Burčák: Czech young wine, when it appears and how to carry it home

For a few weeks every year, Czechia has a drink that vanishes the moment it gets good. It's cloudy, a little fizzy, tastes like grape juice and isn't quite wine. It's called burčák, and from late summer you'll spot signs for it outside shops, at markets and at wine festivals.

It's easy to enjoy and easy to misjudge. Here's what it is, when it shows up and what to know before a bottle goes in your bag.

What it is

Burčák is grape must, the juice of freshly harvested grapes, early in the process of turning into wine. Yeast has started turning sugar into alcohol but hasn't finished, so the drink is sweet, cloudy and fizzy from carbon dioxide, and its alcohol creeps up day by day.

The idea is shared across the region: Sturm in Austria, Federweisser in Germany, burčiak in Slovakia. Czech burčák is most closely tied to Moravia, where most of the country's vineyards lie, but you'll find it in Bohemia too. Our guides to Czech wine regions and Moravian wine for beginners show where it comes from.

When it appears

Burčák is seasonal, sold only during the grape harvest in late summer and autumn. Timing depends on the year and the variety. White comes first, red later. Harvest festivals (vinobraní) are the natural place to try it, usually in September and early October, and Prague has events of its own. Check current city listings rather than an old list. For the wider autumn picture, see our Prague in autumn guide.

How to drink it

Serve it cold, and start with small glasses, because the sweetness hides the alcohol. It goes with savoury snacks: roasted chestnuts at autumn markets, onion cake (cibulák) in wine regions, or bread, lard and pickles in a pub. More ideas in our guide to Czech bar snacks.

A word on the aftermath. Burčák contains active yeast and a lot of sugar, and in quantity it has a laxative effect that Czechs joke about. Drink water between glasses, and don't plan a long journey straight after.

Carrying it home

It keeps fermenting, so the gas has to escape. That's why it comes in bottles with a vented cap or a loose lid, and why the cap with the tiny hole is not a defect.

1. Keep the bottle upright, in a plastic bag in case of leaks.
2. Don't tighten the cap fully. A sealed bottle can build up pressure and burst.
3. Keep it cool, because warmth speeds fermentation.
4. Drink it within a few days. After that it turns into ordinary young wine, or sour.
5. Check airline rules before packing it in luggage; a fermenting drink is a poor travelling companion.

Where to try it in Prague

Prague has vineyards of its own, at Grébovka in Vinohrady, Salabka in Troja and the St Wenceslas vineyard below the Castle, and harvest events in September. The district of Vinohrady takes its name from the vineyards that once covered it; see our Vinohrady neighbourhood guide. Farmers' markets sell burčák in season: Prague's farmers' markets and Náplavka explain how they work. I'm not naming stalls, because sellers and stock change. For the full effect, make a trip to a Moravian wine region in September.

What to expect at a festival

Harvest festivals mix tasting, folk music, food stalls and traditional costume. Burčák stars early, then producers pour young wines. Entry and pricing vary, so read the board at the stall before you order. Bring some cash for small stalls, wear shoes you don't mind muddying, and take a tram or taxi home.

Frequently asked questions

What is burčák?

Partly fermented grape must, sold for a short season during the grape harvest. It is sweet, cloudy and lightly fizzy.

When can I drink it?

In late summer and autumn, usually from late August or September into October. The season varies with the harvest.

Is it alcoholic?

Yes. It starts low in alcohol and gets stronger as fermentation continues, so it can be stronger than it tastes.

Can I keep it?

Only for a few days, cool, with the cap loose. After that it becomes ordinary young wine or turns sour.