Slunce ve Skle Beer Festival

Slunce ve Skle (“Sun in a Glass”) is an annual beer festival held in the Czech city of Plzeň in the second half of September, usually during the third weekend of the month. It is focused on showcasing microbreweries from the Czech Republic and abroad.

Plzeň, also referred in English by its German name Pilsen, has a long history of brewing that can be traced back to the early 14th century, when the city was granted beer rights. Plzeň is known as the birthplace of pilsner, a type of pale lager made with Saaz noble hops grown in the nearby town of Žatec, and as the home to the Czech Republic’s largest producer and exporter of beer, Pilsner Urquell Breqery (Plzeňský Prazdroj).

Given the city’s history of brewing, it is not surprising that Plzeň hosts an annual beer festival. The Slunce ve Skle beer festival was founded in 2008 by the local brewery Pivovar Purkmistr that has been its main organizer ever since. Since its inception, the festival has grown to be widely regarded as the largest event for microbreweries in Europe. It takes place in the courtyard of the Purkmistr brewery.

Slunce ve Skle is primarily a showcase of Czech microbreweries, most of which are restaurant breweries, whose focus is more on quality and artistry of beer brewing rather than quantity. This means that the festival is a perfect place to sample beers produced in limited quantities and sold only in the breweries’ restaurants. It offers a rare opportunity to taste beers from all over the Czech Republic without having to travel the country to do so.

Every year at least 100 beers from Czech microbreweries and several foreign beers are presented at the festival. Over the years, Slunce ve Skle has welcomed breweries from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia, the United States, and even Vietnam. Visitors can sample beers in 100 ml glasses or enjoy a full pint. At the end of the festival, a panel of judges chooses and awards the best beers.

Slunce ve Skle is extremely popular among Czech microbreweries not just because it gives them an opportunity to showcase their beers to a wide audience, but also because it allows them to exchange ideas, experiences and original brewing technologies, thus creating new trends in the brewing industry.

In addition to showcasing breweries, the program of the festival includes live musical performances and other entertainment. And of course there is plenty of food to go with beer such as grilled meat and sausages, burgers, and more. If you want to experience the best of Czech brewing, gastronomy, and entertainment, Slunce ve Skle is the place to go!