Budweiser Budvar | Budějovický Budvar, n.p.
Brewed by:
Budějovický Budvar, n.p.
Czech Republic
budvar.cz
Style: Czech Pilsener
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Exported to the US as Czechvar.
Added by grdahl on 06-22-2001
Ratings: 1,417 | Reviews: 776
Reviews by jesseejames:
More User Reviews:
4/5 rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer was so good that a certain American Brewer stole its name. It is light, clean and crisp with light grain flavors. Straw gold, effervescent with a crisp hop accent.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer was so good that a certain American Brewer stole its name. It is light, clean and crisp with light grain flavors. Straw gold, effervescent with a crisp hop accent.
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2.96/5 rDev -18%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
L:
-pours a clear golden with a medium-big,quickly dissipating,white head
-medium carbonation visible
S:
-floral,honey,grassy,lemon,spices
T:
-sweet honey malt,faint tartness,lemon,sulfur,spice,decent hop bitterniss
F:
-medium carbonation,light body
O:
Decent Pils,but too watery in the middle of the palate
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
L:
-pours a clear golden with a medium-big,quickly dissipating,white head
-medium carbonation visible
S:
-floral,honey,grassy,lemon,spices
T:
-sweet honey malt,faint tartness,lemon,sulfur,spice,decent hop bitterniss
F:
-medium carbonation,light body
O:
Decent Pils,but too watery in the middle of the palate
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3.02/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
had this and pilsner urquell in prague and I thought pilsner urquell was much better. this was a decent substitute though
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
had this and pilsner urquell in prague and I thought pilsner urquell was much better. this was a decent substitute though
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3.63/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sold in Sweden as “Budějovický Budvar B:Original”.
The colour is pale gold; the liquid is clear. The finger thick head (I have had several bottles of this one, all with surprisingly low head) is white and airy, it sinks down to a thin lid leaving no lacing.
The smell is floral and buttery with some white bread and a touch of marzipan.
The taste is smooth with passing notes of butter, fresh flowers, sourdough wheat bread and a touch of caramel cookies. Medium body. The aftertaste brings clean bitterness, tree sap, more bread and some fine butter. Dry floral notes in the finish.
The carbonation is fresh, the many bubbles are mid-sized and long-lived. The liquid is semi-smooth.
A well-crafted classic Czech pils with more focus on the hops than the malts. Very drinkable.
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look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Sold in Sweden as “Budějovický Budvar B:Original”.
The colour is pale gold; the liquid is clear. The finger thick head (I have had several bottles of this one, all with surprisingly low head) is white and airy, it sinks down to a thin lid leaving no lacing.
The smell is floral and buttery with some white bread and a touch of marzipan.
The taste is smooth with passing notes of butter, fresh flowers, sourdough wheat bread and a touch of caramel cookies. Medium body. The aftertaste brings clean bitterness, tree sap, more bread and some fine butter. Dry floral notes in the finish.
The carbonation is fresh, the many bubbles are mid-sized and long-lived. The liquid is semi-smooth.
A well-crafted classic Czech pils with more focus on the hops than the malts. Very drinkable.
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3.57/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good hop presence (Saaz?) herbal, floral and piney somewhat. Crisp. Not sweet at all. A good every day beer. Perfect on a hot summer day while cooking
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look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Good hop presence (Saaz?) herbal, floral and piney somewhat. Crisp. Not sweet at all. A good every day beer. Perfect on a hot summer day while cooking
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3.58/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a becker a very light golden with a nice looking fluffy white head atop.Aromas were grainy and lightly toasted,not much hop presence.A sturdy fuller feel with toasted grain flavors and mild sweetness.A classic Czech lager with pretty much no frills but it's better than most if not all American macro wanna be Czech lagers out there.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a becker a very light golden with a nice looking fluffy white head atop.Aromas were grainy and lightly toasted,not much hop presence.A sturdy fuller feel with toasted grain flavors and mild sweetness.A classic Czech lager with pretty much no frills but it's better than most if not all American macro wanna be Czech lagers out there.
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3.41/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance This one is a pretty yellow in color with a terrific head. It also has some nice, lively carbonation going on inside the glass.
Smell Oh, this is some rank corn. The grain is rough on the olfactory bulb. Theres a light presence of hops here but mostly its all grain.
Taste It tastes better than it smells. Its on the verge of being harsh but comes out with a soft landing. The grain is very distinctive at the taste.
Mouthfeel This is a bit bigger than light-bodied with very little carbonation and maybe a hint or two of dryness at the finish.
Drinkability This isnt bad. It is so difficult to find a good, widely-available Czech Pilsner that Ill give this a cautious recommendation.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance This one is a pretty yellow in color with a terrific head. It also has some nice, lively carbonation going on inside the glass.
Smell Oh, this is some rank corn. The grain is rough on the olfactory bulb. Theres a light presence of hops here but mostly its all grain.
Taste It tastes better than it smells. Its on the verge of being harsh but comes out with a soft landing. The grain is very distinctive at the taste.
Mouthfeel This is a bit bigger than light-bodied with very little carbonation and maybe a hint or two of dryness at the finish.
Drinkability This isnt bad. It is so difficult to find a good, widely-available Czech Pilsner that Ill give this a cautious recommendation.
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4.42/5 rDev +22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
A most enjoyable brew and definantly my new Pils of choice. This bad boy poured a nice copper color with a decent white head that faded quickly and did not leave much lace. The smell was quite fruity and malty with hardley any hint of hops. The taste was very fresh and smoothe with a very light airy maltiness to it and a great light hop flavor to round it out. The beer was very drinkable and would be a excelent warm weather brew. Try this one for sure!
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
A most enjoyable brew and definantly my new Pils of choice. This bad boy poured a nice copper color with a decent white head that faded quickly and did not leave much lace. The smell was quite fruity and malty with hardley any hint of hops. The taste was very fresh and smoothe with a very light airy maltiness to it and a great light hop flavor to round it out. The beer was very drinkable and would be a excelent warm weather brew. Try this one for sure!
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3.01/5 rDev -16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Ahh ... the so-called "original Budweiser" had on-tap at "Ranke 2" in Berlin. Served in it's own 0.5l branded mug. A clear, bright golden pils with a quick to fall thin white foam lace -- some stick and stay. Aroma was ultra-clean.
Light-bodied with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Flavour was an odd mix of bready malts and herbal hops. Thin flavours overall, but all I could think of was drinking liquid crackers.
Excited to see this beer on-tap, and although it was clean and refreshing and went well with my brat and luke-warm German potato salad ... I was disappointed overall. A beer that, in my opinion, doesn't live up to the mega-hype created by the beer community.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Ahh ... the so-called "original Budweiser" had on-tap at "Ranke 2" in Berlin. Served in it's own 0.5l branded mug. A clear, bright golden pils with a quick to fall thin white foam lace -- some stick and stay. Aroma was ultra-clean.
Light-bodied with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Flavour was an odd mix of bready malts and herbal hops. Thin flavours overall, but all I could think of was drinking liquid crackers.
Excited to see this beer on-tap, and although it was clean and refreshing and went well with my brat and luke-warm German potato salad ... I was disappointed overall. A beer that, in my opinion, doesn't live up to the mega-hype created by the beer community.
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3.95/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a dark gold large head with a rich malt hop aroma that you usually associate with European lagers. The taste was a nice blend of malt and hop It reminded me of when I went to Europe and drank the wonderful German lagers and realized that this was the way beer was meant to taste. I prefer this to Urquell
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured a dark gold large head with a rich malt hop aroma that you usually associate with European lagers. The taste was a nice blend of malt and hop It reminded me of when I went to Europe and drank the wonderful German lagers and realized that this was the way beer was meant to taste. I prefer this to Urquell
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3.97/5 rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500 ml can with a freshness date on the bottom of the can, “Budweiser” on the can … lots of controversy.
Appearance: Fast foam in the glass, decent lace leftover and the clarity is fine with a shiny golden colour.
Smell: Slight grassy grain with a thick pale malt sweetness and hints of spicy floral hop.
Taste & Mouthfeel: A one way maltiness pulls in grassy and grain flavours all the way through, good crispness within the moderate body. Lemon zest spicy hop goes a touch herbal and stings the tongue slowly with bitterness. A doughy malt hints middle to end underneath the spicy hop. Dry finish and clean at that.
Notes: This is clearly a different beer compared to our Czechvar, if not ingredients than something in the packaging? I’d say it is better but not by much. A very clean and spicy pils.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500 ml can with a freshness date on the bottom of the can, “Budweiser” on the can … lots of controversy.
Appearance: Fast foam in the glass, decent lace leftover and the clarity is fine with a shiny golden colour.
Smell: Slight grassy grain with a thick pale malt sweetness and hints of spicy floral hop.
Taste & Mouthfeel: A one way maltiness pulls in grassy and grain flavours all the way through, good crispness within the moderate body. Lemon zest spicy hop goes a touch herbal and stings the tongue slowly with bitterness. A doughy malt hints middle to end underneath the spicy hop. Dry finish and clean at that.
Notes: This is clearly a different beer compared to our Czechvar, if not ingredients than something in the packaging? I’d say it is better but not by much. A very clean and spicy pils.
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3.73/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz green bottle, as pictured. Pours a clear, radiant, goldenrod yellow body with a minimal, offwhite head that quickly drops into a lasting collar with some sparse, patch lace.
Aroma is subtle, with grassy and lemony ctrus noble hops. No euroskunk aromas in this one.
Mouthfeel is clean and crisp, well carbonated, and has a mild, white pepper hops zing.
Taste has grassy hops in the beginning, with slightly sweet bready malt. Some husky grain and lemony hops emerge midway. The finish is clean, dry, and slightly bitter.
Clean and crisp, very refreshing. Glad I bought a few of these. Tastes more like a good pils than a lager, but what's the difference anyway? A nice summer brew to quench your thirst with a flavorful and well balanced, European classic.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz green bottle, as pictured. Pours a clear, radiant, goldenrod yellow body with a minimal, offwhite head that quickly drops into a lasting collar with some sparse, patch lace.
Aroma is subtle, with grassy and lemony ctrus noble hops. No euroskunk aromas in this one.
Mouthfeel is clean and crisp, well carbonated, and has a mild, white pepper hops zing.
Taste has grassy hops in the beginning, with slightly sweet bready malt. Some husky grain and lemony hops emerge midway. The finish is clean, dry, and slightly bitter.
Clean and crisp, very refreshing. Glad I bought a few of these. Tastes more like a good pils than a lager, but what's the difference anyway? A nice summer brew to quench your thirst with a flavorful and well balanced, European classic.
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3.23/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 ounce, brown bottle, comes with best before dating. Pours very light almond and clear. Nose is moderatly grassy with a wiff of cabbadge. White head, minimal lacing left on the glass. Light bodied, minimal flavor also observed. Grassy lager, not much going on here, need more hoppy bite/crispness. Middle of the road macro/lager.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12 ounce, brown bottle, comes with best before dating. Pours very light almond and clear. Nose is moderatly grassy with a wiff of cabbadge. White head, minimal lacing left on the glass. Light bodied, minimal flavor also observed. Grassy lager, not much going on here, need more hoppy bite/crispness. Middle of the road macro/lager.
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4.07/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a crisp golden with a quickly disappearing head. Nice frothy lacing inside the glass.
Smells of light hops and tastes malty and hoppy (if those are even really words). Very gentle mouthfeel and so easy to drink it almost drinks itself. What a lager should taste like.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a crisp golden with a quickly disappearing head. Nice frothy lacing inside the glass.
Smells of light hops and tastes malty and hoppy (if those are even really words). Very gentle mouthfeel and so easy to drink it almost drinks itself. What a lager should taste like.
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3.58/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On draught at Kickoff in Waterloo.
Poured into a Czechvar tulip glass. Deep golden, a thin white head that stuck around for most of the session. Some lacing.
Smell is typical for the style: light hops, grass and grain, a bit of sweetness at the back.
Taste is fairly good, crisp and refreshing. Hard to say a whole lot, other than a better-than-average pilsner flavour.
Mouthfeel is well carbonated, not too thin.
Still not my favorite, but a nice, easy drinking pilsner. Usually fairly cheap at the LCBO, I say go for it!
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On draught at Kickoff in Waterloo.
Poured into a Czechvar tulip glass. Deep golden, a thin white head that stuck around for most of the session. Some lacing.
Smell is typical for the style: light hops, grass and grain, a bit of sweetness at the back.
Taste is fairly good, crisp and refreshing. Hard to say a whole lot, other than a better-than-average pilsner flavour.
Mouthfeel is well carbonated, not too thin.
Still not my favorite, but a nice, easy drinking pilsner. Usually fairly cheap at the LCBO, I say go for it!
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3.87/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Czechvar. This was a gift from a friend. I drank it in a pilsner glass. Best before May 2006 on the label.
Pours a mostly clear gold with tiny little floaters visible, which I don't really care about. A one finger head of white foam forms on top, falls to islands and a ring, with scant lacing. Carbonation appears slow.
Aroma is very bready malt and nice spicy/grassy hops. This smells like one good pilsner.
Flavor is bready malt, a little on the sweet side, with a nice grassy hop taste. Bitterness is low to medium. This is slightly sweeter than I imagined. Sweet malt dominates, with hop flavor a close second. A fairly well made beer. Aftertaste is sweet, malty, and slightly spicy.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a perfect level of carbonation. Residual sweetness seems a little high. Finish is short and sweet.
This is a good, clean, Czech pilsner. I am a little surprised by the sweetness, but the spicy hop character is there, and makes this a very quaffable brew. I would definitely have this again.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Czechvar. This was a gift from a friend. I drank it in a pilsner glass. Best before May 2006 on the label.
Pours a mostly clear gold with tiny little floaters visible, which I don't really care about. A one finger head of white foam forms on top, falls to islands and a ring, with scant lacing. Carbonation appears slow.
Aroma is very bready malt and nice spicy/grassy hops. This smells like one good pilsner.
Flavor is bready malt, a little on the sweet side, with a nice grassy hop taste. Bitterness is low to medium. This is slightly sweeter than I imagined. Sweet malt dominates, with hop flavor a close second. A fairly well made beer. Aftertaste is sweet, malty, and slightly spicy.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a perfect level of carbonation. Residual sweetness seems a little high. Finish is short and sweet.
This is a good, clean, Czech pilsner. I am a little surprised by the sweetness, but the spicy hop character is there, and makes this a very quaffable brew. I would definitely have this again.
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4.03/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Pilsner glass.
Appearance: Clear light gold with thin white head and tendrils of lacing.
Smell: Very dry and spicy with strong notes of hay, grass and apple.
Taste: Great malt body of apple, pear and only slightly grassy. As expected, it turns more spicy and bitter toward the end.
Feel: Moderately high carbonation, clean light body, very dry finish. Exactly what I think a Pils should feel like, whether Czech or German.
Drinkability: Exceedingly refreshing Czech Pils with a much better than expected malt body. Could have used a touch more bitterness for balance, but that is a very minor complaint. Until I retry Pilsner Urquell, this is my favorite Czech Pilsner. Edit: this is definitely better than Pilsner Urquell.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Pilsner glass.
Appearance: Clear light gold with thin white head and tendrils of lacing.
Smell: Very dry and spicy with strong notes of hay, grass and apple.
Taste: Great malt body of apple, pear and only slightly grassy. As expected, it turns more spicy and bitter toward the end.
Feel: Moderately high carbonation, clean light body, very dry finish. Exactly what I think a Pils should feel like, whether Czech or German.
Drinkability: Exceedingly refreshing Czech Pils with a much better than expected malt body. Could have used a touch more bitterness for balance, but that is a very minor complaint. Until I retry Pilsner Urquell, this is my favorite Czech Pilsner. Edit: this is definitely better than Pilsner Urquell.
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Budweiser Budvar from Budějovický Budvar, n.p.
3.61
out of 5
based on 1,417 ratings.
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This is a true Pilsner beer second only to Pilsner Urquell tasted at the brewery. I really enjoy drinking this beer when I can. Too Bad it is not reeally available in America because of the trademark problem. American Budweiser has ruined the reputation of this brewery and its wonderful beer. I am looking forward to the time I can visit Budvar and taste this beer at the brewery. This beer is truely one of the best beers in its class in the world. When in Germany or the Czech Republic be sure to try one of these and you too will be a fan.
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