Budweiser Budvar (Czechvar) 12°

Brewed by Budweiser Budvar Ceske Budejovice
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
České Budějovice, Czech Republic

Crystal clear, her colors are sun-soaked golden hay and straw beneath a voluminous white head that lingers long before my gazing eyes. Eventually settling into a soft white blanket, I watch a slow stream of tiny bubbles laze their way to the surface were they burst onto the scene, releasing a wonderful nose of sweet cereal grains, dinner rolls, water crackers, green grass, lemon, and bread crust toasted to golden perfection. Brisk, clean, and invigorating, she taunts and teases me to toss inhibitions to the winds and dive deep into her lustrous depths. Who am I to argue with the original Budweiser? My first quaff is full, long, and invigorating. The top of my tongue giggles under a crisp assault of crunchy water crackers, honey glazed toast, and a clean finish which snaps with lemon zest and green grass. A few more deep draws and the top of my tongue starts to dry, lemon skin and green grass showing their continual presence even as cereal grains, toast, honey, and bales of hay parade across my palate from my first quaff to my last. My last? Well, I’ll be. Seeing as my glass is empty, then I would presume the end is here indeed.

Budweiser/Budvar/Chechvar was a pilsner delight. It’s a crying shame that Budvar is rudely forced to call themselves something else just because a certain Goliath felt threatened by a certain David. That won’t stop me, and it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a Czechoslovakian classic whenever you have the opportunity. Just look for the Czechvar here, and when in Czech, do as the Czechs do and order yourself a Budvar.

Currently sampling out of a 500ml can which is different from the usual 500ml green bottle. I enjoy this thoroughly. It has a flowery hops flavor to it accompanied with a very comforting aftertaste of fresh bread. For me this is very much a comfort beer which at the same time I could drink all day, every day. Good head retention too.

Czechvar from a green bottle. Best Before 3.30.10. Waft of skunk (or perhaps elephant) upon opening, though this isn’t strong thereafter. Beautiful gold color, decent head. Some heft in the body for a pils, and nice malt flavor with punchy hops. You can tell this would be a great pilsener if fresher. Alas...

Bottled from World Market. Aroma good hoppy spice. Golden appearance with small head but lacing bubbles. Taste with a nice snap on the palate. Nice hop flavor but some aftertaste that is tolerable. Not bad overall.

This is what Budweiser should be...this is a clean smooth beer with a grassy sweet note in the taste. The Czechs have a real winner here

Really not bad. Would be a good everyday drinker. Bready with a slight hop snap at the finish.

Pours pale gold into a shaker. Bright white recedes to hug rim. Cracker aromas. Sharp malt and cereal turning to slightly hopped dry finish. 7/3/6/4/12

Aroma of honey comb and lemon. Appearance was golden with creamy head. Flavor of honey, lemon and light hops. Palate was lively. Alright.