Tesco
Czech Republic, 4.7% ABV
 
Boheme is an own-brand lager from Tesco, and can be cheaper to buy than a bottle of own-brand water. This, you’d think could be a warning sign, but don’t be put off – it tastes pretty darn good when compared to the usual bland, fizzy mixes available from UK supermarkets. Most likely this is because it is brewed in the Czech city of České Budĕjovice by Budějovický Mestansky Pivovar (BMP), who produced the original Budweiser in 1802. The brewery tell us in their marketing spiel that it is brewed with the same recipe, ingredients and methods originally used in the 1800s – although I have an inkling that it’s been watered down a bit. The legal battle over the use of the Budweiser trademark is a 100-year-old hot potato that is covered in more depth in the following Anheuser-Busch Budweiser and Budějovický Budweiser Budvar reviews. Although BMP could confidently argue that they have the right to use the ‘Budweiser’ name, Tesco have sensibly sidestepped the issue and labelled Boheme as a ‘Pilsen’. It’s a nice light apricot colour, with a medium body and is quite bitter but sweet on the palate, the taste is not very complex and leaves you with a somewhat doughy, malty aftertaste but it is refreshing enough. There is a lot of bubbling going on, but it doesn’t drink ‘fizzy’. It will pass the taste test if you’re managing on a budget and need to entertain friends who enjoy a decent beer. HC