Czech brewing industry celebrates competition winners amid rising shrinkflation

The Czech Brewers and Malters Association announced the winners of the prestigious Czech Beer 2026 competition. In the light lager category, Velkopopovický Kozel 12 took first place, while the Starobrno brewery secured multiple podium positions with Starobrno Bitr (silver) and Starobrno Štatl 12 (bronze).

In the dark beer category, Černovar Černý claimed gold, followed by Svijanská kněžna 13% and Lobkowicz Premium Černý. The competition also highlighted the growing popularity of non-alcoholic beers, with Holba Ryzí Nealko winning the unflavored category and Protivín Refresh Grapefruit leading the flavored variants.

Parallel to these industry accolades, a trend of shrinkflation is emerging in Czech pubs. Many establishments are replacing the traditional 0.5-liter pour with smaller volumes such as 0.45, 0.475, or 0.4 liters. Operators cite concerns regarding foam consistency and inspections as reasons for these adjusted measurements.