As smaller breweries across North America show greater interest in a variety of lagers, we often look to the Czechs for inspiration. Yet Czech lager is an infinitely rich subject, and zooming in on any facet only reveals finer details and lessons yet to be learned.
So, let’s begin by saying there is more to Czech lager than throwing in some Saaz and pitching a yeast strain labeled as “Bohemian.” And, after further study, if Czech lager begins to look like an annoyingly intricate puzzle—or a house of cards where all the pieces need to fit together just so—there’s a reason why: That’s how it evolved, as brewers there continue striving to outdo each other in making the kinds of beers that the locals want to drink in serious quantity.
While American craft brewers keep trying to pack more and more character into their beers, the Czechs never stopped trying to brew something that people just want to drink more.