Tesco has a new own-brand pilsner, Manislav. The packaging is rather sparse and Eastern-Bloc'y, though I guess it's Budvar they're aiming to gently knock off. It's not a rebrand from some lesser Czech brewery however: it's brewed just up the road in Dundalk at Alltech's Pearse Lyons Brewery.I consciously picked a bottle from a few rows back and kept it out of the light for as long as I had it, but I still got a slight skunky whiff when the cap came off. Green glass may look continental but it's not doing this beer any favours. Thankfully that initial hit was the extent of the lightstrike.
Behind sits a very decent pilsner. It's properly full-bodied, with the pillowy candyfloss and brioche malt that the Czechs do well. This is balanced by a noble hopping that's dry more than bitter: a hint of yellow mown grass, leading to a slightly harsh boiled-cabbage finish.
It's no finely-polished dvanáctka, and could do with a bit more hops at the front, but it does taste authentic. And for the money it's superb. I drank mine as a post-run beer on a warm evening and was kicking myself I only bought the one. I'll be getting more. Cans would be nice, though.