Water & Soil

How soft is the water in Budweis, and why does it matter for this beer? The town sits in a shallow basin where the Vltava and Malše have deposited sand and clay over a long period. Water collects in the porous ground beneath these layers.

Budějovický Budvar states that it draws its brewing water from artesian wells reaching around 300 metres deep. Artesian means the water in the ground is under pressure and rises on its own. The region's water is considered soft, meaning it contains little dissolved lime. The brewery does not disclose an exact hardness figure.

This is an advantage for pale Czech lagers. Soft water makes hop bitterness taste round and fine, while hard water quickly makes it harsh. Even so, as everywhere, the rule holds: nearly all breweries treat their water today. The old saying 'the water makes the style' describes the past, not the present.

South Bohemia is also a landscape of ponds. Hundreds of fish ponds lie around Třeboň, many of them laid out back in the Middle Ages under the House of Rosenberg. The Rožmberk pond dates from the 16th century and is still considered one of the largest in the country. The area is now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The ponds don't brew beer, they raise carp, and in South Bohemia both trades share the same territory. But they do shape the climate: in autumn, fog hangs over the dykes, and nights turn cold early. This cold settles the yeast in the lagering cellars, and the beer clears slowly.