These beers are the Praga Premium Pils. I bought them to tailgate before a December Texans game with a buddy who is also a big fan of Czechoslovak pils beers. Praga is from the famous brewing town of České Budějovice, Budweis in German, and is brewed at the oldest of their breweries, Samson, that has been in operation since 1795. This heritage and skill shows through this excellent example of the style.
Featuring a deep golden color typical of the Bohemian pilsners, and supple expected bitter aromas from the style Saaz hops, then medium body with a dry taste a long, refreshing finish with a complexity of slight flavors including nuts and toast. It’s very well made, refreshing and tasting like a top, fresh Czechoslovak pils should taste like. Though Praga is more specifically a Bohemian pilsner, with Bohemia being the home to the style that originated in the town of Pilzen with Pilsner Urquell, very similar, and typically terrific pilsner beers are made in the regions of Moravia and Slovakia, the latter now an independent country. I’ve been fortunate over the years through some travel and the travels of family to visit extended family there and bringing back beer gifts, to sample a number of pilsners soon from the source, the pilsners have been uniformly excellent. Actually, all of the beers.
For the tailgate, I purchased the funner-sized half-liter cans of Praga, which only came in a twelve-pack at the big Spec’s on Smith Street, and for only $12.99 or so. Unfortunately, the tailgate fare, kolaches from the Kolache Factory, were terrible, though the Praga did help wash them down. The twelve-pack size was better suited for the tailgate in case we were thirstier than usual or had anyone else joining us. The cans have the added benefit of protecting the beer much better than the green-colored bottles that Prage Premium Pils is also sold in.
If you are a fan of Czechoslovak style pilsners, do yourself a favor and pick up some cans of Praga Premium Pils, if the beers are in decent shape, you will be happily rewarded.