Chodovar: Bohemian brewing artistry from the granite rock

There are beers you drink and immediately forget. And then there are those that just won’t let you go. The lager from Chodovar was one of those cases for me—remarkably smooth, aromatic, and with an unmistakable character that sparks curiosity.

I wanted to know where this distinct taste comes from. The answer led me to West Bohemia, directly to the Chodovar family brewery.

The History of Chodovar

The history of the Chodovar brewery is intrinsically linked to the granite rock of West Bohemia. As early as the 12th century, when a castle still stood on this site, its inhabitants carved out the first rock cellars. Since there was no modern refrigeration, these cellars were crucial for storing beer—a staple food at the time—to keep it fresh. While the castle no longer exists today, these very same historic cellars are still used for maturing the beer.

Part of the history involves the legend of the dog Albi, who is said to have discovered a nearby mineral water spring that is still in use today. Albi is featured on the brewery’s coat of arms.

The first documentary mention of the brewery dates back to 1573. A fire in 1861 destroyed the building almost completely. However, the owner at the time, Count Berchem, had a new, modern brewery built directly over the old rock cellars just a year later. After World War II, the operation was nationalized and integrated into the Pilsner brewing group. It wasn’t until after the Velvet Revolution that the brewery was privatized again in 1992 and taken over by the Plevka family, who revived their over 220-year family tradition of Bohemian brewing arts here. One of their first steps was the reintroduction of the historic coat of arms featuring the dog Albi.

Behind the Scenes: A Tour of the Brewhouse and the Beer Fountain

After reading so much about the fascinating history, a brewery tour was naturally mandatory for us. The meeting point was at the reception of the restaurant “Ve Skále” (In the Rock). While we waited for our guide, we were able to take a look at the small brewery museum, whose exhibits located in the rock corridors tell much about the traditional craft.

Together with our guide, we then headed into the neighboring brewery. Since we were there on a weekend, the machinery was idle. I must admit I really enjoyed that, as it was wonderfully quiet on the premises. Our group was pleasantly small with only four people. The tour was conducted in German and Czech.

The Stations of Our Tour

Floor Malting

Our first stop was the floor malting house, and I was impressed as soon as I entered the huge, empty room. I imagined how the floor is usually completely covered with germinating grain here.

Our guide emphasized what a rare sight such a traditional malting house is today, as most breweries buy their malt from third parties. He vividly explained how the barley is spread out here, moistened, and regularly turned so that it can germinate and form the enzymes so important for brewing.

Brewhouse

We continued into the heart of the operation, the brewhouse. The sight of the massive copper kettles is simply fantastic. You could virtually sense the sweet scent of malt that must hang in the air here on brewing days.

Here, the actual brewing process was brought to life for us: from the mash tun, where crushed malt and water are combined, to the wort kettle, where hops are added and everything is boiled. Also fascinating was the maze of pipes through which, as we were told, the hot wort is subsequently pumped on its way to cooling and fermentation in the deep rock cellars.

Open Fermentation

From the hot brewhouse, the path led us into the cool of the fermentation cellars. We immediately noticed the significantly lower temperature and an intense, fruity-spicy smell. Before us stretched a large, tiled room with several huge, open vats. A look inside was fascinating: the surface of the beer was covered with a thick blanket of foam.

Our guide explained that this is the “blanket” of yeast that rises during fermentation. Here, the cooled wort from the brewhouse is united with the yeast. Over the next few days, the yeast does all its work: it converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The special thing about this open fermentation is that the brewmaster can observe the yeast and virtually “harvest” the best, most active yeast strains from the surface to reuse them for the next batch. After this stormy primary fermentation, which lasts about a week, the “green beer” (young beer) is then pumped into the deep rock cellars for maturation, where it is stored for weeks at cold temperatures.

Bottling

Our last station inside the brewery was the bottling plant. Here, the belts and machines stood still, which allowed us a unique look at the complex technology. Normally, a deafening noise of rattling belts and clinking bottles would prevail here.

But this way, we could trace the individual steps in peace. The guide showed us where the empty bottles arrive, how they are cleaned, filled under pressure, sealed with a crown cap, and finally labeled before wandering into the crates. All of this happens at a breathtaking speed when the system is running.

A Fountain Where Beer Flows: The Grand Finale

The absolute highlight waited for us in the courtyard: a real beer fountain! A tap system there is directly connected to the brewery, and excellent, fresh Chodovar beer flowed from the tap. There was also the house-made cherry soda to try, but personally, the beer tasted much better to me

The visit made us curious: What exactly lies within these beers in terms of taste? We took a closer look at the most important varieties.

What Makes Chodovar Beer So Special

Three things make Chodovar beer unique:

1. The Water: The foundation is the exceptionally soft water from the brewery’s own wells. The low mineral content allows the malt and hop aromas room to fully unfold.
2. The Malt: In a time when most breweries buy malt, Chodovar produces it entirely in its own floor malting house. The barley for this comes from the immediate surroundings.
3. The Hops: The whole thing is rounded off by the use of exclusively Czech aroma hops, specifically the world-famous Saaz (Žatec) variety.

This special quality was officially recognized in 2008 when the EU awarded Chodovar the Protected Geographical Indication “Chodské pivo®”. This seal protects the origin and serves as a guarantee of authenticity and quality.

In the Glass and on the Tongue: Chodovar Beers in Detail

The brewery offers various products ranging from classic Czech lagers to seasonal specialties.

The Pale Lagers (Ležáky)

Prezident Premium (12°, 5.0% ABV)
The brewery’s flagship was designed to build a bridge between the rather sweet lagers of the South Bohemian style and the dry-bitter beers of the Pilsner type. In the glass, it presents itself in a brilliant, clear golden yellow, crowned by a dense, stable, and creamy white foam head. I smell a bit of the typical grassy, floral notes of the Saaz hops and a malt note reminiscent of fresh bread.

Even with the first sip, I notice a smooth note. Only in the finish does a bit of the hop bitterness come through.

Zámecký Ležák Speciál (13°, 5.1% ABV)

This “Castle Special Lager” is a stronger beer. The brewer uses exclusively Czech aroma hops. Afterward, the beer matures for an exceptionally long time—two to three months—in the rock cellars.

The beer shines in a deep gold tone ranging to light amber. The thick, creamy, off-white foam head invites you to enjoy the first sip. But before that, the aroma of bready and honey-sweet malt and fresh, grassy, and spicy hop aromas unfolds in the nose. The first sip shows that the beer is full-bodied and malt-forward. Notes of citrus fruits and the typical spice of the Saaz hops are clearly recognizable.

Zlatá Jedenáctka (11°, 4.5% ABV)

The “Golden Eleven” is a prime example of the 11°-Plato beer category, which is extremely popular in the Czech Republic. It offers more body and flavor than a classic 10° draft beer (výčepní), but is simultaneously more drinkable and lighter than a 12° lager (ležák).

The beer shows a radiant, bright gold in the glass, covered by a creamy white foam head. The beer lover can expect a beer with an excellently balanced full, velvety malt body and a distinct, but not intrusive hop bitterness. It tastes excellent to me. It is smooth, slightly crisp, and has a wonderful spicy hop finish.

The Dark Heart of Bohemia

Zámecké Černé (10°, 4.2% ABV)

This award-winning Tmavé Pivo (dark lager) is the brewery’s figurehead. It is brewed according to historical recipes using special coloring, caramel, and roasted malts.

The beer is dark brown to mahogany in color with ruby red and amber reflections when held against the light. It is clearly filtered. The beer is crowned by a stable, creamy, and light beige foam head. The beer is malt-dominated. It exudes intense notes of caramel, toffee, dark bread crust, and hints of coffee, chocolate, and dried fruits.

The taste surprised us. It is not as sweet as many other dark beers. However, you can definitely taste notes of caramel, toffee, coffee, and dark chocolate.

A Summary for Beer Lovers

Beer Name	Beer Style	Alcohol Content	Description & Flavor Profile
Zámecký Ležák Speciál (13°)	Czech Pilsener	5,1 %	A special lager that matures for 2–3 months in rock cellars. Golden yellow color, clean hop and malt aroma, pleasant hop bitterness with roasted notes and a fresh, dry finish.
Zámecké Černé	Bohemian Dark Lager	4,2 %	A classic Czech black beer. Very dark brown with amber reflections. Malty and caramel aroma, sweet on the palate, biscuit-like with spicy notes and a roasty finish.
Skalní Ležák	Lager / Semi-Dark	5,0 %	A semi-dark lager with unmistakable character. It combines a fine bitterness and fruity notes with a caramel tone typical for dark beer.
Zlatá Jedenáctka	Lager / Pale	4,5 %	A classic pale lager with 11 degrees original gravity, a drinkable all-rounder.
Pašerák (Schmuggler)	Bohemian Pilsener	4,0 %	A lighter Pilsner, ideal as a session beer.
Nealkoholické pivo	Non-Alcoholic Pilsener	< 0,5 %	The brewery’s alcohol-free offer for carefree enjoyment.
Chodovar Roller	Radler (Shandy)	2,0 %	A refreshing mixed beer drink made from beer and lemon-flavored Il Sano mineral water. Available during the summer months.

A visit to Chodovar is more than an ordinary brewery tour. From the sight of the now-rare floor malting house to the open fermentation and the unforgettable moment of getting a fresh lager from the beer fountain—here, you feel the passion for brewing and the love for Chodovar beer with every step.

The visit took place in cooperation with Czech Tourism.