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Budvar Reserve

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Golden colour and a pronounced malt flavour on a malty body, with subtle residual sweetness and the classic aromatic bitterness of Saaz hops. Soft and balanced despite its strength. Matured for at least five months; formerly sold as Bud B:Strong, it marked the brewery's 125th anniversary in a limited edition of 125 hand-filled, signed bottles.

ABV
7.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter26 IBU
Clean, dry bitterness
SRM
golden7
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
maltynoble hop
malty
noble hop
Aroma
The nose opens with pronounced malty richness—honey, light bread crust, and subtle toasted grain notes dominate.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Budvar Reserve

◎ Appearance

Deep golden hue with bright clarity and excellent transparency. A dense, creamy white head builds generously and clings to the glass with fine Schaumhaftung, leaving well-defined lacing on each sip. Vigorous carbonation creates a steady stream of fine bubbles rising through the body.

deep goldenbright claritycreamy headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced malty richness—honey, light bread crust, and subtle toasted grain notes dominate. Noble Saaz hops weave in a gentle floral and herbal character with faint pepper and spice. A whisper of corn sweetness underlies the composition, complemented by clean fermentation character.

malty sweetnessSaaz floralbread crustnoble hop spice

◐ Taste

The palate is full-bodied and smooth despite the 7.5% strength, with malt arriving first as honey and grain sweetness. A substantial, balanced bitterness from Saaz hops develops midway through, never harsh, and resolves into a dry, gently peppery finish. Residual sweetness and alcohol warmth integrate seamlessly, creating a soft yet complete flavor arc.

malty bodybalanced bitternesshoney sweetnesssoft warmth

◑ Finish

The finish is medium-long and clean, with malt and noble hop bitterness fading gradually into a dry aftertaste. A subtle alcohol presence remains without becoming hot or obtrusive.

medium-long fadedry aftertastenoble hop finish
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
85
Appearance
84
Finish
78
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Budvar Reserve

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About Strong Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Strong Lager?

Strong Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Strong Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, noble-hop, bitter character as Budvar Reserve will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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