The sign above the door at the taproom of the Vyškov brewery, maker of the very good Jubiler and Generál beers, somewhat ominously recommends that guests have a final brew before leaving. “Have another glass of beer,” it says, “who knows what awaits you outside!”
While the German beer expression “Hopfen und Malz — Gott erhalt’s!” is fairly familiar among the international beer set, most Czech beer expressions — usually in the form of rhyming two-liners — are unknown outside of the country. Nearly every pub here is decorated with the traditional brewer’s greeting, Dej Bůh štěstí, or “God give happiness.” But there are many more, many of which are listed in Good Beer Guide Prague and the Czech Republic. A few favorites:
Lepší pivo v žaludku, nežli voda na plících.
Better beer in the belly than water in the lungs.
Kde se pivo vaří, tam se dobře daří.
Where beer is brewed, things go well.
Kde se pivo pije, tam se dobře žije.
Where beer is drunk, life is good.
Do půlnoci u pěny, od půlnoci u ženy.
On the suds until midnight; after twelve, on the wife.
Kdo pije mok pěnivý v posteli je lenivý.
Whoever drinks foamy liquid is lazy in bed.
Píme pivo s bobkem, jezme bedrník! Nebudeme stonat, nebudeme mřít!
Let’s drink beer with bay, let’s eat pimpernel! We won’t get ill, nor will we die!
Pivo dělá hezká těla.
Beer makes a beautiful body.
Pivo hřeje, ale nepálí.
Beer warms, but it doesn’t burn.
Pivo hřeje, ale nešatí.
Beer warms, but it doesn’t clothe.
Vláda, která zdraží pivo, padne.
A government which raises the price of beer will fall. (Jaroslav Hašek.)
Lepší teplé pivo než studená Němka!
Better a warm beer than a cold German girl! (Jára Cimrman)
Pivo mladé čep vyráží.
Young beer bursts from the tap.
Teprve pivo udělá žízeň krásnou.
Only with beer does thirst become beautiful.
I liked the one with the cold German girl. Prussian, I assume!
Knut Albert
25 Feb 09 at 10:21 am
Working hard on my beautiful beer body that’s for sure!
Velky Al
25 Feb 09 at 10:25 am
Fantastic!
Alan
25 Feb 09 at 2:01 pm
[...] 2009 by Al Evan Rail, beer author and journalist in the Czech Republic, recently shared some Czech beer expressions. …[M]ost Czech beer expressions — usually in the form of rhyming two-liners — are unknown [...]
Hop Talk » Blog Archive » Czech beer expressions
25 Feb 09 at 2:30 pm
Dej Bůh štěstí can also be translated as God give luck. I heard once that the expression was used by brewers a long time ago because until the whole process was finished they had no way of knowing if the beer would turn out good or they would have to throw the whole batch away.
pivero
25 Feb 09 at 4:58 pm
“Teprve pivo…” is also known as “Jenom s pivem je žizen krásna” !
“Studena němka” was presumably from DDR, I guess ;-)
pivnizub
25 Feb 09 at 10:00 pm
[...] with the traditional brewer
Prague City Beat » Blog Archive » Czech Beer Expressions
26 Feb 09 at 8:48 am
When you’re out of beer
you’ll die of thirst
Joseph O'Brien
26 Feb 09 at 4:10 pm
[...] Czech Beer Expressions (Prague Daily Monitor) [...]
Links roundup: the horror of birthing in Brno | Brno Now
27 Feb 09 at 6:51 am
Když chceš pivo píti
musíš utopence míti
one of my favourtes. Seen in a hospoda in Kutná Hora.
quack-duck
27 Feb 09 at 4:17 pm
[...] What’s that Czech beer sign mean? [...]
Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home » Blog Archive » 5 beer answers, questions included
28 Feb 09 at 4:27 am
Když chceš pivo píti
musíš utopence míti
roughly translated
if you want to drink beer
you must have utopenci (=pickled sausages that go well with beer)
quack-duck
28 Feb 09 at 11:25 am
Translation of Vyskov sign, with added ingredient:
Sit back and have another beer.
Who knows what’s brewing outside here?
Justin Quinn
1 Mar 09 at 6:51 am
Do půlnoci u pěny, od půlnoci u ženy.
On the suds until midnight; after twelve, on the wife.
Or:
Till midnight suck on foam; past midnight, try your luck at home.
Both of which skew the Czech towards sex.
Justin Quinn
1 Mar 09 at 6:56 am
If you live in Czech Republic and watch football regularly, please email at radubaicu@yahoo.com, for an interesting opportunity. Thank you.
Radone
4 Mar 09 at 9:07 am