Beer in the Czech Republic

Beer (Czech: pivo) has a long history in what is now the Czech Republic, with brewing taking place in Břevnov Monastery in 993. The city of Brno had the right to brew beer from the 12th century, while Plzeň and České Budějovice (Pilsen and Budweis in German), had breweries in the 13th century.

The most common Czech beers are pale lagers of the pilsner type, with a transparent golden colour, high foaminess, and a lighter flavour. The Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world, though average consumption has declined in recent years. Non-alcoholic beers have grown rapidly in popularity, now making up around a tenth of domestic sales.

The largest Czech beer breweries are Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský prazdroj, Gambrinus, Radegast, Master); Staropramen (Staropramen, Ostravar, Braník, Velvet); and Budweiser Budvar. Other top-selling brands include Krušovice, Starobrno, Březňák, Zlatopramen, Lobkowicz, Bernard, and Svijany.