In the beginning, there were the tens and the twelves... these two beers formed the foundation of Czech beer production, and Czech beer enthusiasts were quite content with them. True, in those decades, the quality remained excellent, but the breweries didn't offer much in terms of variety. Of course, they brewed pale and dark beers, but typically, the tens and the twelves were the choices. The tens, or light session beers, were known as "výčepní," while the heartier twelves bore the name "ležák." Apart from these, specialty strong beers were quite rare, like the Pardubicky Porter with its 19 degrees Balling. Fortunately, this has changed, and every brewery now seeks to please consumers with a wide range of options.
The Benešov brewery near Prague was founded in 1872 by the city's citizens, and in 1887, it was sold to the Konopiště estate, specifically to Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand. Therefore, it's no coincidence that when the brewery was privatized in the 1990s, the beer family received the name Ferdinand. The Ferdinand brand includes various beers: 10° and 11° pale and dark, 12° Premium, 13° semi-dark, and the 15° d'Este special pale.
Their latest beer is the 11° Max special. Tasting it, you wouldn't even think it's not a premium category product. The quality assurance comes from two aspects this time: first, during the 45-day fermentation process, the beer has ample time for its flavors to blend harmoniously, and second, the Max is double-hopped. This means that in addition to bittering hops, fine Žatec aroma hops help the beer reach its full potential and delight consumers with rich flavors.