Budvar vs Budweiser: the beer war over one small Czech town

Mention Budweiser to a Czech and you may get a long look and a short lecture. The name is not an American invention. "Budweiser" means "from Budweis", the German name of České Budějovice, a brewing town in south Bohemia, and it crossed the Atlantic well over a century ago. What followed is one of the longest-running trademark fights in the beer world.

Two breweries, two histories

Beer from České Budějovice was known as "Budweiser" long before either modern company existed. The Czech brewery, Budějovický Budvar, was founded in 1895 and is owned by the Czech state. Budvar is a contraction of Budějovický pivovar, "Budweis brewery". State ownership is unusual among big brewers, and it is part of why Czechs feel protective of it.

In the United States, Adolphus Busch, a German-born businessman in St Louis, launched a beer called Budweiser in 1876. He named it after the Bohemian town to suggest a lager in the continental tradition. That company is now part of a Belgium-based global brewing group.

The dispute

Both sides claimed the name, and the argument has run for more than a hundred years. An agreement early in the twentieth century roughly divided markets, and later cases have been fought country by country with different results.

So it is a patchwork. In some countries both beers can legally carry "Budweiser". In others one side holds exclusive rights and the other sells under a different name. In North America the Czech beer is sold as Czechvar. Inside the European Union, "Budějovické pivo" is a protected geographical indication for beer from the České Budějovice area. For the legal detail in any single market, the national or EU intellectual property office is the authority, not a drinks article.

Why Czechs care so much

Part of the heat comes from simple local pride. Budvar sits in a town whose name was borrowed, abroad, for a beer that tastes nothing like its own. Czechs will tell you that a lager from České Budějovice deserves the name more than a mass-market beer brewed on another continent. Americans, for their part, point out that their Budweiser has carried the name for 150 years and sells in vast quantities.

Both positions are easy to understand, and that is why the dispute has outlasted so many lawyers. There is no villain, only two companies that grew up with the same word on the label. Budvar's state ownership adds a twist, because it means one side of the dispute has a national government in its corner.

A quick guide to ordering

You do not need the legal history to order well. In a pub, look at the tap. If it says Budvar, order it by saying Budvar, prosím. If you want the lighter, more everyday option, ask for a 10°. If you want something fuller, ask for the 12°, which many Czechs treat as the proper pub pour. A dark Budvar exists too, and is worth trying if the bar has it.

In a shop, read the label. The Czech beer says Budějovický Budvar and names the town. The American one carries a different brand and a different logo, so the two are hard to confuse once you look.

What is different in the glass

Budvar is a Czech pale lager made with barley malt, Saaz hops and a long cold maturation, in the same family as the 10° to 12° beers in our pilsner explainer. American Budweiser uses rice as well as barley malt, which makes it lighter in body and flavour.

Neither is better in the abstract. They are made for different drinkers. If you want to taste the difference, drink them side by side, though you will rarely find the American one on tap in a Czech pub.

Where you will meet Budvar in Prague

A Czech pub usually has one main draught beer, and the tap handle or the sign outside tells you which. Plenty of Prague pubs pour Budvar. A half-litre is the default order, and if you just ask for a lager you get whatever the house pours.

In a supermarket, look for Budějovický Budvar on the label if you want the Czech beer. Say "Budvar, prosím" at the bar and you will be understood at once. Order a "Budweiser" and you may be asked, politely, which one you mean.

What the town is like

České Budějovice is a handsome, flat, compact city that works as a base for south Bohemia. Its main square, Přemysl Otakar II Square, is among the largest squares in Czechia, and the arcades around it hold cafes, shops and pubs. A black tower, the Black Tower, rises beside St Nicholas's Cathedral and gives a view over the roofs. Everything central is walkable.

The town has another brewing history worth knowing. Beer was brewed here for centuries, and more than one brewery operates in the city today. Budvar is the one with the global name fight, but a pub crawl across town will show you that the local lager tradition is deeper than any single label.

A trip to the source

České Budějovice is a pleasant small city with a big arcaded main square, and trains run direct from Prague. The brewery offers visits. Give it a full day, not an hour, and check the brewery's own site for current tour times, because we cannot promise them here.

Frequently asked questions

Is Budvar the same as Budweiser?

No. They are two unrelated beers that share a place-name. Budvar is brewed in České Budějovice by a Czech state-owned brewery; Budweiser is brewed by a Belgium-based global group.

Why is Budvar called Czechvar in America?

Because of the trademark dispute. In North America the Budweiser name is held by the American brand, so the Czech beer is sold under a different name.

What does Budvar mean?

It is short for Budějovický pivovar, the Budweis brewery.

Can I visit the Budvar brewery from Prague?

Yes, České Budějovice is reachable by direct train. Check Czech Railways for times and the brewery's own site for tours.

Next time you are in a Prague pub and fancy a Budweiser, say "Budvar, please". You will be understood, and probably approved of.