The Triangle

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

You might be surprised to find that in some other countries, if you order a "Budweiser," you'll get a wonderful tasting beer-like substance, and not the garbage you'd find at your corner bar here in America. That's because in other countries, "Budweiser" is the name of a Czech lager known as "Czechvar" in North America. What we know as "Budweiser," they know as "dish water." Don't let Rob Riggle fool you. There is nothing great about the great American lager. Just ask the Czechs.
And the Czechs know their beer. At over two and a third kegs per person per year, they lead the whole world in beer consumption per capita. It should be noted that, led by Jaromir Jágr in the mid 90s, they also lead the whole world in Jheri curl mullets. Still, the Czechs take beer seriously. They are in the old world of brewing: a place where beer contains only hops, water, barley and yeast. This may make their beer seem boring, but it is beer in its purest, simplest form. Of course, there is nothing wrong with pure and simple - it actually turns out to be quite tasty.
Czechvar pours a deep straw. It has a completely translucent body and a thin, quickly dissipating, white effervescent head. The head leaves no lacing, but that's OK - the beer isn't going to be around long enough to need its protection. Although the beer wouldn't win any beauty contests, it's not totally unappealing to look at. Still, the great look of the beer is over shadowed by its smell. It's a strong smell that grabs your attention right from the pour. I noticed the beer's aroma even before I noticed what it looked like. It's very earthy and comprised of a faint floral smell that is quickly overtaken by grassy grain smells.
This beer has a satisfying, straightforward taste that hits all corners of the mouth. The bitter taste complements the earthy aroma. It has a dry, medium finish. This beer is simple, but good. It shows that a beer doesn't have to be over the top to be enjoyable. Sure, it doesn't have the most outrageous flavor or highest alcohol content, but there is a lot of background in each sip. It tastes clean because it is brewed clean. It would be cliché to say the beer is made with only "the freshest hops" and the "finest barley," but Czechvar delivers with a great taste from only the simplest of ingredients.
The clean taste is backed up by a sturdy mouth feel. The bubbles give the otherwise thin beer a good backbone. It's not terribly thick, but it has just enough bite to it, so this beer is great for chugging. There's no burning in the back of your throat and very little mouth coating. You can down it at a party or before a ballgame because the beer goes down smoothly. Czechvar goes great with grilled meats, like chicken or burgers, and also with spicy food. Their flavors will bring out the bitterness in the beer, and the beer won't overpower the food. What can I say? Sometimes, simple is best.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools