At Prague’s traditional restaurant U Pinkasů, the legendary beer race ‘Pinkasova noční můra’ was held for the 15th time. The competition is an unusual mix of sport, precision, and beer-pouring skill – here, not only speed matters, but also the quality of the served Pilsner.
Thirty participants from ten countries – including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Norway, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Romania, and Italy – competed in the preliminary round. In head-to-head duels, they had to navigate a course in front of the pub with six freshly tapped beers. Those who reached the finish fast enough while presenting a clean foam crown were allowed into the final.
In the second part, the real challenge awaited: tapping ten beers in the cellar, carrying them up 41 steps to the ground floor, and finally on to the first floor, where a professional jury inspected each glass – from the fill level to the consistency of the foam.
The victory went to the Pole Jacek Maliszewski from “Restauracja Česka” in Warsaw with a time of 1:33.62 minutes. In second place was Daniel Slanec from the host U Pinkasů (1:45.09), and third place went to Daniel Hrdý from Restaurace U Bansethů (1:46.29).
The main prize: a voucher with a symbolic value of 1,842 crowns – a reference to the year in which the first batch of Pilsner Urquell was brewed – as well as a 50-litre keg of the cult beer. Additionally, the name of the new champion is traditionally immortalised on a leather apron, which carries the names of all previous winners.
The history of the restaurant U Pinkasů dates back to 1843, when Jakub Pinkas revolutionised the way beer was served. He introduced the tapping of Pilsner beer in the cellar of his pub, ensuring that his guests always received fresh and cold beer.
