While I was in New York I also got up to the Bohemian Hall, a century-old beer garden in Astoria. There, I tried the lager from the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic, Pivovary Staropramen.
The Staropramen is a clear, golden straw beer with a coppery haze breaking through. The thick and creamy head is bone white and leaves a significant lacing on the glass. Sure the nose has a rich maltiness, but it is sullied by a fairly prominent sulfury corn character.
In the flavor as well the corn overpowers the malt, disturbing the caramel and toast notes. Even more difficult to detect was the herbal and earthy character of the noble Czech hops. While the body was full and creamy, it was just a bit cloying.
This lager shows promise, but it doesn’t measure up.
Staropramen
3.1 (4-6-6-3-12)
Tags: Bohemian, Bohemian Hall, Czech lager, Lager, Pivovary Staropramen, Staropramen