It's Czech, mate
The beers of the Czech Republic have long been revered but in recent years they have become widely available, too. Are they still as good? Ben McFarland reports
The Czech word for beer is pivo. If you’ve been to Prague it’s a word you’ll no doubt be acquainted with.
Not knowing the word for beer in the Czech Republic is akin to not knowing the word for sun block in the Sahara. In terms of vernacular, it’s vital.
Pivo is a Slavonic word meaning ‘the most ordinary and widespread drink.’ Czech modesty, it seems, knows no bounds. It may be widespread; the Czechs drink more beer than anyone else in the world. Three-quarters of men and 30 per cent of women drink beer regularly and every citizen, on average, polishes off a staggering 350 litres a year.
But ordinary? Hardly. In terms of history and natural resources, few nations can rival the richness of the brewing region now known as the Czech Republic.
Situated at the crossroads of Europe, the Czech Republic has had a tumultuous history. In school essays, it was always a safe bet to describe it as being “in a state of flux.” Its rule has swapped hands more often than a dog walker on a frosty morning and its borders have for ever shifted. But in the latest geo-political skirmish in 1993, when Slovakia made its excuses and left, the Czech Republic managed to retain the regions of Moravia in the south and Bohemia in the North.
Whoever brokered the deal was undoubtedly a beer lover as, respectively, Moravia and Bohemia are to barley and hops what Brazil is to soccer and skimpy beachwear.
Throw in sources of water softer than a baby’s proverbial and it’s little wonder the two lands were .....
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By Ben McFarland
Section : International Focus
Page number : 20
