Beer Styles

The beer that defines South Moravia is a Czech lager. Znojemské pivo and Brněnské pivo come in pale and dark versions, and the terms Světlé and Tmavé simply mean pale and dark. The pale beer is golden yellow, more bitter than a Bavarian Helles but milder than many a German Pils. The dark beer offers roasted aromas and sweetness.

How does Czech lager differ from German Pils? It usually has more body, more malt sweetness, and a rounder bitterness, with less dryness in return. It's also allowed to be a touch stronger. German Pils, by contrast, tends to be leaner and crisper.

One specialty is Řezané pivo, the “cut” beer. Pale and dark are blended in one glass, giving the beer two distinct layers. At Starobrno, one variety is named Řezák, a nod to this tradition.

Brno's craft scene adds its own styles to the mix. Lucky Bastard brews Blond, Oktagon, India, and Siciliano, with the numbers in the names indicating original gravity. IPAs, stouts, and sour beers round out the lineup.

The connection to food is what completes the style. A lager, with its bitterness and gentle sweetness, cuts through fat without overpowering a dish, and the same holds for the dark beer with its roasted notes. That's why in Moravia, nearly every hearty meal comes with a Půllitr rather than a glass of wine—even though the wine grows just a few villages away. This fits the old saying about beer as liquid bread.