A new collaboration from London brewers Bohem Brewery and Old Street Brewery celebrates one of the Czech Republic’s most famous and best-loved athletes, long-distance runner Emil Zátopek.
Emil is a 4% ABV American lager. The name honours Zátopek, who won three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, broke numerous running records, and was nicknamed the Czech Locomotive.
Old Street Brewery owner Adam Green is a keen runner, and felt the collaboration with London’s only authentic brewer of Czech-style lagers was the perfect opportunity to celebrate one of his heroes.
Emil is described by beer writer and Bohem shareholder Glynn Davis as having “hints of citrus fruits on the nose, with an initial woody character from the US hops that develops into a piney citrus finish. Emil is packing a big flavour, with a chunky body for its very modest ABV of 4%.”
The collaboration brewing day saw Bohem brewers Matej Krizek and Jan Svatek joined at their Tottenham brewhouse by Josh Billington of Oold Street. Working on Bohem’s specialist decoction brewing kit, imported from the Czech Republic, they brewed a sessionable lager that will appeal to both mainstream drinkers and beer aficionados.
Matej said: “Emil is the light, easy-drinking lager that we wanted, but the decoction brewing method means it also has a real depth and complexity of flavour. Emil Zátopek is one of our national heroes, and we like to think he’d have awarded a gold medal to the lager named in his honour.”
Like all Bohem Brewery beers, Emil has been traditionally lagered at low temperature for a minimum of five weeks. Available in kegs, it will be on the bar at the Bohem Brewery taproom in Bowes Park, and the Old Street Brewery taproom in Hackney Wick, during December and January, as well as at other selected venues.
