“Our new beer ‘Low Carb Ale’ was created because of the modern fitness era. A lot of people go to exercise and then don’t want to have two “twelves” that have 250 calories per 100 milliliters. Our beer has 22 calories. The idea was – to drink beer and not have any regrets,” said Žaneta Petružálková, brewer of the Zlatá kráva brewery in Nepomuk. It is a highly fermented drink with a minimum of residual sugar, certified by an accredited laboratory. According to Tomáš Sladký, the marketing head of the brewery, the beer culture in the Czech Republic is changing significantly.
“The young generation doesn’t drink. They don’t drink ten beers, but three or four good ones – they taste them. And they watch their lifestyle and calories. So the impetus was actually to bring something interesting to the market. And most importantly, our new product has the full taste of beer,” he said. The alcohol content is 3.2 percent.
According to Michael Král, the brewer of Prague’s Board brewery, people quite buy their eight-stage Lowcarb – session brut IPA, produced for six months. “Especially those who don’t want a load of sugar. The standard beer drinker won’t buy it because it’s weak for them, it’s three percent alcohol,” he said. According to him, this beer is aimed mainly at young people.
“Bars, pivot shops and sports venues order it,” he said. Production costs similar to twelve, but foreign hops are used, Král said. Board puts there American ones, thanks to which the beer has an attractive aroma. At least half of the production already goes in this healthier direction, added the brewer.
The largest Czech brewery Prazdroj has been offering Gambrinus Dry for several years. “Thanks to higher fermentation, we cater to brewers who follow a modern lifestyle and can drink beer containing less sugar in limited quantities within the recommended lifestyle. Nevertheless, thanks to the classic brewing process, it retains the excellent taste characteristics of Pilsen beer,” said spokesperson Zdeněk Kovář. According to him, the brewery sees a slight year-on-year increase in sales, even though the variant belongs to the smallest segment of the portfolio.
Pilsen brewing expert Josef Krýsl, who built 90 microbreweries in the Czech Republic and abroad in 20 years, remembers dia beer, which was sold in the Czech Republic for decades and also had a very low level of non-fermentable sugars. “So nothing new under the sun. Discounted beer for diabetics was initially drunk as a novelty, but consumption gradually declined,” he said.
According to him, maintaining a balance between bitter and sweet taste is essential for low-carb beers, which are less bitter. “If it were to take off, of course other breweries, including the big ones, would quickly catch on. It’s not a big trend yet, but it’s a nice addition to the market,” he added.
date:2026-02-12 17:27:00