Milos Beer

[G.M. Gillman]

That's very interesting, and those are just the kind of comparisons I love to do. I wonder if they did them with bottles. I never liked the green bottle for any import, to me I always get some effect of the light on it. But not the cans. Assuming my can of Urquell is at or under two months old as you can often buy at LCBO, it should be identical to the European canned product. The only thing that might make it different, is if it is pasteurized more intensively for export. This is perhaps the case, since in the 1997 account posted above, it states Urquell expects 1 year longevity for exports, 6 months for domestic (not sure if domestic includes all of EU now). This suggests perhaps some differentiation in how the product is prepared for export.

I will be in Prague later this year and will do my own Urquell taste test in reverse. I'll bring cans from LCBO that are about 2 months old. I will be interested to see if there is a difference with the locally available cans, or bottles if I can't find a can.

I doubt there will be any difference, but I might be wrong!

Gary

P.S. I'll do it with Czechvar/Budweiser Budweis too.

[G.M. Gillman]

Just one other comment, kind of bye the bye but worth stating: I've had plenty of bad beer in classic beer regions (not Czech Republic or Germany, never been to either but that will change soon). You can get overaged bottles of classics in their homeland, bad draft (sour or otherwise mishandled): it happens all the time. Many times I bought classic labels that were close to or past their best-by date, and it showed. This is unlikely with mass market products, but it happens more often than many realize I think with specialty items.

Gary

[G.M. Gillman]

Just a story about Michael Jackson I was thinking of in connection with Urquell. The very first time I met Michael, was at OISE in Toronto where he gave a speech. It was the mid-1980's. There was not that much around to taste, I recall he tried some Upper Canada, and I remember distinctly he sampled from a green bottle (of course) of Urquell someone gave him.

Now, I tried some of it too and in my humble opinion, it was skunky. Generally today the bottled one is pretty good but in those years, it could be inconsistent and probably it had been exposed to light for too long. I looked at him and said, first, "you must have tried that many times, it's probably not that interesting for you". He said, "no, I like to try it far from the brewery to see what it's like". I said, "what do you think of this one?". He said, "it's okay". But it wasn't (in my opinion) and I think he agreed but was reluctant to say. Michael was very consistent in this regard, e.g., he rarely said anything was great either, at least when in professional judging mode. I think it was part of his professionalism, he wanted his judgments to be considered, and saved those for his books. He didn't like expressing off-the-cuff opinions, even to brewers eagerly proffering samples.

I can remember seeing him speak there like it was yesterday. Everything I know about beer today is due to him, directly or indirectly.

Gary

[Milos]

I have been drinking both Pilsner Urquell and Budvar for over 30 years both in Canada and Czech Republic.
Budvar seems to me to be pretty much same here and there now that we can get cans. Of course draught is much better than anything (providing it is fresh) It is our best selling imported draught.

Pilsner Urquell? I am not sure if it is the same. Perhaps it's the "fault" of the unpasteurised draught that is now available in Czech. It is hard to like "regular" draught or cans after you tried it!!

If you decide to go, here are places you should IMHO try

U Medvidku - Serves perhaps best Budvar in town & great little microbrewery upstairs worth visiting

http://www.umedvidku.cz/

U Zlateho Tygra

The most renown Pilsner Urquell. A must in Prague!!!
ex Czech president's favourite hang out. He took Bill Clinton there for a pint.
If you wanna get in, you need to get there about 1/2 hour before they open and wait for the door to open. Believe me it's worth it!


http://www.uzlatehotygra.cz/uzlatehotyg ... vnice.html

Pivnice U Rudolfina
You will find locals only in this place. It does not look like much, almost litte scarry, but let me tell you, the beer seems to be the best there!!!


http://www.e-restaurace.cz/u-rudolfina-sro

Pivni Galerie
Little shop & pub off beaten track that promotes only independent small to medium size Czech breweries. Petr (Mr. Vanek) is quite a character.

http://www.pivnigalerie.cz/index.html

[G.M. Gillman]

Thanks for those tips, I will definitely follow them in December when in Prague.

Gary

[Cagiva650]

I'd recommend U-Medvidku as well. The Budvar is excellent, and the small brewery makes very good beer. U-Medvidku also has a small shop upstairs selling Czech beer glasses and t-shirts.
Galerie Piva (differant than Pivni Galerie) is a small bottled beer shop just off the Charles bridge. Good selection of rarer Czech beers, and a few glasses. Try the Opat Extra Chmelené. It has mixed reviews on Ratebeer, but I really enjoyed it. Lots of Saaz hops.

http://www.czechbeershop.com/

If you have the chance to get outside Prague to Chyne you should go. Some of the best beer I had in CR.

http://www.pivovarskydvur.cz/

I never had a bad pint in the Czech Republic. Even the plastic glass of over priced Krusovice at Prague Castle was enjoyable.