🤷

[@jf3457]

Mister, the lands making todays Czech Republic have been historically half German for maaaaany centuries, you can not disociate both identities during the XIX century, "Czech identity" at that time had nothing to do with speaking a slavic language. Czech Pilsner is a Bavarian invention. The name of the OG brewery in Plzeň was "Bürger Brauerei". Modern Czechia is a product of removing the Germans from Sudetenland. If you want to be accurate, you must dive into the mud.

[@TheCraftBeerChannel]

I think you absolutely can disassociate their identities, and language was a very important way of doing so. It is the reason for the founding of Budvar, and we have records that show that. As for Czech Pils being a Bavarian invention this is a little too black and white - yes the brewer was German, but the ingredients were Czech, and the big innovation (the method of kilning) actually of British origin

[@jirizajic2479]

In middle age was nothing German, bit big number of nations talking with different accents of some old German. But thé idea of German nation was Born in 19th century. Try to say to Austrian, thet He Is german & He Will kick you Bloody ass very badly😅😅😅. In the Middle Ages, there were Saxons (excellent miners), Bavarians, Prussians(western half of novadays Poland), Branderburgians, Pomeranes, Alsassians, Lotaringhians & many others. They had big rivalty between german speaking nations. Even german speaking Swissers (Schweizer Ditsch) hate to be called German. So, You R free to dream your dreams, but Reality Is completely different, thanks God😅😅😅

[@lilnunu1553]

Germany wasn't even founded before 1871. All of the territories of the Czech Republic today have always been historically Czech, just because there was a German minority or that we were in a foreign empire does not make it German. Current day Czech Republic has no connection to Germany, why do you think that is?

[@trupman]

Pilsner is not a Czech invention. Bohemian German company with a Bavarian German brewer. Where is the Czech in it? 😊

[@lilnunu1553]

So Czechs copied it but still do it better?

[@trupman]

@lilnunu1553 czechs continued the production, that's probably the best way to say it