United Nations of Beer

Velvet beer

by Richard Havlik
(Beer Delegate, Czech Republic)

Velvet beer
Czech Republic
Visit the UNOB's Czech Beer Guide

Some call Velvet beer the beer for women, other call it just plain "mmm" good. I call it not bad for a dark beer. It's more on the lighter side of dark, but still an enjoyable brew that grows on you.

I have had about five to get a feel for the beverage and have come to the conclusion that this is a half-decent brew. Will I keep buying it? No, but I won't hesitate to order me up a draft the next time I'm at a pub. I'm sure from the tap it's much better brew than the gas in the can variety.

For this review, I wanted to ask some locals for their opinion on this particular beverage. The first source I tapped was my sister-in-law, a young attractive single woman, who enjoyed the occasional brew.

I asked about the beer and she said it wasn’t bad and that she wasn’t much of a dark beer drinker. She seemed more fascinated with the plastic bob in the middle than what the beer tasted like.

She did add that there is saying here in the Czech Republic that dark beer enhances your breast size. On hearing this, I rose to the occasion as any gentleman would and went directly for the fridge. I made for a different beer as I didn't need my breasts to get any bigger than they already were.

There is something to beer that has a plastic ball floating in the middle. A wonderful invention and makes my addiction to carbonation that much more fun. Carefully pour a little champagne over a spoon and voila, you have a layered beer aptly named Black Velvet. But that is another review, another story and often associated with another beer.

Overall Velvet beer isn't bad. Most here go for the pilsner style beer, as Velvet beer is the kind of brew you don't want to drink when you are dying of thirst. That said, it works well to calm the cravings like an appetizer does, rather than a full course meal that Guinness can be.

It is a little on the pricey side, as my wife attested to when she reviewed the grocery receipt. I had to chuckle before I agreed with her: $1.50 CAD is pretty steep when it comes to beer here, but hey, sometimes you just gotta let loose and have some fun.

I just have to find a pub where they serve it on draught and if I remember correctly it might be on tap at the very pub around the corner...