On May 6, 1945, General George Patton’s 16th Armored Division rolled into Plzeň, Czechoslovakia, and liberated the city. While the country as a whole would soon fall under Communist control, the city never forgot that day, and since 1990 it has celebrated the event with an annual Pilsen Liberation Festival in May. That’s the event that inspired this Czech-American lager from Three Taverns Brewery in Decatur, Georgia.
To mark the occasion in 2022 and 2023, Three Taverns joined with Pilsner Urquell’s experimental brewery, Pivovar Proud, to brew a pale lager that neatly combines Czech and American influences. The American part comes from several additions of the Yakima Chief Hops Veterans Blend.
For much more from Three Taverns founder Brian Purcell and head brewer Neal Engleman and their approach to blending creativity with traditional inspiration, be sure to check out Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast Episode 281—and while you’re at, listen to Episode 297 to learn more about Pivovar Proud from brewmaster Lenka Straková. (For our All Access subscribers, we also have a recipe for Straková’s delicious and compelling Barrel-Aged Brut IPA.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.042 (10.5°P)
FG: 1.009 (2.4°P)
IBUs: 35
ABV: 4.3%