Having only tasted my first Guinness as a sophomore in college, I’d never been much of a beer drinker before moving to Prague.  I came to realize that this was bound to change as Jeden pivo, prosim or “one beer, please” quickly became a favorite phrase. This is not hard to believe as the Czech Republic ranks number one in beer consumption per capita in the world, an honor the Czech’s take very seriously.

The German’s have Oktoberfest but the Czech pride for beer is easy to see in a country with over 100 Breweries and a thriving “Beer Tourism” industry.  As a novice to the beer world, sampling quality beer in one of the undoubtedly great brewing nations was not a bad place to start!  I began my beer-run with Pilsner Urquell—arguably the most recognizable Czech beer.  Pisner Urquell means “from the original source, Plzen.” Plzen is surely worth a visit for any beer fan as it is famed for being the birthplace of the world’s first clear golden beer and justly prides itself for giving name to the most famous lager style in the world. Other personal favorites of mine soon came to include Budvar, not to be confused with American Budweiser, Staropramen, and Krusovice.

As my taste for beer developed I quickly found myself drawn to the darker side. Dark lagers of the Czech variety are often sweeter but maybe the Czech myth about women and beer had something to do with my decision as well. According to local legend and the wise bartender at my favorite pub, consumption of dark beer enhances the size of a woman’s bust resulting in dark beers often being favored by the ladies. So I said goodbye to my favorite push-up bra and ordered a Kozel dark instead. Czechs see beer as part of their cultural heritage and this may explain why beer prices have always remained so low, ranging from 15 koruna in supermarkets to 40 koruna at a bar in Prague, depending on exchange rates it’s between 65 cents and $1.75! Often times cheaper than water, not only was I saving money on lingerie but conserving water too!

Any beer enthusiast will tell you that sometimes a great beer is worth traveling for and as my interest in Czech beer grew and I decided a visit to a Pivovar or Brewery was in order. Breweries in the Czech Republic can be found in almost every city ranging from the more famous Plzen Brewery and Beer Museum to the lesser-known Eggenberg Brewery.  The Eggenberg brewery resulted when two two towns in Bohemia merged.  The unique history surely made it worth a visit as did the later excursion to the culturally rich town of Cesky Krumlov. I became mesmerized as I passed old-fashioned barrels, conveyer belts endlessly stocked with bottles, mountains of kegs, and copper kettles. As the smell of hops filled the air I was thrilled to see something other than a castle while joyously humming the Laverne and Shirley theme song to myself. Although I did not get the chance to see the factory in full operation on this weekend visit I got the pleasure of sampling beers in the adjacent restaurant after the guided tour. I returned to Prague with bottle caps in my pockets and a new appreciation for the Czech beer preoccupation.

Upon my returning to New York, I quickly found myself turning down another $15 Cosmopolitan and craving the taste of Czech beer. I found perfect place in the Bohemian Beer Garden and Hall in Astoria, Queens. Although a bit of a trek out of Manhattan, it’s definitely cheaper than flying to Prague for every lager craving! The Beer Hall not only holds events in conjunction with the Czech Center of New York but also offers a variety of Czech beers with the authentic ambiance of an out-door beer garden. So I raise my glass of Krusovice and say Na Zdravi to my adopted home and to the country that made me a beer-drinking sort-of girl.

photos taken from Elena’s flickr account

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Elena Sytcheva has lived in both Prague and Berlin as well as spent significant time traveling Europe and navigating the Russian Railway system. While not racking up frequent flier miles Elena interned at Elite Traveler magazine as well as for Rough Guides and DK Eyewitness Travel at Penguin Group.