Tmavé

With thanks to Greg Browne, head brewer at Art History in suburban Chicago, here is a recipe for their Czech-style dark lager, inspired by the beer at the famous U Fleků brewpub in Prague.

With thanks to brewer Jenny Pfäfflin and the team at Chicago’s Dovetail, here’s a homebrew-scale recipe for the tmavé pivo that they like to call their “Pilsner in a sweater.”

“What’s important is that the beer is not overly sweet,” says Štěpán Kříž at Pivovar Hostomice in Czechia. “That’s the most important thing that we’re trying to do. The fullness of the dark malts has to be balanced with hops.”

Beautiful in the mug, rich on the palate, yet—when properly brewed—so easy to drink in quantity, Czech dark lager is a niche even in its home country. Writing from Prague, Evan Rail talks to the pros to understand the elements and methods that go into a great one.

¡Viva la cerveza checa! A splash of Czech-style dark lager adds malty Maillard depth to the mashed black beans in this flavorful tostada preparation.