The original beers from places like Budvar tend to date from hundreds of years ago, so they've had plenty of practice to make a solid beer.
In this case, Budweiser Budvar have had 750 years to refine this recipe using their whole cone Saaz hops, spring water from their own artisan well that runs underneath the brewery and Moravian barley - all sourced from Czechia - to make a lager that is a joy to drink.
While a simple lager may not be the most exciting or innovative of beers, especially in the craft beer age, it's a fitting testament to how good a beer can be if you nail the basics.
The malt quality comes through right away, as with many pilsner-type lagers, and it is combined with a little bitterness from the whole cone Saaz hops. The pour is wonderfully golden, and it's perfectly carbonated to be refreshing without being overpowering.
It's got a pretty dense body for a lager which is malty at first with a touch of sweetness to it, almost like the kind of sweet bread dough you get from brioche. It's not sweet, but it's finely balanced with the malt to even out the flavour.
The aftertaste is reminiscent of many European lagers, with a crisp malty finish that is very clean and refreshing, leaving just enough of a dry sensation to make you want to keep drinking more.
Lager in a green bottle is a classic combination. There's something just stylish about a green bottle, like it boasts confidence in the beer quality to choose such a vessel for it. Even Budvar Dark, a beer whichis black and has a black and white label, keeps the green bottle.
The cream of the label and red of the writing make it stand out quite nicely, and the gold detailing on the lettering, the neck wrap and the ring around the coat of arms make it quite elegant.
That coat of arms is the one of Ceske Budejovice, the place where Budweiser Budvar is based and adds a wonderful detail to the label which, although elegant, is relatively ordinary.
As a fairly mainstream European lager you can find it in most supermarkets for a relatively cheap price. The cheapest we found was single 330ml bottles in Asda for £2.00, but you can buy it in packs, crates and cans for varying prices.
Don't be put off by the availability or low price either, sometimes cheap doesn't mean low-quality - especially true in this case.
