Beers of the Czech Republic

Dale and I drank primarily draft beers while in Prague. Don't be fooled by how much head you see in some of these pictures - the Czech routinely pour their beers off the tap for a full amount of head, but in many of the beers this dissapates rapidly.

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Beer: Staropramen Dark (left)
Color: Black
Head: Creamy off-white


Dale's comments:
Some coffee taste, but not nearly complex enough for a beer of its color.
EXC . . . . . . * . . . ASS (4 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Sweet with tastes of corn syrup or molasses. Totally drinkable, but slightly fake tasting because of all the sugar.
XXX
000 (3 of 6)



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Beer: Staropramen Lager (right)
Color: Light Amber
Head: Medium foamy white


Adam's comments:
Solid beer. Drinkable but a little more carbonated than I would like.
XX0
000 (2 of 6)



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Beer: Staropramen Granata
Color: Reddish amber
Head: Full foamy white head


Dale's comments:
Why am I drinking this?!?!? After a dark beer, had NO flavor!
EXC . . . . . . . * . . ASS (3 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Is there beer in this glass? Tastes like pleasant nothing.
XX0
000 (2 of 6)



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Beer: Staropramen 1/2 lager 1/2 dark (left)
Color: Medium amber
Head: Two sizes of bubbles, foamy head


Dale's comments:
Very refreshing. The [two sizes of] bubbles were the most memorable part.
EXC . . . . * . . . . . ASS (6 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Wonderfully drinkable. Balance of the sweetness that the dark needed. Not complex, just drinkable.
XXX
000 (3 of 6)



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Beer: Budvar
Color: Pale Yellow
Head: White, thin and foamy


Dale's comments:
OK light beer, typical of the common man's everyday drink. Clean with minimal hops.
EXC . . . . . * . . . . ASS (5 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Thin beer, tastes mass produced. Wouldn't bother drinking again.
X00
000 (1 of 6)



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Beer: Master Demi-dark Special
Color: Reddish amber
Head: Creamy off-white


Dale's comments:
Good color and balance. Some residual hops in the aftertaste. Heavy head, but lightly carbonated overall.
EXC . . . * . . . . . . ASS (7 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Floral, balanced with some hops. Smooth mouth-feel, hops later, finishes clean.
XXX
X00 (4 of 6)



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Beer: 1/2 Pilsner Urquel, 1/2 Velkopopovicky Kozel
Color: Medium amber
Head: Creamy, small bubbles


Dale's comments:
Bitter, nothing great. Slightly metallic with some oakiness. Still smooth, "boozy" aftertaste.
EXC . . . . . . * . . . ASS (4 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Interesting. These two don't really marry well, but the result is complex. The overall taste is creamy, then light, finishes dark. Not beautiful, but drinkable.
XX0
000 (2 of 6)



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Beer: Gambrinus (left)
Color: Medium yellow
Head: Low frothy white


Adam's comments:
Clean pilsner. Slight hops in the aftertaste, but clean. Head is slightly creamy. Good for pilsner style.
XXX
000 (3 of 6)



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Beer: Rezane (right)
Color: Dark amber
Head: Very little


Dale's comments:
Light beer taste for the color. Refreshing and flavorful. Some nuttyness, some alcohol, and a little hops.
EXC . . . . . * . . . . ASS (5 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Tastes like a velvet, but lacks the creamy head. Good balance, longer than expected finish.
XXX
X00 (4 of 6)


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Beer: Kozel Tmavy
Color: Black
Head: Creamy tan


Dale's comments:
Light taste for as dark a beer. Some chocolate taste, very sweet, aftertaste is a brown sugar, most complex of the beers, very consumable.
EXC . . . * . . . . . . ASS (7 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Very malty and sweet, more carbonated than the other dark beers. Pleasant. Medium body. Light molasses aftertaste.
XXX
X00 (4 of 6)



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Beer: Pilzn Light
Color: Golden
Head: Lasting light white head


Dale's comments:
Light, drinakble, close to a Rolling Rock in bitterness. Typical of a mass consumption beer.
EXC . . . . . * . . . ASS (4 of 10)



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Beer: Bakalar Dark
Color: Dark brown
Head: Full off-white head, big bubbles


Dale's comments:
Complex dark beer. The first dark Czech beer that is rich for its color. Some bitter with coffee flavors, a bit grainy, low alcohol taste, but finish is warm in the throat.
EXC . . * . . . . . . . ASS (8 of 10)



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Beer: U Fleku house beer
Color: Black
Head: Foamy white


Dale's comments:
Again, light tasting for such a dark beer. Very light and smooth. I think we had 8 of these between the two of us with our dinner...
EXC . . . * . . . . . . ASS (7 of 10)

Adam's comments:
Not too sweet, not too carbonated, just well balanced and drinkable. Boy, I could drink a lot of these...
XXX
XX0 (5 of 6)