Thought you'd enjoy this - from yesterday's The Prague Post...
Czech beer awards honor Prague brewers
Posted by Fiona Gaze on November 2, 2011
Any friend of beer is a friend of mine, and the annual awards of the aptly named Friends of Beer Union (Sdružení přátel piva, or SPP) are an interesting gauge of trends in both consumer preference and technological innovation over the past year. The yearly list, which has been released since 1990, can also serve as a veritable treasure-hunting map for beer lovers new to or familiar with the Czech beer scene.
With votes coming in for categories including Best 10°, Best 12°, Microbrewery of the Year and Brewer of the Year, this year’s results reveal a few surprises, starting with the top marks of Best 10° beer going to Krušovice. Prague also makes a showing in several categories — an interesting shift since last year, when the capital was not represented at all in the top of the hops. For 2011, however, Prague-based Klášterní pivovar Strahov was honored as Microbrewery of the Year (topping last year’s Pivovar Matuška Broumy), and its Sv. Nobert ale also came in third in the Best Top-Fermented Beer category. Also of Prague, Ivan Chramosil of Pivovar U Fleků earning Brewer of the Year.
It’s nice to see Unetický Pivovar, which just opened in June close to Prague, be recognized; its delicious Únětické pivo 12° came in a respectable third in the Best 12° category.
Here’s a list of SPP’s winners:
Best 10° Beer
1. Krušovice (Pivovar Krušovice)
2. Chotěboř Originál light lager (Pivovar Chotěboř)
3. Bernard traditional Czech lager (Pivovar Bernard)
Best 11° Beer
1. Ježek 11°
2. Svijanský Máz
3. Otakar světlý ležák
Best 12° Beer
1. Svijanský Rytíř
2. Koutská dvanáctka
3. Únětické pivo 12
Best Special Beer
1. Prácheňská Perla 14%
2. Rychtář 15° Speciál
3. Primátor Exkluziv 16%
Best Top-Fermented Beers
1. Matuška Pšeničné pivo
2. Matuška IPA Raptor
3. Sv.Norbert pšeničné pivo 13°
Best Dark Beer
1. Primátor Polotmavý 13%
2. Sedm kulí
3. Bernard Jantarový ležák
Best Semi-Dark Beer
1. Primátor Polotmavý 13%
2. Sedm kulí
3. Bernard Jantarový ležák
Best Nonalcoholic Beer
1. Bernard s čistou hlavou Jantar
2. Budweiser Budvar nealkoholické
3. Bernard s čistou hlavou
Microbrewery of the Year
1. Klášterní pivovar Strahov
2. Jihoměstský pivovar
3. Pivovar Kout na Šumavě
Brewery of the Year
1. Rodinný pivovar Bernard
2. Pivovar Svijany
3. Pivovar Ferdinand
