A tale of two cities: Pilsen and Budweis

Related tags ?eské bud?jovice Plze? Czech republic

Here is a history lesson, offered free to giant supermarket chain, Tesco. Pilsen and Budweis are cities in the modern Czech Republic that both have a...

Here is a history lesson, offered free to giant supermarket chain, Tesco. Pilsen and Budweis are cities in the modern Czech Republic that both have a proud place in brewing history. In the 1840s Pilsen produced the first golden lager. Breweries in other countries rushed to produce their own versions of a style dubbed Pilsner. So proud are the Czechs of their beer that the brand was named Pilsner Urquell or "original source Pilsner".

Early in the 20th century, the Czech company took several German brewers to court when they also launched beers called Pilsner. The Germans either shortened the name to just Pils or changed the spelling to Pilsener to avoid any suggestion their beers were Pilsners from neighbouring Bohemia, now the Czech Republic. The city of Budweis also enjoyed a fine reputation for beer, with its style dubbed "Budweiser". In 1795, German speakers there opened a brewery called Budweiser Burgerbrau - the Citizens' Brewery of Budweis. Czech speakers in the city responded 100 years later with their own brewery, Budejovicky Pivovar, the Budweis Brewery, shortened to Budvar.

Pilsner and Budweiser beers have the equivalent of a French appellation contrôlée for wine - the names mean a guarantee that the beers are true to their places or origin. Urquell is very bitter by lager standards, different in style to the softer and slightly fruity beers from Budweis, known today as Ceske Budejovice.

Pilsner Urquell is now part of the global giant SABMiller. Budweiser Budvar remains owned by the Czech government, while the former Burgerbrau brewery is called the Budejovicky Mestansky (Town) Brewery. Recently, it entered the British market with a beer called 1795.

Why the history lesson? Because Tesco has launched an own-label Czech lager called Boheme 1795, a "tweaked" version of 1795.

The label says in bold type "PILSEN - the Original Export". In smaller type, we learn it is brewed by Mestansky in Ceske Budejovice.

Everything is wrong about this. The beer is not an original export Pilsen beer. A press release claims that Tesco has launched the "original Czech Pilsner". I imagine that SABMiller may have some thoughts on this.

Tesco then points out in the press release that the European Union has given the Mestansky Brewery a PGI, short for protected geographic indication, "affirming that the superior quality of its beer is inextricably tied to the region where it is produced".

But the region is Ceske Budejovice, a good three hours from the northern city of Pilsen. The two cities are not only far apart but have radically different types of water used in their brewing processes, and it is the waters of both places that have helped develop the characters of the beers. Tesco states that "uniquely Mestansky brews today in the same place with the same recipe, ingredients and brewing methods as the 1840s, pre-dating all other producers of Budweis beer, thus making it the manufacturer of the 'original' beer from the region." Leave aside the small fact that Mestansky today uses conical fermenting vessels, unheard of in the 1840s, everything in this statement is about the brewery being true to its region of origin, which is not Pilsen.

By claiming that Boheme 1795 is an "Original Export Pilsen", could Tesco infringe trade descriptions legislation? I leave such matters to the lawyers - and Mestansky's neighbour at Budvar can probably supply sound legal advice.

In the meantime, if you fancy a true Pilsner, try an Urquell, the genuine original.