Gambrinus
iMalicious rumours claim that the Skive-based brewery Hancock, as well as being responsible for some truly excellent beer, is also responsible for keeping other good beers off the Danish market.
It is certainly true that both Hancock and Plzeňský Prazdroj (which is particularly well known for Pilsner Urquell) have a beer called Gambrinus.
Gambrinus is a rather obvious name for a beer. The name refers to a mythical figure whose origins are disputed, but who is nevertheless regarded as an unofficial patron saint of beer brewing.
Lots of breweries have beers called Gambrinus. Hancock has two, which I might come back to another day.
Today, however, I’m going to write about Gambrinus from Prazdroj.
Czechs can choose from a range of beers when they go out. That is to say, they actually have to decide before they go anywhere, as very few places stock more than a couple of beers, but the choice between restaurants is considerably better than in Denmark.
The best-known brands are also available in Denmark, and these include the aforementioned Pilsner Urquell (from Plzeň), Staropramen (from Prague) and perhaps Budvar (from the town of the same name). Less well-known (but still occasionally available in Denmark) brands include, for example, Krusovice, Radagast, Kozel and Slatopramen.
However, it is extremely difficult to find my absolute favourite in this country…
Gambrinus is brewed in several varieties, but my favourite is the draught version at 10°.
The Czechs do not primarily use the alcohol by volume as a measure, but rather the beer’s strength in degrees. This figure represents the specific gravity of the original brew, and is therefore effectively an indication of the beer’s sugar content.
For Gambrinus, 10° corresponds to around 4 per cent, making it a relatively light beer – a quality that works in your favour when the beer costs 5 kroner a glass and you’re expected to keep drinking until closing time :-)
Gambrinus is a relatively low-hop beer. This, too, makes it well-suited to long drinking sessions, but it also makes it more popular amongst women than the other, more hoppy, Czech beers.
The beer has a subtle, delicate malty flavour and is a lovely thirst-quencher in the sun, as well as an excellent accompaniment to most Czech dishes.
Czechs prefer to drink unpasteurised draught beer, and of course, preferably fresh. This is one of the reasons why there is resistance to offering too wide a selection in individual restaurants.
Perhaps this is also why a bottled or tinned Gambrinus doesn’t quite offer the same taste experience as a freshly poured draught beer. Perhaps a tinned beer in Denmark simply lacks a little of the atmosphere you find in a Czech pub...