BY MATT STEVENS for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 7/24/2026
Dystopian State Brewing, and I was shocked to find an old favorite of mine: a dark Czech lager. Some 20-odd years ago, I did a semester abroad, living in Prague in the Czech Republic, and drank many a pint of this style of beer on Tuesday, October 25. I also drank many pints of it on other days, but on that particular day, I drank a lot.
The Czechs have dominated two classic styles for innumerable years. The classic Czech pilsner, as personified by Pilsner Urquell, is one. The Czech lager is the other. In Prague, as I was often told while sitting in the dark corners of taverns, dark beer is for women, and men drink the pilsners. Those silly old men didn’t know what they were missing.
Dystopian State’s dark lager pours a gorgeous ruddy brown, not cloudy but beautiful, with a slight white head. We have a full glass that would look great in any bar in Hradčany. It looks like a classic Czech beer.
Aroma-wise, this takes me back real fast. It is super malty, with residual sweetness. There is some nut and caramel. Maybe some light toastiness, but not a lot.
The first taste is great. There is big malty sweetness, with no hop aroma or flavors coming through. There are some light plum flavors, but they are quite subdued. The complexities of the dark malt really dominate this beer: caramel, dried fruit, and dark nut flavors. It’s beautiful and calm.
Mouthfeel-wise, the flavors and aromas of the beer continue to give those same flavors: the caramel, the nut, and the complex malty sweetness. But that sweetness is one of the reasons the Czechs call this a woman’s beer. Because of the malt sweetness, one of these can be filling and tire out the mouth, and if you are planning on drinking five pilsners while watching two periods of hockey and then starting an impromptu hockey game in the street in Prague*, this beer may not be the ideal way to spend your afternoon.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great way to watch the sunset on the Port of Tacoma.
Overall, this is a great beer. It is sweet and strong, with great nut and caramel flavors. It reminds me of a great six months of my life, so I hope when you grab a sip of it, it provides some great memories as well.
*No documentation exists that I participated in this activity.
