Drink
Even the most simple bufet in the Czech Lands almost invariably has draught beer ( pivo ). The pivnice (which close around 10 or 11pm) is still a predominantly male affair, with heavy drinking; wine bars and restaurants ( vinarna ) are generally far more upmarket and cocktail bars have now opened up in most main towns. The Czech Republic tops the world league table of beer consumption, even beating the Germans - hardly surprising since its beer ranks among the best in the world. The most natural starting point for any beer tour is the Bohemian city of Plzen (Pilsen), whose local lager is the original Pils. The other big brewing town is Ceske Budejovice (Budweis), home to Budvar, a mild beer by Bohemian standards but still leagues ahead of the American Budweiser. The burgeoning in-house breweries offer some great brews, as do the hundreds of small breweries dotted around the country. The republic also produces a modest selection of medium-quality wines ; the largest wine-producing region is southern Moravia. The home-production of firewater is a national pastime, resulting in some almost terminally strong concoctions, most famously a plum brandy called Slivovice. The most well-known Czech spirit is Becherovka, a medicinal herbal tipple from Karlovy Vary, known as a beton when ordered with ice and tonic.
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