Beer is a Czech icon – a postcard from Prague

As president of the Association of Hungarian Brewers, I recently had to participate in a regional meeting in Prague. Beer is an icon in the Czech Republic, it is everywhere no matter where you are going. Alongside local beers we also find famous international brands. Beer is one of the engines of life in Prague: restaurant tourism, beer tours, beer cosmetics can all be found on the ‘menu card’.

In the building where the Czech Beer and Malt Association resides there is a typical Czech pub, where we tasted 6-8 types of beer, including green banana-flavoured beer and classic bitter brews with thick head. On my way home I found an artisan beauty shop at the airport where a wide range of beer-based cosmetics was also available, e.g. there were soaps, shampoos and shower gels. Beer really is an integral part of everyday life in the Czech Republic and their culture of beer consumption shows us clearly that the focus has to be on quality instead of quantity. These are the goals that the Association of Hungarian Brewers tries to achieve and we can learn a lot in this field from our neighbours. The Czech know really well that beer makes them richer – not just financially but in a cultural sense as well. Hopefully we will be able to catch up with them in the future.