Food & Beer Culture

In the Czech Republic, beer belongs with the hospoda, the local tavern. The food there is simple and hearty, and the beer always comes first. One of the classics is Svíčková, a beef roast in a root-vegetable and cream sauce, served with dumplings and cranberries. The sauce's sweetness pairs well with the mild bitterness of a pils.

Things get heartier with Vepřo knedlo zelo: roast pork, dumplings, and sauerkraut. The cabbage brings acidity, the dumplings soak up the sauce, and the lager rinses the fat from the palate. Fried cheese, Smažený sýr in Czech, appears on almost every menu, as does pickled Hermelín cheese, both best enjoyed with beer.

Which beer goes with which dish? A Bohemian pils suits fatty, salty food, since its bitterness and carbonation refresh the palate. Roast meat with a dark sauce pairs well with Czech Dark Lager, whose caramel notes pick up the roasted flavours of the meat. Starters like cheese and pickled sausages work with either style.

The town's biggest festival is the Dočesná, held in Žatec every year in early September. The name refers to the celebration marking the end of the hop harvest. It takes place on Náměstí Svobody, Freedom Square, and in the surrounding streets, with a parade, music, and, of course, beer.

A visit to Žatec is best begun at the Temple of Hops and Beer. The Hop Lighthouse offers a view over the town, the lift ride is an experience in itself, and in the labyrinth of hop sacks you can search for the "Treasure of Žatec." For a view over the hop fields themselves, head on into the World Heritage landscape at Trnovany.