BUDWEISER - Usurper of Beers
Written: Aug 05 '02 (Updated Aug 05 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Crisp, tasty and refreshing
Cons: Easily confused with inferior brands
The Bottom Line: There's nothing better than a cold bottle of Budweiser, er...Budvar, er...Czechvar.......
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| proxam's Full Review: Budweiser Budvar 12 |
This is the most famous of all Czech lagers and perhaps the classic example of it's style. The Budweiser brewery was founded in the town of Ceske Budejovice (Budweis in German) in 1895, using water from an underground lake.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
Anheuser-Busch first brewed Budweiser in St Louis in 1876 while the Budweiser Budvar brewery was launched in 1895. But for centuries previously, beers from the town of Budweis were known as Budweiser beers.
The American giant, and Budweiser Budvar have been at loggerheads for more than a century. The Czech beer is sold in the United States under the name Czechvar, and in fact Britain is the only country where, following a court ruling, both beers are allowed to be sold as Budweiser.
In some countries, such as Italy and Spain, where the Czechs registered their trade mark first, Anheuser-Busch has been forced to sell its beer as Bud. Anheuser-Busch lost a court case in London when it took criminal action against the importers of Budweiser Budvar, which claimed on the back label of the beer that it was the "original Budweiser".
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Apparently there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the Clan McDonald is planning to sue a well known burger chain for blatant copyright theft. The present clan chief, Lady Wendy B.K. McDonald, and her son and heir, Max the large, are said not to care one tiny little bit. And nor should we.
Incidentally, did you know that those caring, sharing folk at McD's sued a small cafe owner in Scotland that dared to use his own name (McDonald) above his shop. What are they like?
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THE POUR
Budvar pours to a deep, bright, crystal clear, golden colour, with a creamy white head, and a lively carbonation. The head is not particularly long-lasting, but it does leave a decent lace on the glass. The nose is crisp and clean, and very fragrant with Saaz hop aroma - somewhat like freshly cut grass. There is also plenty of crisp pilsner malt aroma, a little earthy smokiness and a faint tangy sweetness.
THE TASTE
The palate is fairly firm and crisp, with a good biscuity malt character and just a touch of creamy flavour. There's a lively mouthfeel with a rich malt sweetness initially, which leads on to a snappy, grassy, bitter hop bite.
The hops are citrus and slightly fruity in their character and balance the brew nicely with their crisp dryness, and distinct herbal notes. The finish is relatively clean with a slight dryness and a herbal spiciness.
THE VERDICT
At 5% ABV, this is a good beer, very well balanced. It has a lovely smooth character that lends itself to easy drinking. It's perfect for a hot summer day - when sinking a few, nicely chilled Budvars would be thoroughly refreshing. Of course, here in Scotland, hot and summer are not words usually placed in the same sentence. Never mind that though, it hasn't stopped any of us drinking cold beer before and I expect it never will.
How does Budvar Budweiser compare to the more well known Anheuser-Busch Bud? One is posh and the other is pish. The latter does make good TV commercials though.
Thanks for reading,
Sláinte
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
proxam
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Location: De Leving's Toun
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About Me:
Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Don't drink & derive
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