The Czech Republic, which boasts a population of 10 million, is a famously beer-loving nation. Nobody in the world drinks as much beer as the Czechs do — for decades, they have nabbed the top spot for most per capita beer consumption lists, only occasionally ranking second. Traditionally, the pub has formed the heart of a Czech community, being a place for people to meet, play cards, and discuss life, politics and literature. Beer, pubs and lively conversation have also been depicted in the works of the Czech writers Jaroslav Hasek, Bohumil Hrabal and Jaroslav Rudis.
For centuries, beer has played a role in what is now known as the Czech Republic. Even during times of economic decline when the country, then known as Czechoslovakia, was under communist rule, Czech beer, particularly Pilsner, continued to be exported to large parts of the world. Today, several cases of Pilsner Urquell that have been blessed are sent to the Vatican each Easter. Whether any of the popes actually drink the beer is uncertain.
Pilsner's competitor Budvar, which is based in the city of Ceske Budejovice and is best known for the original Budweiser, is one of the few companies in the country that withstood the pressure to privatize after the fall of communism and remains state-owned to this day.
