Beer – it’s not just an ordinary drink, but a symbol, a tradition and a true cultural treasure that has flowed through the veins of the Czech nation for centuries. Whether you picture the ancient Slavs, medieval monks or today’s passionate brewers, all these generations share a love of the hoppy brew. You may have heard a lot about beer, but do you know the story behind it? Join us on a journey into the past, from the first fermented grain drinks to today’s renowned beer specials. And who knows – maybe it will inspire you to a little adventure along beer trails, a visit to historic breweries, or just a pleasant evening with friends.
Beer’s roots: from beer’s predecessors to hops
The ancient Slavs already drank something that, with a good dose of imagination, could be considered the origin of beer – a simple fermented grain drink. It was still a long way from today’s liquid gold with its thick head of foam, but it was a start. Imagine small Slavic settlements, smoke rising from wooden huts and a circle of people around the fire, drinking that unusual, slightly sour brew at an evening gathering. Back then it wasn’t about taste, but rather a practical source of energy and perhaps a way to make the long evenings more pleasant, while the forests and the wind roared outside.
The turning point came with hops. They gave beer its characteristic bitterness, aroma and longer shelf life, and suddenly grain mash had become a drink worth paying attention to.
Records of hop growing in our lands go back as far as 859 AD, which puts us among the oldest beer nations in the world. Bohemia became the place where beer began to take the form we know today.
Medieval law and the first breweries
In the Middle Ages, beer began to take on a significance that went beyond that of a mere drink. Not only was it safer than the often contaminated water – thanks to boiling and hopping it contained fewer bacteria – it also became an important source of income for towns and monasteries. Townspeople who obtained the so-called “brewing right” could brew their own beer and thereby strengthened the economic power of their town.
The first written records of a brewery in Prague date from 993 AD, from Břevnov Monastery. Imagine monks in long habits who, instead of just praying, also work with malting tools, brew beer in wooden vats and oversee fermentation with the care of alchemists. At that time beer provided not only pleasure but also important nourishment.
Pilsen: the birth of the lager that changed the world
The year 1842 is a key milestone for Czech beer. On 5 October that year, the Bavarian brewer Josef Groll brewed the world’s first pale bottom-fermented lager in Pilsen. As if a star had lit up in the beer sky at that very moment. A beer style was born that would go on to influence the whole planet – pilsner.
Pilsen lager quickly spread beyond the borders of Bohemia, and to this day “pilsner” is a synonym for one of the most popular beer styles in the world. If you visit Pilsen today, you can tour the legendary brewery, walk through the historic cellars and taste beer straight from the lagering barrels.
Pilsner Urquell and Kozel: the beers we have on tap
The Pilsen lager is known today as Pilsner Urquell, and you’ll find it on tap at PUB 88. Alongside it we have Kozel from Velké Popovice, about 25 kilometres south-east of Prague. The brewery there was founded in 1874 by the industrialist František Ringhoffer, and local brewers made the first batch on 15 December that year. We serve it as Kozel 11° and as Kozel dark. You’ll find our full selection in the menu.
Beer and culture: a drink that brings generations together
Beer is not just a drink, it’s a cultural phenomenon. It has accompanied us at key moments in history – from the Hussite Wars to the National Revival. Literature, theatre and other art forms have often been inspired by beer. As if it were encoded in the Czech soul that important matters are settled over a beer, from politics to love and the meaning of life.