In the spring of 2018, we were invited by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling as the keynote presenter on Innovation, held at Plzeňský Prazdroj in Pilsen. Following this visit, and a fruitless attempt to acquire the coveted Nefiltrovaný for our Farmhouse Festival, Lenka Straková, one of the brewmasters at Prazdroj, inquired about our interest in making a collaboration beer with the Urquell team—an unexpected invitation we were glad to accept.

The brew had been intended for May 2020, to coincide with our anniversary celebrations; hop selections were personally made in the Yakima Valley in anticipation of a summer 2020 brew; and travel plans began. It was not to be, though.

Flash forward to today. 

We have arrived in Praha, as quickly as it was safe to do so. Years of planning, communication, and anticipation now navigate towards the achievement of this shared goal: an American pale ale—in the spirit of Edward—brewed in collaboration with the Urquell and Kozel teams at Pivovar o, for the enjoyment of the Czech people in a few weeks.

We are grateful for the opportunity to see this project to fruition, after so many delays. This beer will only be available here, on draft around Czech Republic (Czechia), as a way to celebrate the virtue and beauty of fresh beer, treated well, served with skill and pride, and as part of this truly amazing beer culture.

We will share more information about how the beer is progressing and where those of you in—and traveling to—Czechia in early August may find and enjoy the beer.

Na zdraví a děkuju! 

(Cheers and thank you!)