Father Holík Blessed the Traditional Easter Batch of Pilsner Urquell beer

Up to 1300 kilometers, from Plzen to Rome. The world-famous Czech brewery Plzensky Prazdroj, sent a special Easter batch of their beer to the Vatican.

Father Jakub Holík blessed the basic raw materials as well as the golden lager itself. A traditional portion of the Easter batch will travel to the Vatican for the celebrations of Easter.

Pilsner beer was first sent to the Holy See in 1890, upon the request of Pope Leo XIII, who regularly drank the Bohemian light lager upon the advice of his physician, believing it served medicinal purposes.

“Traditionally, the number of bottles sent to the Vatican is the same as the year in which they are sent. Our lager found its way to Rome 117 years ago. In the past, Pope Leo XIII had it shipped there since his doctor recommended it to him as a medicine. It is a great honour for us that our beer is part of such important events as the Easter celebrations in the Vatican and the beatification of two of the most important personalities in world history. I am convinced that our beer will become a firm part of Easter meals at our Czech tables as well,” said senior marketing brewmaster Václav Berka.

The symbolic 202o bottles of the golden lager have been prepared since February 27. “Traditionally, the number of the bottles sent to the Vatican is the same as the year in which they are sent,” added Berka.

In Plzeňský Prazdroj, they still brew beer according to the original recipe of the first malt master Josef Groll. The beer is brewed in copper pans with handmade cleaning chains, fire is used to heat the pans, and batches are mashed three times.

Fermentation and maturing take place separately for as long as it did during the times of the birth of this lager. Thanks to that, Pilsner Urquell has preserved its original taste qualities.