Prague Craft Beer Guide — Beyond Pilsner and into the Microbrewery Scene

The Czech Republic invented Pilsner, drinks more beer per capita than any other nation, and has a brewing tradition stretching back to the 11th century. That is the headline. The less-told story is what happened over the past fifteen years, when a generation of Czech brewers decided that centuries of lager tradition were not enough — and started making IPAs, stouts, sours, and barrel-aged experiments that rival anything coming out of Brussels, Portland, or Berlin.

Prague's craft beer revolution did not replace Czech beer culture. It grew out of it. The microbrewers here learned on lager before they touched an IPA recipe. That foundation shows. Czech craft beer has a technical precision and drinkability that sets it apart from the sometimes-chaotic craft scenes elsewhere. A Prague IPA tends to be balanced, not a hop bomb. A Czech stout draws on the same maltiness that makes dark lagers so good here.

We have taken guests to these places for years. If you have already read our Czech beer guide covering the traditional beer scene — tank Pilsner, classic pubs, brewery history — this article picks up where that one stops. This is about the new wave: the microbreweries, the craft-focused bars, and the places where Czech brewing is moving forward.

The Craft Beer Revolution — How It Started

The Czech craft beer movement began around 2010-2012, roughly a decade after the American craft wave but with distinctly Czech characteristics. Brewers like Matuška, Clock, and Falkon started small — sometimes literally in garages — and built followings through beer festivals and a handful of forward-thinking pubs.

The turning point came when traditional Czech pub-goers started drinking these beers alongside their Pilsner. Unlike some countries where craft beer created a separate subculture, in Prague the two worlds overlap. You will find Matuška California Lager on tap next to Pilsner Urquell at a growing number of pubs. The regulars drink both.

Today Prague has over 30 microbreweries within city limits and more than 50 bars and pubs with rotating craft taps. The concentration is remarkable for a city of 1.3 million.

Top Microbreweries and Brewpubs

Dva Medvědi (Two Bears Brewery)

Soukenická 8, Prague 1 (New Town)

Dva Medvědi operates a brewpub in the heart of Prague, visible through glass walls as you drink. The head brewer trained in Belgium and Germany before returning to Prague, and it shows in the range: clean Czech lagers sit alongside Belgian-style witbiers, hoppy American pale ales, and seasonal specials that change monthly.

The food menu is built around the beer — cheese plates matched to specific brews, slow-braised pork shoulder with a dark lager glaze, beer-battered fish. The space is modern, with exposed brick and copper brewing vessels as the centrepiece.

Insider detail: Ask for the "brewer's experiment" — an unlisted small-batch beer that changes every two weeks. It is brewed in quantities of 200 liters or less and never appears on the main menu. The staff will only mention it if you ask. Some of the best beers we have tasted in Prague came from this program.