Five interesting things you didn’t know about Pilsner Urquell Brewery
The spectacular celebrations for the 181th anniversary of the first batch ever made of the world-famous Pilsner Urquell beer took place in October right on the grounds of the brewery, which just so happens to be one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Czech Republic. You can embark on any of the tour routes here throughout the year. You may already be well familiar with the delicious taste of this golden lager, but are you just as familiar with the actual brewery itself?
#1 Brewery horses and the U Salzmannů restaurant
The foreman’s wagons have carried Pilsen beer since the beginning, which proved to be a wise business decision. The foreman Matěj Salzmann actually earned so much from transporting beer from the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Pilsen to Prague that he even opened his own pub in Pilsen. Now, that pub is called U Salzmannů, and it’s still in operation today. And because the Pilsner Urquell Brewery honours tradition and cares for its history, brewery horses are still used today to carry barrels of beer around Pilsen’s historical city centre both in winter and in summer.
#2 The Proud brewery in the former power station
Just as the Pilsner Urquell Brewery cares for traditions, it doesn’t shy away from innovation. And that explains why an experimental brewery with the symbolic name Proud was opened in the former power station on the grounds of the brewery, not far from the confluence of the Mže and Radbuza Rivers. You can get your hands on the craft beer under the brand Elektrárna in a number of pubs around the city (map), order it on the e-shop, or straight from the brewery. You can even go on a tour of the former power generators, which are led by one of the Proud brewery team members. And at the end of your tour, you’ll be greeted by a rich degustation of the local beer portfolio from the fermenting lager tanks.