Milko--The Czech Beer That Looks Like a Glass of Milk

Beer for dessert? That's when the sweet, creamy Mlíko pour tastes best. Try it and let us know what you think! pic.twitter.com/ny6o7ezQvG
— Pilsner Urquell (@Pilsner_Urquell) November 20, 2019

Gastro Obscura introduces us to a particularly Czech way of pouring beer. Mlíko, which means "milk", is usually served as a pilsner, but the type of beer is less important than the way in which it is poured.

Pouring a beer from a tap is more than just flipping the toggle from off to on. It's an art form and the Czechs have mastered it. The mlíko is poured by opening the tap slightly and letting the beer foam into the mug.

When done properly, it tastes like a creamy "cloud of beer" rather than just airy foam. It's essential to drink this cloudy substance quickly before it settles, so it's not for slow, casual drinking while chatting.

Almost 70 years ago, MAD Magazine ran a parody of Howdy Doody in which Howdy shilled for a product known as Bupgoo (Bosco), which, when poured into a glass of milk, caused the whiteness to rise foaming to the top, making it look like a glass of beer. The idea was that parents would give their kids Bupgoo so they'd stop asking for some of dad's beer. Here we have beer that looks like milk instead of milk that looks like beer.

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6 replies

Marketing at its finest! A crappy pour elevated to a special product.

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In all seriousness, a really foamy pilsner just tastes better. Pilsners are, by and large, awful. A foamy pilsner is pretty great. I had zero inclination to visit Czech Republic before watching a mini-doc on the many different pours they use, but I absolutely want to now.