For five years, Budějovický Budvar has been brewing limited-edition speciality beers in collaboration with Czech microbreweries. The partnership not only produces imaginative brews – it also showcases the vibrancy and diversity of Czech beer culture.
What began as an experiment five years ago has long since become a fixture in the Czech beer scene: Budějovický Budvar is now celebrating half a decade of collaboration with microbreweries from across the country. Their shared aim: to bring the rich variety of the beer world to life in small, special batches – beyond the mainstream, and with a passion for the craft of brewing.
‘Two breweries, one beer’ – the recipe for success in a nutshell. Around 20 exclusive beer specialities have emerged from the partnership so far. The latest is aptly named Double Trouble – a summer special brewed in cooperation with the South Bohemian microbrewery Obora.
“This is already our second collaboration with Obora – four years ago we brewed their bitter together,” explains Budvar brewer Petr Košin. According to Košin, Double Trouble was brewed in České Budějovice at the Budvar brewery, with a batch size of around 1,000 hectolitres. Smaller special editions, to be released later in the year, are brewed directly at the respective partner breweries.
The summer edition Double Trouble now joins an established series. Since 2021, Budvar has regularly launched limited-edition summer brews – including Opičí Ejl with Nachmelená opice, Kraťas with Volt, Summer Affair with Clock, and most recently Na Pool with Dva kohouti.
Alongside these collaborations, smaller but no less exciting brews are also produced from time to time. Previous partners include Antoš, Lucky Bastard, Cobolis, Zlatá kráva, Permon, and Sibeeria.
Each collaboration represents not only a distinct beer style but also a personal story. It’s an exchange between large and small brewers – a sharing of technology, expertise, enthusiasm, and a spirit of innovation. What makes most of these partnerships special is that they’re built on genuine friendships – and that’s something you can taste.
The fact that these beers regularly sell out in no time speaks for itself. Interest in authentic, craft-brewed beer remains undiminished – and Budějovický Budvar continues to demonstrate just how fruitful the combination of tradition and innovation can be.
