Bored swigging ale down your local? Head to beer-loving Prague for an eccentric take on the amber nectar. Oh, and some sightseeing too…
BY MICHELLE WRANIK
Famed for its beer – and its levels of beer consumption – it’s not surprising the Czech Republic has pioneered some innovative, if not wacky, ways to enjoy Homer Simpson’s drink of choice.
The first prize for ingenuity goes to the Chodovar Family Brewery (www.chodovar.cz) in Western Bohemia (about 130km from Prague), which has lured beer lovers in their thousands since opening the world’s first beer spa. For around £17, those bored of simply drinking beer can take the plunge in one of six custom-made metal bathtubs, filled with a mixture of dark lager, active beer yeast, crushed herbs and natural mineral water piped from a local spring.
According to brewery manager Mojmir Prokes, bathing in beer is no gimmick – it’s actually good for you. “Having a bath in beer is very beneficial,” he explains. “Beer increases circulation and purifies the skin because of the proteins and high vitamin B content.”
Proving there may very well be a science behind the suds, the spa even employs a full-time balneologist (licensed spa therapist) to mix the baths and monitor guests as they soak. Sliding into the warm, frothy concoction, it’s hard not to feel relaxed. Classical music pipes gently from hidden speakers and the malty aroma from the bathwater is strangely soothing. Naturally, relaxation is helped along by a pint of unpasteurised lager, which guests are encouraged to drink during their 20-minute soak (for digestive purposes, of course!).
Cheesy does it!
Next up in the unusual-uses-for-beer list is pivni syr (beer cheese), first served at Zlatého Tygra, in the heart of Prague’s Old Town (Husova 17, Prague 1; www.uzlatehotygra.cz). You might have to jostle for space at this popular pub, but your table should clear quite quickly once your fragrant plate of cheese arrives. At around £1.50 a serving, the soft, pungent Moravian Olomovcky cheese is served with butter, onions, mustard and rye bread. The way to eat it is a little unorthodox; tip some beer over the cheese, mix it up with a fork and smear it on the bread. As they say in Czech, “Dobrou chut!” (“Bon appetit!”)
Beer ice cream?
For dessert – or for the sake of experience – you might be intrigued by beer ice cream, which sadly, tastes as unappealing as it sounds. After numerous failed attempts, the brewmasters at the Richter Pub (Bulovka 17 Prague 8) finally succeeded in creating this peculiar dessert, made by blending malt, hops, cream, water and sugar and sold for around £1.85.
In the centre of Prague, you can also try U Medvídkù’s Old Gott lager beer ice cream, which is served with a dollop of cream and an amused smile. (Na Perštýne Prague 1; www.umedvidku.cz) The verdict? Bitter, watery, and not at all unlike dishwater!
Spice up the flavour
If you feel like actually drinking some beer, but feel adventurous, microbrewery and restaurant Pivovarský Dum (Lípová 15, 120 44, Prague 2) is worth visiting. The menu reveals the brewmasters’ creativity, having experimented with eccentric ingredients, such as banana, nettle, coffee, eucalyptus and even chilli! Pivovarský Dum is also one of the only places in Prague where you can find another fantastic Czech invention known as Samp, a deliciously light and refreshing blend of beer and champagne, which is bottled and served in a flute.
Help yourself!
Fed up with queuing for beer in crowded pubs? At The Pub in Plzen (Prešovská 16, Plzen; www.thepub.cz), punters can pour jugs of beer without leaving their seats. Unpasteurised Pilsner is piped directly to tables which are fitted with self-serve taps and linked to a computer to keep count. The novelty of pouring your own beer has become so popular, the pub has already begun to franchise around the country.
Some like it strong
With a hefty 12.6% alcohol content, X-33 beer is one of the strongest beers in the world. Brewed and cellared at one of the most historic brewpubs in Prague, (U Medvídkù, Na Perštýne 7 Prague 1; www..umedvidku.cz) this syrupy, limited-edition lager takes around seven months to create. It’s not for the faint hearted, but if you want to try this powerful beer or take some home, it’s sold at the front of the pub for £7 a bottle. “Na Zdravi!”
last time we Czeched…
The Czech Republic has the largest annual beer consumption in the world – 157 litres per person!
Czechs have been drinking beer since at least 900 AD.
Czechs call beer “liquid bread” – and consume it accordingly.
Czechs love their own brews: foreign beers account for less than one per cent of the total national consumption! They also prefer to drink beer in bottles, rather than cans.
“Good” King Wenceslas ordered the death penalty for anybody caught smuggling precious hops (the key ingredient of beer) out of the country.
An old local Czech proverb says: “Blessed is the mother who gives birth to a brewer”!
The Brewery Museum in Pilsen (90km from Prague) opened in 1958, the world’s first beer museum.
GETTING THERE
Prepare to let go of your inhibitions! bmibaby flies to Prague, the world’s beer-supping epicentre, from Birmingham, East Midlands and Manchester from just £24.99 one-way incl. taxes. For more information, visit www.bmibaby.com
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Famed for its beer – and its levels of beer consumption – it’s not surprising the Czech Republic has pioneered some innovative, if not wacky, ways to enjoy Homer Simpson’s drink of choice.
Proving there may very well be a science behind the suds, the spa even employs a full-time balneologist (licensed spa therapist) to mix the baths and monitor guests as they soak. Sliding into the warm, frothy concoction, it’s hard not to feel relaxed. Classical music pipes gently from hidden speakers and the malty aroma from the bathwater is strangely soothing. Naturally, relaxation is helped along by a pint of unpasteurised lager, which guests are encouraged to drink during their 20-minute soak (for digestive purposes, of course!). 
For dessert – or for the sake of experience – you might be intrigued by beer ice cream, which sadly, tastes as unappealing as it sounds. After numerous failed attempts, the brewmasters at the Richter Pub (Bulovka 17 Prague 8) finally succeeded in creating this peculiar dessert, made by blending malt, hops, cream, water and sugar and sold for around £1.85.
With a hefty 12.6% alcohol content, X-33 beer is one of the strongest beers in the world. Brewed and cellared at one of the most historic brewpubs in Prague, (U Medvídkù, Na Perštýne 7 Prague 1; 
