U Medvídků (formerly ''U Nedwidku'' or ''U černého medvěda'', ') is a historical brewery house located in
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
's
Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...
. The
pub
A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...
and the
brewery
A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of b ...
ranks among the oldest in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
.
History
Archaeologists trace the house's history back at least to the second half of the 13th century, to which time period certain barrel vaults connected to the central pillar can be dated. The house has been documented by written sources since 1404. In 1433, it was bought by Mikuláš sladovník, who acquired the brewing right for
beer
Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...
, and after him the beer was brewed by Jakub Starostka since 1438.
The house was named after later owner Jan Nedwídek, who in 1466 founded a brewery, continuously producing beer until 1898. On the stone portal of the house is preserved the house sign: two black bears, and between them the inscription ''Zde slowe od starodawna u Nedwidku'', with the year 1614, when the house was rebuilt into
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
style.
After 1898, the owners were no longer able to compete with the emerging industrial breweries and therefore closed their small breweries and founded a municipal Brewery in
Holešovice.
At the beginning of the 20th century the first Prague
cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
''Tingl-Tangl'' performed at the house. Since the 1950s, the national enterprise ''RaJ1'' has run the pub. After 1989, the house was returned to its owners, the pub was extended, a new hotel was created, and beer production resumed. The hotel is notable for its preserved
Gothic roof trusses and Renaissance painted ceilings.
Budweiser Budvar is served in the pub, as well as unfiltered beers of local production: 1466 (light lager), Medvídkovské bílé (12°
wheat beer
Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are German and Belgian ; other types include Lambic (made with wild yeast), Berliner Weisse (a c ...
), Oldgott (13° semi-dark lager), Blackgott (14° dark special), Medvídek (15° light special) and X-BEER 33 (claimed the strongest beer in the world). Originals are also the Beer
ice cream and the Pivovice X40 (beer
liqueur
A liqueur ( , ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of Liquor, spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-age ...
).
Sources and external links
Official Website
See also
*
Beer in the Czech Republic
References
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1466 establishments
15th-century establishments in Bohemia