Savor Unique Brews from Freshly Smoked Barrels at Černokostelecký Vysmolení
Join us at the beer Cernokostelecké vysmolení festival, happening on 24 May 2025 at the Kostelec brewery. Look forward to an exciting craft program dedicated to the traditional craft of cooperage, where skilled coopers will demonstrate how they create wooden transport barrels.
This year’s main focus is on smoked beers. You can experience the journey from smoky flavors to more traditional, smokeless varieties, along with the intriguing history of Czech lager. There will also be plenty of opportunities fora tasting of smoked malts as well as smoked malts , and demonstrations of historical roasting techniques. Don’t miss out on this chance to witness a long-lost craft, hear the rhythmic sound of hoops being pulled tight, smell the distinct scent of brewery pitch, and savor the one-of-a-kind taste of Black Swine fresh from these newly crafted wooden barrels.
The accompanying program will feature a film highlighting the decline of breweries, the journey of threshing malting, and the revival of old machinery. Attendees can see a medieval hopper, various malting tools, witness the startup of an air compressor, and explore the interior of a malting barn and drying area. Discover fascinating tales surrounding the descaling process (historically how barley was purified to remove LSD), a functioning four-cylinder transmission-powered scrapper, a cooling machine, and a running steam engine. The National Brewery Museum in Chernokostelec showcases the remarkable largest direct heating brewhouse in the world and a unique wort cooler. Visitors will also appreciate the hop house, the impregnator and lemonade production area, historical beer bottling, and operating air compressors for transmitting movement, alongside the historic fermentation room equipped with floats, pumps, and fermenting eggs. You will also encounter vast lager cellars containing 32 wooden barrels along with refrigerators. Other impressive features include the largest gentleman’s room and the only remaining elevator in the Czech Republic.
Black swine, coopers and concerts
In the lager cellar, you’ll have the chance to taste the unique Black Swine beer straight from a wooden keg. Guided tours are scheduled from 12:00 to 16:00, occurring every hour on the hour. Special extended tours will be available at 12:00, 14:00, and 16:00. Additionally, look forward to cooperage demonstrations, showcasing hand woodworking and carpentry skills, as well as the process of bumping Black Swine out of both wooden and aluminum barrels. There will also be lively concerts featuring Mad Dog, Shiva Rock Diva, Excelence, and DJ Starosta. Plenty of food and drink options will be available. Plus, attendees of Vysmolení won’t miss out on the chance to purchase unique beer souvenirs or enjoy beer from freshly smoked barrels such as 10% Dešt’offka, 12% Stuffed Otter, 13% St. George’s Vienna Lager, 13% Rye, and 13% Black Swine.
