New premium lager collaboration unites Czechia’s Budvar and UK’s Thornbridge

Czechia beer large Budweiser Budvar is becoming a member of forces with main British craft brewer Thornbridge in a uncommon new collaboration to make a Czech-style lager within the UK.

Czech Mates, a 4.8 % ABV lager, would be the first that Czechia’s nationwide brewer has produced on this nation.

Thornbridge Brewery, primarily based in Bakewell, Derbyshire, is anticipating the enterprise to spice up its on commerce gross sales to bars, pubs and eating places by some 15 %.

The lager, packaged in draught format, cans and kegs, will even be bought in stores and available for purchase from Tuesday (May 16).

Premium craft lager is the UK’s quickest rising beer class, seeing 26 % annual development.

As nicely because the mushy water of the Derbyshire Dales and Budvar’s 128-year-old yeast pressure, Czech Mates might be brewed with British grown Maris Otter malt and East Kent Goldings hops, famend for his or her spicy fragrant lavender and honey flavours.

Brewing includes an growing older time of 60 days and the dearer and prolonged conventional decoction mashing course of the place starch is transformed to sugars.

Budvar’s brewmaster Adam Brož defined: “Decoction develops malt character, depth and superior foam. Time is a very important feature of the lager. The long maturation brings the smoothness, crisp taste, and very high drinkability.”

For Thornbridge, “this collaboration widens our portfolio and brings further innovation and creativity into our brewing methods and gives us access to Budvar’s Czech audience”.

Budvar added: “This is about sharing expertise and allows us to get closer to a wider craft beer audience in the UK and promote Czech beer culture.”