Budwieser Budvar the original Czech lager is a beer that has managed to avoid me for many years. I don’t know why, it is just one of those beers I have taken an age to try. So what is Budweiser Budvar Lager like?
It might not be the king of beers, but I am hoping it is a better beer than that one. I am looking forward to cracking this one open and getting stuck in.
Budweiser Budvar lager is a little disappointing if I’m honest. It pours a light gold with a one finger white fluffy top. On the nose it has a subtle malt base with a mild floral aroma. The taste starts with that subtle bready malt coupled with a little hoppiness. Then a citrus lemon sweetness like the spice Sumac takes over and kind of spoils it for me. The hint of a bitter finish can’t compete with that lemon like flavour. It gets a rate my beer score of 3.2 out of 5.0.
I really wanted to like this lager, but its too sweet for me with an overpowering taste.
Table Of Contents
Budweiser Budvar Brewery
Budweiser Budvar Brewery established in 1895 and is located in Ceske Budejovice or Budweis in the Czech Republic or Czechia. It is the original Budweiser, however a dispute and fight for the name with has been ongoing since 1907.
Obviously the dispute is with the giant InBev and their beer of the same name. As a result of many court cases InBev sells some of its beer in Europe under the name Bud.
And Budweiser Budvar sells its beer in North America under the name Czechvar.
Budweiser Budvar have not change their brewing methods or where the beer is brewed since they started. They adhere to the German Purity Laws (Reinheitsgebot) of just four ingredients in their brewing process.
For this lager they use Saaz hops, Moravian malt, natural soft water from their own well and yeast. And every drop of beer is still produced in Budweis.
The Budweiser Budvar has a rich history in brewing and is a state owned brewery. This means it has 10.5 million owners, the Czech people.
The Original Budweiser Lager
It stands in a tall 500ml green bottle with a cream label and bold red lettering of Budweiser Budvar. Underneath is says in gold ‘Original Czech Lager’ owned by the Czech Republic.
A neck collar of the same colours lays out the ingredients and the main thing of the back is the instruction to serve cold.
It weighs in at a straight 5.0% Vol so on the fence of session. The Czech way to pour beer is a two step, pour two thirds in the glass and rest for thirty seconds. The pour the rest to form a white fluffy head, so that is how I poured the beer.
I don’t have the Budweiser Budvar glass, so have to make do with another lager glass.
Drinking Budweiser Budvar Lager
The two step pour produces a light gold beer with a one foam top. A fine drawn line of tiny bubbles rise up the glass.
The nose is a subtle malt with a mild floral like aroma. It’s quite light, but then it is cold and it is not in the right glass. Maybe the glass designed for this beer allows more aromas to flow.
In for a taste and a mild bready malt supports a little floral like hoppy hit. It’s all good to this point, but then a citrus, almost lemon like flavour hits the palate. This seems to dominate and brings with it a sweetness, but too much sweetness.
The hope for a bitter finish is suppressed by this lemon like flavour. It almost tastes like a shandy/radler. A tad disappointing for me, but maybe I had a bad bottle that was stored badly on its way to the store shelf.
I will give it another try, and would love to try it on tap. However for now the score stands at a mediocre 3.2 out of 5.0.
M’Lady also has a slightly disappointing experience saying “Smells and taste flat, nothing special about this lager, you might as well drink a macro.” Lou scores it a little higher at 3.6 out of 5.0.
It is a shame, I have been looking forward to trying this beer and I am left disappointed.
Budweiser Budvar Beer Range
The Budweiser Budvar beer range is not a vast one, in fact it is quite a modest range. However they are a traditional brewery that produce a lot of beer. It just happens to be only four beers.
Will they add more to their range in the future, who knows, but if they do, I am sure they will be well received by their fans.
Here are their other tree beers.
Budvar Tmavy
Budvar Tmavy is a dark lager brewed with roasted and dark malts giving the dark colour. And flavours of black coffee and dark chocolate with the same refreshing crisp feel of the original Czech lager.
It is described as rich, sweet and bold and just a little moreish. At 4.7% ABV it falls into the session bracket, but will its rich and sweet taste be too much for a second?
I am not sure, I will have to get my hands on one and see for myself.
Budvar Nefiltr
Nefiltr is what you might expect, an unfiltered beer. However it is more than that, it’s a hybrid beer. Fresh unfiltered beer is blended with a batch of fully matured beer.
The result is a hazy crisp lager described as rich and deep in flavour. At just 4.0% Vol it is pretty light in strength, but a refreshing lager beer.
This one sounds like it could be a great lager experience, and one I will be looking out for.
Budvar Nealko
As the name suggests Nealko is a non alcoholic lager which promises a full flavoured beer. Brewed with the same Moravian malt and Saaz hops it is the original Czech lager, but without the alcohol.
It weighs in at 0.5% Vol so can be marketed as nonalcoholic. It will be interesting to see what this beer is like because not all breweries get the oonalcoholic beers right.
Final Thoughts
So my experience with Budweiser Budvar didn’t go as well as I thought it would. But like I said maybe I had a dodgy bottle, so I will revisit.
If the beer tastes different second time around I will update this review. However if I get the same tastes again, then my rating will stand.
If you have tried Budweiser Budvar lager then do share your thoughts, let me know what you think. If you are a fan, because there are a lot, then my apologies for my low score. Having said that, we all get something different from beers, and we can only report our findings as they are.
Related: Beer Reviews By Brewery
Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.