Here's an interesting if somewhat complicated story.
I was always under the impression that the Battle between Anheuser Busch (US Budweiser) and Budejovicky Budvar (Czech Budweiser) was a David and Goliath battle with the big American giant preventing the little European brewery from using it's rightful name.
As far as I know, the present situation is that the Czech beer is called 'Budweiser' in the Czech Republic, 'Budvar Budejovicky' in Europe and 'Czechvar' in the US.
Now this is where the story gets interesting.
Anheuser Busch had a beer trademarked as 'Budweiser' before Budvar even existed.
Budvar's claim to the name 'Budweiser' comes under protected geographical origin (rather like Bordeaux or Stilton) as their brewery is situated in the town of Budweis.
The thing is, another Brewery from Budweis called 'Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar' was established in 1795 - 70 years before Anheuser Busch!
Not only that, but they actually sold their beer in the US as 'Budweiser' five years before A.B. made their first Budweiser.
As a result of communism, Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar was nationalised and the name Budweiser was reserved for the bigger, neighbouring Budvar which was pushed as a national export.
However after the fall of communism in 1991, Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar was restituted to it's original owners as was the right to use the name 'Budweiser Bier' or 'Budejovicky Pivo'. In 1998 the brewery re-launches it's 'Budweiser Burgerbra' to the Czech market.
Their export beer is 1795 Budejovicky pivo.
Funny thing is that Budvar, while claiming geographical origin for their own beer, object to Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar using the name outside of the Czech Republic.
"It seems that Budvar likes to claim geographical origin when it suits their purposes against Anheuser Busch but when it comes to our brewery, they turn and use similar arguments that Anheuser Busch uses against them. It makes no sense."
Miroslav Zeman, Budejovicky Mestansky brewery manager.
One starts to wonder who is the David and who is the Goliath?
1795 is available in Ireland. As you may know, I'm not a big lager drinker but I have tasted it and find it to be fresher and hoppier tasting than Budvar. On a hot day I could certainly be tempted!
5 comments:
I have never taste a budweiser beer before...how does this taste??is it too alcoholic??
It's lager. Quite malty with light bitterness.
Not too strong - about 5%abv
Yeah, but when, and if you could, you have the opportunity to be there directly in the Budejovicky or around to try the real Budvar, it's about 10 -12% and it's such a good pint in the middle of the summer time...But don't plan to move for a while...
Beside that, the one exported is good as well but it's not the same as freshly served from the barrel...
And if you want to try my favourite Czech beer try to catch a Red Radegast, the 12% killing one... Search on google there is plenty of shops who are providing an excellent home deliveries of gorgeous beers...
Don't get confused Czech beers usually have 3.5%-5%abv but the common measurement is in degrees, which are marked as 10°, 11°, 12° (approx. 5%). True is that American Budweiser is wasting Czech "Budweiser Budvar" because the American one is definitely not a beer and many people consider these beers as the same brand.
may be you've got your facts wrong.. mate..
the czech budweiser existed long at least 5 years before the americans got hold of it..
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