Pilsner was invented here in 1842, Czechs drink more of it than anyone, and the pouring is treated as a craft.
Every country claims its beer is the best. The Czech claim is unusually strong: the pale lager that dominates world brewing was invented here, the ingredients still come from here, and Czechs drink more beer per person than any other nation on earth — a title held for about three decades running.
1842, Pilsen
Citizens of Pilsen, fed up with undrinkable brews, hired Bavarian brewer Josef Groll. Using local pale malt, soft Pilsen water and Žatec hops, he produced the first clear golden lager. Glass drinking vessels were spreading at the same time, so for the first time people could see their beer. Within decades every brewery in the world was copying it — which is why “pils” is a global category.
The ingredients
Žatec (Saaz) hops are one of the four classic noble hop varieties, low in bitterness and high in aroma. Moravian barley and the exceptionally soft water of West Bohemia complete it.
Tank beer and pouring
Tankové pivo — unpasteurised beer delivered in tanks and served within days — is worth seeking out and is noticeably better. Czech bartenders also treat the pour as a skill, with named styles: hladinka (standard, creamy head), šnýt (small beer, large head) and mlíko (almost all foam, sweet, drunk at the end of a night).
What to drink
Pilsner Urquell, Budvar and Staropramen are the familiar names. The domestic ones worth trying are Kout na Šumavě, Svijany ו Bernard, alongside a serious modern craft scene in Prague.
Pub etiquette
Beer arrives without being asked once you sit down at many traditional pubs, and keeps arriving until you put a beer mat on your glass. The tab is chalked on a slip of paper at your table. Say na zdraví, make eye contact when you clink, and do not cross arms with anyone.
What it costs
Between 50 and 80 CZK for a half-litre in a normal pub — frequently cheaper than water, which visitors never quite believe until they see the bill.
שאלות נפוצות
Why is Czech beer so cheap?
Low taxation on beer relative to other alcohol, high volume, and intense domestic competition.
What is tank beer?
Unpasteurised beer delivered in tanks and served within days of brewing. Fresher and softer than bottled.
Do Czechs really drink the most beer?
Yes, per capita, and by a clear margin over Germany and Austria.
Read more: the craft beer guide, beer gardens ו what to eat with it.
Last reviewed in August 2026.
