Food & Beer Culture

In Brno, beer belongs to the Hospoda, the corner pub where regulars gather in the evening and the beer keeps coming without having to be ordered again. What goes with it? A classic is Utopenci, literally “drowned men,” sausages pickled in vinegar and onions. The acidity and salt make the bitterness shine.

Moravský vrabec, the Moravian sparrow, is in fact roast pork despite its name, served with sauerkraut and dumplings. The fat and roasted notes find their match in the dark lager. Equally popular is Smažený sýr, deep-fried cheese with tartar sauce, which forms a crispy pairing with the pale beer.

Znojmo is famous for its gherkins. Znojemské okurky, the Znojmo gherkins, are pickled sweet-and-sour and count as a local specialty. As a snack, they make a crisp companion to beer and bread with lard spread.

That South Moravia is also wine country shows itself in autumn. That's when Burčák is poured, a young, still-fermenting grape must that tastes sweet and pours cloudy into the glass. Beer and wine don't compete here; both belong to the same landscape, from the vineyard slopes near Mikulov to the brew kettle in Brno.

Even the serving sizes follow custom. The half-liter is standard, and it's usually refilled without much asking, until the guest places the coaster or a hand over the glass. At the table, people toast with Na zdraví, meaning “to your health.” It's customary to look each other in the eye while doing so, a courtesy still observed in Brno.