Czech Beer “ATM” Now Open for Spring Season

In case you missed it: Martin Povysil’s Ruprenz brew pub near Jihlava is one of the world’s most unusual

Expats.cz Staff Jason Pirodsky

Written by Expats.cz StaffJason Pirodsky Published on 28.03.2017 17:15:39 (updated on 28.03.2017) Reading time: 2 minutes

Homebrewer Martin Povysil was a bit of a media folk hero a few years back after installing a mechanical beer dispensing machine in his home village of Uhřínovice, near Jihlava.

While Povysil’s Ruprenz-label beer can be sampled in neighborhood pubs and restaurants, as well as on the spring/summer beer festival circuit throughout the Czech Republic, the original Ruprenz 11° lager is best sourced from what he calls his rare samovýčepy, located on the outskirts of town.

Other pivomats may have popped up around the country since then (Miroslav Hron of the sparsely populated New World settlement near Český Rudolec, located at an altitude of 698 meters, installed one after a few too many cyclists knocked on his door in search of water).

Povysil counts five; but his remains unique for the very fact that he brews an exceptional beer.

One enthusiastic reviewer wrote of his visit to this unique open-air, non-stop pub last summer: “All in all, I would definitely recommend a visit to this place; lovers of the amber nectar will have a real experience.”

We spoke with Mr. Povysil yesterday who said that he had officially opened for the season this week.

Czech Beer “ATM” Now Open for Spring Season

How does it work? Simply insert coins (20 CZK/0.5L), scan ID to prove your age, and drink up.

In 2015, Mr. Povysil told the Guardian he went through about three 50-litre kegs a week during summer.

Clientele are largely cyclists, and the humble brewer say that he does it for the sense of community his beer ATM creates, not the return on investment.

Czech Beer “ATM” Now Open for Spring Season

“The price is strictly symbolic, it is primarily a service for local people and a form of advertising for Ruprenz beer,” he told us.

Unfortunately, beer lovers will have to visit while they can; thanks to the anti-smoking law which prohibits vending alcohol, Povysil will only be able to sell lemonade as of June 1, though he will occasionally be able to personally dispense beer in “exceptional cases and as a tourist attraction,” he said.

“Our government does not realize the impact its laws have on ordinary citizens,” Povysil added.

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