Mini-breweries in the center of Prague were temporarily closed due to a pandemic
There are a total of 52 mini-breweries in Prague. “At the time of the covid, three of them closed and another five, especially in the center, are asleep and waiting to wake up,” said Jan Šuráň, president of the Czech-Moravian Association of Mini-Breweries. There are currently 483 microbreweries in the whole Czech Republic. There are 20 to 30 of them every year. Last year, a total of five of them closed, another 20 of them reduced their activities and are waiting for better times. Even in this situation, however, their numbers are growing, mostly projects that have already been launched. In 2020, 29 more were added, and this year six breweries.
Which beer production in large breweries has fallen by only 6 to 7 percent in the last year, mini-breweries have fallen by 30 percent. According to Šurán, they are more dependent on the operation of restaurants. The days before the government restricted the operation of restaurants can still be imagined. This year, mini-breweries are still holding at a 10 percent drop compared to 2019.
“The state has completely failed here and direct support for state-limited business has not taken place at all. In addition, he gave up the possibility of using EET as a tool for mapping the market and the size of the decline in the gastro segment, to which mini-breweries are directly linked, “explained Šuráň. “We are a young industry that rides on loans and credits. In the season when we earn the most, the closed restaurant is almost liquidating. We survived only thanks to the strength of people in the field of business, “said Michal Voldřich from Pivovarský dvor Zvíkov.
One of the highlights of the beer sales season is, for example, the pre-Christmas period. The Save the Beer event, which managed to save a golden liquid for a quarter of a billion, also helped to bridge the difficult period.
We’re still here, the brewers are calling
This year, on September 24 and 25, the Association of Mini-Breweries is organizing the 9th annual Festival of Mini-Breweries at Prague Castle, and will take place in the outdoor services of the Royal Garden of Prague Castle and on Střelecká cesta under the Royal Summer Palace. This year, 50 breweries will present themselves, the number of visitors is limited to 850 per day. “We decided to organize the festival so that we would have to stay here and covid didn’t break us,” said Šuráň.
Each of the breweries will choose its two best beers, so over 100 types of beer of 33 different styles from all over the country will be prepared for tasting. Beer lovers can look forward to, for example, the popular top-fermented Ale, IPA, NEIPA, sour beer, beers matured in barrels after other alcohols (barrel of age) and, of course, also classic lagers.
Poll: Why should people drink beer from microbreweries?
Aleš Potěšil, Břevnov Monastery Brewery of St. Adalbert
Diversity plays a crucial role in the mini-brewery segment. Mini-breweries usually offer several types of beer, different in taste and style. They are able to reach a wider range of customers, sometimes even non-breweries. There is also a story behind many beers from microbreweries. People know the brewer personally, they see him at work. They can personally visit all production facilities. These are the points that add to the attractiveness. So if people are looking for new tasting experiences, a visit to a microbrewery is a good choice for them. Not to mention when the beers are properly combined with quality gastronomy. However, today every mini-brewery already offers permanent beers, which have found their regular consumers and regulars.
Michal Částka, Ladronka brewery
He has a hard time answering that. I would rather say: And why not?
Vladimír Jančo, Restaurant and Hotel U Medvídků
I would probably formulate your question a little differently. Why should they? It sounds a little directive, weird. No one forces them to drink quality live, unpasteurized beer. The mere fact that our brewery shows how beer used to be brewed (stock cooling, open oak fermentation vats, etc.) is for most customers something to see and then taste. There is probably no need for an extensive, detailed study, elaboration on why beer from smaller breweries, including our little one U Medvídků, is looking for more and more customers. Maybe it will be because they like it and know what is offered to them.
Maybe it’s the environment, the approach of the service staff, the brewer who brews beer? Well, in short, you can’t just answer a question with a sentence. Just one beer that we sell, we hide a lot of effort, time, work and expectations of how satisfied the customer will be, and because our customers like it, we will continue to try even in this not exactly ideal period.