The brewery in Vysoky Chlumec was established in 1466 and was purchased by the Lobkowicz family in 1474. The production was interrupted in 1939 when the brewery was confiscated by German armed forces and the Lobkowicz family was forced to exile to Great Britain. After World War II they returned in 1948 to Czechoslovakia only to vitness the communists take over their private properties and the brewery. In 1992 the brewery was returned to the Lobkowicz family and American born William Lobkowicz took over management of the family’s assets in the Czech Republic.

I bought these beers at a small beer basement shop in Tartu, Estonia. Two 500 ml bottles with a strength of 4,7% for 1,75 Euro each.

The idea is to drink them as it is done in the Czech Republic. The dark and light lager beers are mixed 50/50 or with less of the dark if you do not want it to dominate the light.

Colour is dark, a dark red with the beautiful nuances of chestnut.

The head is thin and very fine.

A weak aroma that does not make much notice of itself.

First tasting reveals a flat CO2 along with a light bitterness from the light beer but after taste is dominated by caramel from the dark beer. When mixed 50/50 the dark beer dominates and a little too much for my taste.

I would like to try it again, but with 75/25 light/dark.

Overall rating is 73 / 100