Amy Abroad: Where beer has been flowing for 175 years

While there are so many grand countries and cities that I want to explore, I also want to make sure that I’m taking enough time to appreciate the Czech Republic, the country I chose to study in to start. Recently, I had the perfect opportunity to explore the town of Pilsen, just an hour outside of Prague.

I traveled with a few friends of mine by bus to Pilsen. It took about an hour to get from Prague to western Bohemia, where Pilsen is located. The town itself is famous worldwide for its renowned Pilsner beer. In fact, one of the first things I heard about the Czech Republic before I arrived here was that beer is so common that it is actually cheaper than water. Most of the time it’s true. Of course, we had to check out the Pilsner Urquell Brewery to see how this widely admired beer is crafted.

Prior to starting our tour we ate a traditional Czech lunch at the brewery’s restaurant. I had the goulash soup in bread bowl accompanied by a Pilsner beer. The atmosphere of the restaurant and the brewery itself gave off a cheerful and welcoming taste of Czech culture. Golden tablecloths covered each table with tall mugs of beer sitting atop every one. It was definitely prevalent to anyone who walked in just how much Czech cultures take pride in their beer.

Our tour began with a bit of history about the 175-year-old Pilsner beer. The first beer was brewed at the factory in 1842 by Josef Groll. Many other similar brews were also emerging around this time so the company trademarked Pilsner Urquell, meaning original, to emphasize the beer’s authenticity. Today, Pilsner Urquell inspires the production of more than two thirds of the beer produced in the world.

Read the full column on SouthCoastToday.com, published on March 13, 2018.