ŽŽŽatec - ŽŽatecký Pivovar

RickS95

Indiana

3.05/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Not really a great looking beer, but that kinda goes with the style. Slightly dark, not straw-colored like I expected, more of a standard pale ale color. Pale orange, like the skin of a nectarine. There's a foamy head for a while, but it doesn't have a lot of retention, though it leaves a thin ring up top.

I've not cared for the pilsner style, but after having a Czechvar, it's growing on me. This is one of the first characteristics that distinguishes the Czechs from the Americans in the pilsner game. This has a grainy smell, but has nice compliments of floral and citrus.

The different tastes are subtle and may not stand up to any food you might be eating. Pilsner malts dominate and while the hops carry over from the smell, the floral and citric notes are very muted.

Very loose, watered down feel. Little body. Slightly acidic, faintly bitter finish.

Nothing to write home about. More or less a session beer as far as I'm concerned. Better than American macros, but only by a bit. Not bad, merely average.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 02:45:24 | More by RickS95

prisoner1572

Illinois

5/5  rDev +39.7%

04-25-2013 20:18:31 | More by prisoner1572

magpieken

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

04-11-2013 18:19:49 | More by magpieken

BGsWo22

New York

2/5  rDev -44.1%

03-21-2013 00:18:43 | More by BGsWo22

delalove

Montana

4.5/5  rDev +25.7%

02-20-2013 05:51:09 | More by delalove

elchingen

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

02-08-2013 02:25:29 | More by elchingen

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.26/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured this Czech style Pilsener from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. This Pilsener poured a clear golden color, produced an average white head and featured below average retention and left very little lacing on the glass. The aroma consisted off fresh baked bread, and grassy hops. Medium in body, this Pilsener had a base of malted husky malted grain, touch of lemon citrus, white pepper and bitter hops. Decent example of a Czech Pilsener, I believe this to be pretty authentic. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 00:07:27 | More by GossageBrewery

DerwinWentworth

Utah

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

01-03-2013 02:48:12 | More by DerwinWentworth

GhostPants

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

01-02-2013 20:30:36 | More by GhostPants

OregonGrown7

Nebraska

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

11-20-2012 17:43:41 | More by OregonGrown7

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a golden straw color with a small white fizzy head and no lace.

S- some floral hop, clean grass, and sweet malt

T- clean malt with some yeast strain, floral hops and just a bit of lemongrass

M- light-med body, low-med carbonation, foamy mouthfeel, a bit of yeasty chalkiness in the finish

O- this one is clean and drinkable, nothing special but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 02:10:47 | More by Treyliff

GMB

Japan

3.65/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Zatec Bright Lager pours a bright golden amber with a small fizzy head that disappears as quickly as it appears. Scores of surprisingly large bubbles cling to the sides of the glass before racing towards the top. Within the brew are visible a few streams of finer bubbles, which seem to rise more gradually. Festive.

Very appetizing roasted malt dominates the nose. Hop presence is surprisingly minimal. Yeast aromas are present, as is a slightly tinny smell.

Right away I can tell that I am going to feel conflicted about the taste of this beer. The sweet roasted malt is overpowering. Shouldn't Czech Pilsners be crisp and clean? This one isn't. But the yeast strain has produced a buttery flavor that is one of the best I've tasted in recent years, and although the hops are overpowered, there is something delicious about this beer. The hops begin to show their bitterness about half way through. Their aroma, however, remains just out of my palate's reach.

The mouthfeel is nice. It is a bit more viscous than I expect from a Pilsner, but the viscosity does complement the malty character nicely.

Zatec comes up short when compared with other commercially available Czech Pilsners. But it is a delicious beer that I have bought before and will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:25:51 | More by GMB

Jsteez

New Mexico

3.79/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a stange glass.

A-Golden yellow, bubbly head that dissipated into a thin, white surface. Decent lacing on the glass. Looked like a pilsner lager!

S-Grains, wheat, malt, and a little caramel. There was not a lot going on in the smell.

T-Unlike the smell, the taste had more to it. I could taste sweet caramel malt, czech hops, a crisp finish with an aftertaste of cloves, spice, and salt and pepper. Very refreshing.

M-Light feeling with carbonation on the moderate/high side. Not sticky, just right for this style.

Overall-Great sessionable beer for anytime. Great with any type of food. The Czech's know what they are doing.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 16:43:02 | More by Jsteez

Mike925

4/5  rDev +11.7%

08-10-2012 18:03:02 | More by Mike925

mattparsons

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

08-05-2012 02:55:26 | More by mattparsons

bigred89

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%

07-03-2012 09:14:55 | More by bigred89

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

one of the classic czech pilseners. pours clear pale golden color with a one inch white head that is gone instantly. smells meadowy, floral and grassy, malt driven but balanced. flavor really features the czech malts, they are light and grainy, very pleasant in all seasons. some mild hops on the finish, which is very crisp and dry as can be. mouthfeel is good for what it is, obviously very light on the body, but still with plenty of flavor, excellent carbonation. overall this is a nicely balanced and very drinkable pils, exemplary of the czech style, and usually widely available at a reasonable price.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 15:53:43 | More by StonedTrippin

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.3/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a fluted pilsener glass. The beer is a really pure golden color. A fizzy white head sits on top and dissipates to a nice even thin layer. Foamy, light lacing coats the glass. The smell is bright and clean, somewhat malty with a grassy touch. The beer tastes very clean and refreshing. There is a good balance here between malt and hops, the maltiness coming first, followed by a clean, slightly drier hop finish. The mouthfeel is medium-light with some carbonation.

Overall, this is what a beer should taste like. This is clean, refreshing, and to borrow a phrase from Amstel Light, "it tastes like beer." I wish this was available in 12 packs where i am, because I could session this every summer weekend. Highly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 15:57:32 | More by JuicesFlowing

Hallce2

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +4.7%

05-20-2012 16:54:03 | More by Hallce2

beaulabauve

Louisiana

4/5  rDev +11.7%

04-30-2012 01:43:58 | More by beaulabauve

thisladyluck

Iowa

2.5/5  rDev -30.2%

04-18-2012 01:17:30 | More by thisladyluck

steveh

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I tried this brew a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find it since -- till now. Let's hope it's the same as I remember.

$3.30 500 ml brown bottle.

A -- Hmm, gusher on opening, never a great sign. Hazy god to dark straw color with a pretty thin white cap (maybe the majority of carbonation went on the floor and into the sink). A vigorous pour of the last few ounces in the bottle yields a denser head, yet it still settles quickly

S -- Light, but rich bready malts with a mild spicy hoppiness back. Even a touch of resins and fusel.

T -- Light bready malts that blend into a mellow citrus, spicy hop blend. Dry, bitter finish and aftertaste, light bready sweetness and some of that light citrus character in the aftertaste too.

M -- Mouthfeel is soft to nearly syrupy with a high-medium body.

O -- Overall, I think this is an old bottle. I certainly didn't have a gusher on the first one I tried a few years ago (I would have never been looking for it again) and the resiny hop character is not very smooth. No freshness dating to be found on the labels.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 21:06:52 | More by steveh

aztraz

Sweden

2.5/5  rDev -30.2%

04-05-2012 15:03:51 | More by aztraz

Drinking_Milkshakes

4.5/5  rDev +25.7%

03-25-2012 05:01:44 | More by Drinking_Milkshakes

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked this bottle up yesterday towards reviewing all 104 styles. My buddy (Naugros on this site) recommended Zatec as one of the better styles.

When I opened the bottle, I got a ton of Saaz hop smell from the top. I poured it into a pint glass and got a pretty decent amount of light foam from the top. The beer is a bright golden with lots of tiny bubbles coming up.

The saaz hopping continues off the top and in each sip. There is a lot of flavor in this. Also, I get a little bit of sweetness on my pallatte.

I don't normally drink czech pilsners. This seems like a really good example of one. This is a far better option than Pilsner Urquel.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 00:58:35 | More by ummswimmin