CVIKOV, Czech Republic (AP) – After shutting down in droves during the decades of Communist rule, the Czech Republic’s small brewers are staging a comeback.
Dilapidated beer making facilities dotted across this patch of Central Europe, which is better known for a clutch of global brands like Pilsner Urquell, are being reopened to revive local brewing traditions that date back to the 10th century.
You’ll have to visit the Czech Republic to taste any of it, though – production is still too small for export and many beers are not available outside the towns and villages where they are brewed.
The Czechs, by far the biggest beer drinkers in the world per capita, are embracing the trend for the better choice as well as a symbol of the reassertion of the country’s identity.
“This is a sign of the time,” said Jan Suran, who heads the country’s association of small brewers. He said part of the success is that “they can offer wide varieties of beer.” And along the way, “historical, industrial buildings have been renovated in a beautiful fashion.”