The Search for Czechvar

Al

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Aug 12, 2002, 1:31:35 AM8/12/02

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Some 20 years ago, someone turned me on to the beer from Czechoslovakia
that had Budweiser on its label. You couldn't get it in the US for
obvious reasons. I tried it in Berlin, and it obviously was great, if I
still remember the experience 20 years later.

I recently was telling some other people about it, and it occurred to me
to search the Internet to see if there was a way to get some of this
beer in the US. Before long, I found that the beer is being imported into
the US under a different name: Czechvar.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W2D832E71 is a Seattle Times reprint of a
Chicago Tribune article on this beer, its history, and how it came to be
that the beer is now available here.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/33377_chou01.shtml is a story in the
PI about just what kind of brewer makes this beer.

I then set out to locate some for myself. I struck out at the usual
suspects - Trader Joes, Cost World Plus, Larry's Markets, Albertsons, and
Safeway. I tried a beer specialty place in the University District with
no luck.

I then checked someplace that I thought might have it - Top Food and
Drug. You had to look real hard, but they had some 16.9 oz. bottles that
said "Best before end of 07/2002". It was well into August, but I bought
a bottle anyway, at $2.15 a bottle. I chilled it for a couple of days,
and poured it into a glass that I stuck in the freezer for 10 minutes. It
had a great head on it, and it tasted great. It certainly invoked some
memories of my years living in Europe.

The beer will be served at the Seattle Beer Festival
http://www.seattlebeerfest.com/ from August 23-25 at the Seattle Center.
It is certainly worth a try if you are down there.

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JaKe

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Aug 12, 2002, 9:22:16 AM8/12/02

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Hey Al, you should hang over at rec.food.drink.beer I bet someone over
there may know of a better source for THE Bud.

Grant Erwin

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Aug 12, 2002, 11:12:51 AM8/12/02

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Jeez, I just hosted my dad's poker group, and although I don't drink,
I had to buy beer. I headed down to Fred Meyer and picked up a nice
assortment of imported beers, and I'm quite certain that Czechvar was
among their number!

Oh, and the guys really liked the imported beers too, including of
course the Czechvar ..

Grant Erwin
in Kirkland, near the Totem Lake Fred Meyer

Alan Zelt

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Aug 12, 2002, 5:50:49 PM8/12/02

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The name you seek is BUDVAR. It is currently sold at Whole Foods, Top
Foods and Fred Meyers. I have a couple of six pack in the fridge. I
think the folk at Pilsner Urquel must be getting concerned. They have
been holding lots of sales lately, along with selling for deep discount
at Costco.
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener

Al

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Aug 13, 2002, 12:31:44 AM8/13/02

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In article <3D57D073...@tinyisland.com>, gr...@tinyisland.com
says...

Just checked over at the Kent Fred Meyer, and no Czechvar was to be
found.

JaKe

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Aug 13, 2002, 10:13:11 AM8/13/02

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No BUD at the Fred Meyer in Auburn either.

Alan Zelt

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Aug 13, 2002, 8:10:47 PM8/13/02

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"Oh, Guess" wrote:

>
> On Mon, 12 Aug 2002 21:31:44 -0700, Al <seat...@poboxes.nospam.com>
> wrote:
>
> >In article <3D57D073...@tinyisland.com>, gr...@tinyisland.com
> >says...
> >> Jeez, I just hosted my dad's poker group, and although I don't drink,
> >> I had to buy beer. I headed down to Fred Meyer and picked up a nice
> >> assortment of imported beers, and I'm quite certain that Czechvar was
> >> among their number!
> >>
> >

> >Just checked over at the Kent Fred Meyer, and no Czechvar was to be
> >found.
>

> How about checking K's Deli in downtown Bellevue?
> --
>
> Nobody You Know

Czechvar is in stock at Fred Meyer, Totem Lake, Top Food, Woodinville,
and Whole Food, Seattle.

Alan Zelt

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Aug 13, 2002, 8:11:34 PM8/13/02

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Scuse me. Senior moment. It is Czechvar, not Budvar.

William Nitsche

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Aug 16, 2002, 1:28:05 AM8/16/02

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I picked up a 6-pack at the Ballard Fred Meyer. Pretty good, IMHO.

--Billiam

"Al" <seat...@poboxes.nospam.com> wrote in message
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Joe

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Aug 16, 2002, 5:07:13 PM8/16/02

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Brewery open after flooding

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Famed Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar resumed
production of the original Budweiser beer yesterday, two days after
unprecedented flooding shut down operations, officials said.

Spokeswoman Denisa Mylbachrova said the brewery halted production Tuesday
when large parts of the town of Ceské Budejovice, 90 miles south of Prague,
were flooded. Although part of the brewery was flooded, it escaped
significant damage, she said.

Budejovicky Budvar was founded in 1895 in Ceské Budejovice — called Budweis
by the German-speaking people that populated the area at the time. The
founders of American brewer Anheuser-Busch used the name Budweiser because
it was well-known in their German homeland. The two competitors are
embroiled in about 60 lawsuits across Europe

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?s
lug=beer16&date=20020816&query=Budweiser+

Joe

"William Nitsche" <w.ni...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:F3079.13834$Ke2.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

BallardMan

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Aug 21, 2002, 2:51:47 PM8/21/02

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"William Nitsche" wrote

> I picked up a 6-pack at the Ballard Fred Meyer. Pretty good, IMHO.
>
> --Billiam
>

Also in Ballard you can get it at the german restaurant The People's Pub
(yes, I know it isn't a retail store and you have to drink it there, but
what the heck)

- ballardman