Budweiser, Bud, or Czechvar?

In 1265, Ottokar II, King of Bohemia, granted brewing rights to the Czech city of České Budějovice, known as “Budweis” in German. For generations, the city thrived as a beer brewing capital. In 1802, the Budweiser Bürgerbräu (Budějovický měšťanský pivovar in Czech) commenced brewing Budweiser Bier.

Subsequently, in 1876, the American E. Anheuser & Company in St. Louis introduced a new, light-colored beer named Budweiser, drawing inspiration and its name from Czech and Bohemian beers. A prolonged coexistence ensued, marked by intermittent legal disputes. The Budweiser Budvar Brewery experienced decline, becoming state-owned under communism and confined behind the Iron Curtain.

Fast forward to the era of U.S. and EU food labeling and brand laws. In “most” EU nations, the American version can only be marketed as “Bud” (with exceptions in countries like Ireland and Spain, where historical presence favored the American version over the Czech). Conversely, in the USA and much of North and South America, Czech Budweiser Budvar cannot be labeled as Budweiser; instead, it is imported as “Czechvar.”