Czech Republic: Plzeňský Prazdroj calls for establishing stricter rules in defining Czech beer

Czech brewer Plzeňský Prazdroj said on March, 31 it demands stricter conditions for using the protected geographical trademark, Czech beer.

According to the company, a test by a daily MF Dnes from March 24, 2010 disclosed that some producers of Czech beer use an unauthorized ingredient – chemical hops called tetra hop.

"We are uneasy about the present trend in the Czech beer-making market, where more and more breweries use unauthorized ingredients such as chemical hops and other food additives. We are talking mainly about modified hops and malt replacements, which have no place in traditional Czech beer. These practices allow dishonest brewers to replace high-quality ingredients with unauthorized ingredients to improve beer characteristics, such as quality of foam. This jeopardises the good reputation of Czech beer around the world, the protected trademark Czech beer, together with the trust of local customers," says senior business brewer from Plzeňský Prazdroj, Václav Berka.

"The trademark, Czech beer, was supposed to be a clear indication for customers that the beer was made professionally, honestly and with integrity, based on true Czech traditions. In the letter addressed to the Czech Beer and Malt Association and to the Association of Czech Beer, Plzeňský Prazdroj demands a stricter definition of Czech beer because the current definition does not solve the problem of use of unauthorized additives," summarizes senior brewer from Plzeňský Prazdroj, Jan Hlaváček.

The brewer’s website displays a public call to action, Žijeme českým pivem, (We live with Czech beer). It is addressed to all who care about the future of traditional Czech beer and is asking for support for the demand by Plzeňský Prazdroj to establish stricter rules in defining Czech beer.

With total sale of 10.5 million hectolitres in the 2009 calendar year (including licensed production abroad) and with export to more than 50 countries, Plzeňský Prazdroj is the biggest producer of beer in the region and the biggest exporter of Czech beer.

Plzeňský Prazdroj is a subsidiary of the world’s second-largest brewer SABMiller plc.

02 April, 2010