The beer glass is always half full in the Czech Republic

Photo: Steve Woodhall

The Czech Republic has arguably the best beer in the world and Czechs claim to have the world’s highest per-capita annual consumption.

It is the original home of Pilsener (invented in Plzen) and Budweiser (invented in Ceske Budejovice).

To drink the way the Czechs do, find a beer garden in summer and while away an afternoon, or cram around a long table with strangers (not for long) and drink steadily from a glass tankard that will, if service is good, be whipped away and replaced by a full one the moment your last one is empty. The waiter will grab the little slip of paper near your elbow and add a stroke to an old-fashioned tally. You pay at the end of the session.

If you want to slow down your pace, you can sit on a half-glass – it won’t be touched until you’ve finished. If you sense that you’re in the presence of an English stag weekend, run. On that note, it’s worth taking the metro/tram/bus a few stops away from the obvious tourist spots for your night/s of beer drinking.

The word for beer is pivo (“peevoh”); sign language will take care of the rest.