Tanknova-style beers in Czech Republic

[tomciccateri]

I enjoyed fresh, unfiltered, unpasteurized Kruzovice beers at a small restaurant in the countryside. I though their use of small tanks of beer to be an interesting approach. Now this week I heard the brewery has been sold. What will happen to their tasty beers?

[evanrail]

Krušovice has a few tankovny, yes, though not nearly as many as Pilsner Urquell, who started this trend (and slow-moving Budějovický Budvar is also starting to offer tank beer). But Krušovice really suffered under the previous owners, the Radeberger Group, part of the Dr. Oetker frozen / dry food conglomerate.

The new owner, Heineken, is unlikely to be worse than Radeberger. That's not saying much, however: a legendary beer about 20 years ago, under Radeberger, Krušovice fell to also-ran status. I can't think of the last time it won an award from SPP, for example, and I think the general opinion of their beers has really taken a hit among Czech beer lovers (ie, the Czech nation).

It's interesting to note that Heineken arguably improved the quality of the beer when they bought Starobrno, though the more obvious improvements were in terms of Starobrno's marketing, logos and advertisements. (Style over substance, yes, but perhaps some substance, too.)

If anything, I would expect Krušovice to improve or stay the same under Heineken. Tank beer is certainly the best thing Krušovice makes. Let's hope it doesn't get any worse.

[evanrail]

I forgot my colleague Rob Cameron wrote a thing about the takeover at Radio Prague. It has a little more information about the history of the brewery and Heineken's takeover of Starobrno:

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/94215