Episode 297: Pivovar Proud Brewmaster Lenka Straková Has a Place to Play in Plzeň

Tucked into a corner of the sprawling grounds at Pilsner Urquell in Plzeň, Czechia—the birthplace of pilsner—a new chapter in that story is developing. Now in its third year, Pivovar Proud is Pilsner Urquell’s experimental playground—a beautifully equipped 30-hectoliter kit producing a range of both ales and lagers and other creations less easily categorized. Its head brewmaster Lenka Straková has access to Pilsner Urquell’s resources—including malt from its own maltings—but she also has creative license to dabble in New World hops, various yeasts, barrel-aging, and more. In this episode, Straková tells us more about what she and her team are up to at Proud, including: how Pilsner Urquell’s owner, Asahi, agreed to go along with a substantial experimental brewery focused on craft beer how Proud’s own flagship pale lager, Ventill, is based on Pilsner Urquell and yet markedly its own beer her approach to diacetyl reduction in Czech lager brewing with 34/70 yeast—the same used at Gambrinus—and her trials with various new Czech hop varieties combined with traditional lager-brewing methods brewing ales and craft styles for a Czech audience, with their own spin adjusting Plzeň’s famously soft water happy accidents and barrel-aged imperial brut IPAs And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project. BSG Craft Brewing CanCraft ( https://BSGCraftbrewing.com ) : With overtones of honey and sweet bread, flavor and aroma notes of hay and nutty character. Rahr North Star Pils™ is a base malt you can set your compass by! Set a course for BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn how Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) : If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer Accubrew ( https://accubrew.io ) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America! ProBrew ( https://www.probrew.com ) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email contactus@probrew.com . Ss Brewtech ( https://www.ssbrewtech.com ) : Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com . PakTech ( http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry ) : 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) : The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast