Republika Pilsner: possibly the best lager in Britain?

The idea of a Czech-style lager made by a very traditional-sounding British brewery may sound bizarre but this is one of the best lagers - if not the best - I’ve tasted in the UK.

It’s a collaboration between Windsor & Eton brewery and Tomas Mikulica, Head Brewer at Pivovarsky Dvur which is just outside Prague. They used Saaz hops and Czech yeast which Mikulica brought over with him and the resulting brew was lagered for six weeks. It’s quite simply delicious - really fresh and full-flavoured. I was sorry I was tasting and couldn’t have a full glass.

You can buy it from the brewery website for £29 for 12 x 330ml bottles, from beermerchants.com (who seem to have run out of stock currently) and from the brewery shop in Windsor. Oh, and it's 4.8% if you're wondering.

As a footnote Windsor & Eton has also brewed a Brazilian blonde beer flavoured with guava called Maracana for the world cup in collaboration with a new Brazilian brewery Container who are brewing the same beer in Blumenau (rather hilariously called Wembley). Given both England and Brazil’s ignominious exit from the World Cup I imagine they may well still have stock. It too is available online and in pubs in the Windsor area. If you're a local have one tonight for Brazil!