Gambrinus was founded in Plzen in 1869 by twenty local entrepreneurs led by industrialist Emil Skoda, the same city that gave the world Pilsner Urquell. Today the beer is brewed at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery under the Plzensky Prazdroj name, part of Asahi Breweries Group, and Original 10 remains the single best-selling beer brand in the Czech Republic by volume. It named itself after the legendary King Gambrinus, a folkloric patron of beer and brewing across Central Europe.
Gambrinus Original 10 Review at a Glance
| Style | Pale lager (vycepni svetle) |
| ABV | 4.3% |
| Brewery | Plzensky Prazdroj (Asahi Breweries Group) |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Serving temp | 3 to 5 C (37 to 41 F) |
| US availability | Not currently exported to the US |
How It Tastes
Gambrinus Original 10 pours pale straw gold with a modest white head. The Czech numbering system refers to the original wort gravity rather than alcohol strength, and at 10 degrees this is one of the lightest beers in the range, sitting at just 4.3% ABV. The aroma is light and grainy with a touch of Saaz hop character. On the palate it is thin-bodied and very easy to drink, with a quick, clean finish and minimal bitterness. It is built to be a cheap, sessionable everyday beer rather than a showcase for Czech brewing craft, and it succeeds at exactly that job.
It is the beer Czechs reach for when they just want a beer, not a debate about hop varieties.
- Extremely easy-drinking, low ABV session beer
- Reliably cheap and widely available across the Czech Republic
- Genuine brewing pedigree from the Plzen region
- Clean, inoffensive flavor profile
- Light body and mild flavor will disappoint craft beer fans
- Not exported to the US, hard to find outside Central Europe
- Less characterful than its stablemate Pilsner Urquell
Gambrinus is the Czech Republic’s biggest beer but is not sold through US delivery apps. Pilsner Urquell is a comparable US-available Czech pilsner.
FAQs
What does the 10 mean in Gambrinus Original 10?
The number refers to the original wort gravity in degrees Balling/Plato, a traditional Czech measurement, not the alcohol percentage. Original 10 is 4.3% ABV.
Is Gambrinus a Czech beer?
Yes. Gambrinus is brewed in Plzen, Czech Republic, at the Plzensky Prazdroj brewery, and is the country’s best-selling beer by volume.
Who owns Gambrinus?
Gambrinus is owned by Plzensky Prazdroj, which is part of Asahi Breweries Group.
Can you buy Gambrinus in the US?
Not easily. Gambrinus is not currently exported to the United States, so it is mainly available in the Czech Republic or through specialty European import retailers.
