Comments on: Nonalcoholic Beers

By: pivero

pivero — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:29:55 +0000

Of course everyone is free to have their own opinion about whatever beer. Though Birell is pretty drinkable, specially on tap, I prefer Bernard, Budvar or even Regent nealko by a whole LOT, but then, that is my opinion, and unlike Mr. Rust, I am not being paid by any brewery.
And no, we are not obscure beer snobs here. We are beer lovers. And no, being the best selling and the most available doesn’t automatically makes a product of any kind the best, and I don’t need a PR degree to figure that out.

By: Evan Rail

Evan Rail — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:51:58 +0000

Radegast Birell is the biggest selling and the most available because it is simply the best.

That’s an interesting opinion, Graham. I have a feeling Radegast Birell is the biggest selling and the most available because it is produced in massive volumes by the largest brewing organization in the Czech Republic, the Pilsner Urquell group, which pwns 50% of all Czech beer production and which has a virtual lock on retail sales with the largest distribution network in the country.

By your logic, then, the best beer in the country would be Gambrinus, as that is the beer which is the biggest selling and most available here. And that would make Gambrinus a better beer than Pilsner Urquell itself, a half-cocked argument not even a PR flack would want to make, as it is Pilsner Urquell which remains the premium beer and flagship brand of that group.

To be honest, Graham, it would be easier to take your comment seriously if Radegast Birell wasn’t listed as a client of your agency over at http://www.rust.cz.

Which makes me wonder: does posting a comment on Beer Culture count among the billable hours in your work for Radegast Birell? If so, I’d like a piece of that action!

By: Graham Rust

Graham Rust — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:11:41 +0000

I don’t understand this, Radegast Birell is far and away the most drinkable non-alcoholic beer. Properly chilled and served in a clean, cooled glass, it is crisp and bitter… whereas everything else I have tasted is more like a cold, watery, sugary malt drink. Don’t be obscure beer snobs, Radegast Birell is the biggest selling and the most available because it is simply the best.

By: Jeremy Poitín

Jeremy Poitín — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:48:05 +0000

Great article. After losing two bodhrans in 3 years from over-indulging in Czech gold, I made a concerted effort to cut down on the stuff and since Christmas I’ve been trying out any nealko I can find. By far the best was Bernard unpasteurized with Radegast Birrel coming a close second. Shame the Bernard isn’t so widely available in Plzen pubs- the Radegast is everywhere.

By: Evan Rail

Evan Rail — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:35:44 +0000

It’s a fastback of some type that Nina had. Why does my wife have toy cars around? I have no idea…

Okay, I just checked: it’s Schuco car model #821, and it says “1:66 / Audi 100 coupe / 115 PS / 185 km/h / Made in Germany.”

It’s clutch. The little doors open and everything.

By: dave brewington

dave brewington — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:26:13 +0000

Is that a Ford Falcon in the top photo? Or a middle-Euro facsimile?

By: Evan Rail

Evan Rail — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:05:19 +0000

Hi Colin. I think you’re far more likely to find Radegast NA here, it’s ubiquitous. But if you get a chance to try Budvar or Bernard, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Your show in Plzeň looks great — I might try to catch it if I’m in town.

By: Colin Rose

Colin Rose — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:51:43 +0000

I will be driving over in a couple of days time So non alcoholic beers will certainly pass my lips. It took awhile for me to first try them as in England they are without fail disgusting. Some UK ones come with “german” labels but they all seem equally bad – So – sales are low to stagnant in UK. I suppose the Czechs got it right by requiring more hops in the finish so guaranteeing more flavour in the finish.

By: Pivero

Pivero — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:59:54 +0000

Of course Nealko beers aren’t the same as the real stuff, but they can indeed make for a good substitute.
I was really surprised at Bernard Nealko Světlé. I would choose it any day over Stella Artois or Eurolagers like that (well, in fact, I would choose mineral water over Stella)

By: Evan Rail

Evan Rail — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:58:03 +0000

Hey Nick — sorry to hear that you’ve given up the good stuff, though I know that’s going to taste great on Easter Morn. As for the nealko, I think the key is to not expect them to taste like regular beers. They just don’t. But they can be pretty good with food, providing good bittersweet flavors that you’re not going to get from tap water.

(And if you do get those flavors from your tap water, I’d say you should switch to bottled.)

Last week, Bohemia Regent’s tasting in Prague started out with their NA beer: grainy, malty, slightly sweet and thin. I thought it was pretty good. But it’s definitely not as good as a non-nonalcoholic brew…