BUDWEISER BUDVAR
Website:
czechstories.com
Tell us a bit about Budweiser Budvar. What is it about this iconic brand that's so special?
We’ve been called "the biggest craft brewery in the world”. We take a "no shortcuts" approach to quality and have only ever brewed in Budweis, Czech Republic, ever since we were founded in 1895 by a group of Czech citizens and brewers who were fired for refusing to vote in local elections the way their bosses wanted. This attitude is still heavily embedded in the brand.
What makes a Budvar beer?
Five key ingredients driven by our historic “no shortcuts” attitude: local Moravian malt, artesian water from an aquifer underneath the brewery where the water has been untouched for thousands of years, our own yeast and whole cone Saaz hops. Budweiser Budvar is the only brewery of its size in the world to continue to exclusively use whole cone hops in our beers. Our final most important ingredient is time – we brew and mature our beer for a total of 102 days, which is seven times longer than most beers.
What is the concept behind Czech Stories?
So many breweries and brands try to spin who they are or be something they aren’t. We have hundreds of authentic stories about our beer, brewery and region that we are proud to tell. Whether it be the fact that our board support refugees during the Second World War by letting them sleep in the bottling rooms, or the best Czech bar snacks, Budweiser Budvar has a great Czech brewing heritage, which we are very proud of.
What's the perfect accompaniment to a bottle of Budvar?
Originally brewed to compliment the Czech cuisine, which is focused on pork and beef and potato flour dumplings, Budvar is also good partner to less hearty dishes – the smokiness of grilled or barbequed meat complements the maltiness of Budvar well.
Anything else you want to tell us?
For the chance to win a trip for two to visit our brewery, pick hops and tour South Bohemia visit www.czechstories.com.