Pilsner Urquell? Gambrinus? Staropramen? Budvar? Ever heard of these brands of beer? Do you know ANYTHING about beers beyond Keystone!?!? Well, these are some of the many delicious brews that you would be drinking if you were in the Czech Republic, a place many people consider the beer capital of the world. Czechs pride themselves on their locally brewed specialties: these beers are revered as cultural treasures, as breweries date back to the Middle Ages.

What time of day – you may ask – is best to enjoy any of the wonderful light, dark, or mixed malt beverages? Any time: Czechs are always drinking. If you go out to a pub for lunch, everyone around you will be drinking a .5-liter glass before returning to work for the rest of the day. Seems that the working culture here is a little more relaxed - or, as I once heard it from a university student on lunch break from class, "It doesn't matter how much we drink because lunch is such a big meal anyways." I can most definitely confirm that. Lunch is certainly a hearty meal here in Prague: usually including a huge bowl of soup, bread, potato or bread dumplings, a selection of meat (pork pieces are my favorite), and a side of sauerkraut or cabbage at a local pub. If you ever visit Prague, get ready for some major food comas.

The one pub I'd recommend for when you visit Prague? Pivovarsky Dum. This microbrewery is filled with outrageous flavors, textures, and colors of beers. What to order? Go for the tray of eight samplers that includes an assortment of home-brewed beers including coffee, banana, champagne, wheat, and cherry beers. I know, doesn't sound like anything you think you’d like, but the beers are surprisingly delicious and worth trying.

After you do your taste testing, go ahead and order a giraffe of your choice of beer, which is a huge 5-liter tube they'll bring to your table that serves as your tap for the night - or, well, as fast as you drink it.