Subscribe to the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast:
The town of České Budějovice in South Bohemia may be better known to North Americans as Budweis, the German name that’s been appropriated by a couple of famous beers. The real Czech pale lager from here is known as Budvar—sold as Czechvar in the United States, for legal reasons. It’s an easygoing showcase of light, pure malt flavors and soft, balancing bitterness, nearer in profile to a Bavarian helles than a typical Czech světlý ležák.
Joining us to tell this iconic beer’s story and talk about how it’s made is brewmaster Adam Brož, who is contagiously passionate about all the little details that make a pale lager into something that both tastes great and is addictively drinkable. Along the way, he discusses:
- Budvar Original’s unique place in the pale lager spectrum
- the importance of soft water to the beer’s profile
- why he insists on sticking with whole-cone Saaz hops
- how the barley variety and crop matter to the brewing process
- why decoction matters, from deeper color and flavor to greater consistency
- the benefits of long maturation of at least 90 days in horizontal tanks
- a new variety of Budvar with higher bitterness
- how the dark lager came to be and what sets it apart
And more.
"Our product is not the beer, but the joy from the beer," says Broz. "And without drinkability, it’s half of the joy."
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country. They are proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built – offering 24/7 service and support. G&D builds with non-proprietary parts, expert craftsmanship and constant innovation! G&D’s in-house Engineering crew have been piping breweries, wineries, and distilleries for over 30 years. They offer FREE piping design and consultation with the sale of every chiller they build. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project.
Sponsored by the folks at BSG, who understand that the best beers start with the best ingredients. That’s why all BSG Hops are hand selected for quality by their expert staff. So, you can trust you are getting the very best hops from the very best growers in the U.S. and around the world. Discover BSG’s extensive range of domestic and imported hops at BSGCraftBrewing.com/hops.
Scheduling freight carriers should be the last thing on a brewer's mind, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your flavored craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes. To get started, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer.
Take your brewing to the next level with AccuBrew's revolutionary fermentation monitoring system, now predicting specific gravity! AccuBrew's mobile app and stainless steel sensor work together to send you live data from inside your tanks, including predicted gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature. Unlike other fermentation monitoring systems, AccuBrew is CIP-ready and designed to stay out of your way, saving you time and space. Their set-it-and-forget-it solution streamlines systems and processes, helps maintain consistency and detect problems before they ruin a batch. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind.
Brewing is currently one of the most innovative, adaptive, and fast-paced industries in the world. With consumer demand shifting to the latest and greatest trend, it can be difficult for production teams to keep up with requirements. The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. These can fillers run at speeds between 100 – 600+ cans per minute while achieving precise and consistent filling volumes not achievable by most inline and mobile fillers. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected] to learn exactly how we can take your operations to the next level. ProBrew, brew YOUR beer.
Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50% -So a Monday brew can taste very different from a Thursday brew. Savvy brewers know this since beer is like 95% water. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit US Water Systems.com for a free expert analysis.
Hear that? That's the sound of YOUR beer out in the world--hanging out at parties, going on adventures, meeting new people. It's carbonated to perfection and the can art looks slick. Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems knows how to capture quality in a can. Their custom-built canning lines combine high quality with affordability so that people can get a taste of YOUR taproom, from ANY room. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today and learn just how easy it is to get YOUR craft, into cans.
Everybody knows that yeast plays one of the most important roles in brewing, no matter what style and recipe you choose . It influences flavor, aroma, acidity, brightness, and mouthfeel, all at the same time. And brewing a Lager is no exception! Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. - Available in 500g, 100g and 11.5g formats. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! We know the ins and outs of the brewing and installation process and can design the perfect set-up for you, whether you're just starting out or looking to expand. Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.