Having a Beer Bath of Pilsen (In Pilsen), Czech Republic
It seems like the Czechs took their passion for beer to the next level, right? Maybe a few years ago you would be much more impressed to see that it’s possible to have an actual beer bath. However, today it’s not such a brand new thing anymore. The beer spas are getting more popular around the country, but one city is still standing out amongst the crowd, Pilsen, or Plzeň in the Czech Republic, the place where it all began. 
The city has a history of beer. They were the creators of the most consumed style of beer on the planet; Pilsen, or Pilsner. The year was 1842 when the Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj) brewery put out their very first batch of lager and baptised it as Pilsner beer. It has been quite a long time since then, maybe now they are trying to make a new worldwide hit with their beer spas? 
For this article, we visited the Purkmistr Beer Spa, one of the most prominent and also one of the first to offer the service. They are located about 30 minutes away from the city centre by bus or 12 minutes by car - so it’s very easy to get there. Their facilities include a cosy hotel, an awesome restaurant/taproom, and a brewery (yes, above all, they are a brewery!). Their beer list is quite extensive and includes some craft lines, like a super crisp IPA, and a very well balanced Imperial Stout. Don’t forget to check their fridge for seasonal specialities too!
The Beer Ritual
You don’t need to check in to the hotel to enjoy the wonders inside the beer spa, but for better relaxation time, we strongly recommend that you do.The “Beer Ritual” consists of a package containing a beer bath and a massage. The total time spent there should be around 1:30h. If you are travelling with friends and they are not as into beer as you are, no worries…. they can try a chocolate bath. Besides that, they have a wellness area, with 2 saunas, an enormous jacuzzi, and you can book the entire place for a very fair price for you and your friends, for up to 8 people at a time. However, one of the most attractive things about the spa is indeed the bath. Lots of people are curious about the details of it, so we prepared a list of facts that you should know before going there. 
Facts:
You shouldn’t drink the water in the bathtub
You can always try, if you are curious enough, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The bathtub isn't filled with only beer. It’s a mixture of water, oils, fragrances, hops, and...beer. They warm it all up to 35°C. This is one of the many reasons why it feels so relaxing: because it’s a hot bath. Nevertheless, you have a beer tap by the side of the tub, entirely at your disposal. You can pour as much as you want. If you feel like the foam of the bath is disappearing, why not put some more beer inside it? Just a tip...
Time is limited
I know you want to, but you just can’t lay in the bathtub for an entire day. There are more people interested in bathing too. Your time is limited to up to 25 minutes. There is a counter on the wall for you to manage your time there. Time to speed up the drinking? Maybe…
You have to go naked
It’s not mandatory, but for better enjoyment and for hygienic reasons too, they highly recommend you to go in naked. This might be shocking for some people, especially if you are in a group but believe me, it feels so natural and liberating. You have to enter a dressing room, take your clothes off, lock them in a closet, take a shower if you want and wrap yourself in a towel. When you are ready, they take you to the bathing area. It’s an extremely relaxing ambience, with acoustic and soft music playing in the corridors, low lights, candles and all.
It’s in a private room
If you’re shy, don’t worry. The place consists of a corridor with multiple rooms, each one with a bathtub. There are bathtubs for individual baths and bigger ones for double baths. If you want to bathe at the same time, but in different bathtubs, you can also open a door between one room and another, to look and talk to your friend or other half.
You don’t get drunk due to the bath
This is a common question that normally comes up when talking about these beer baths. The beer doesn’t enter the body through your skin but it’s always good to remind you that there is a beer tap by your side, flowing an amazing Pilsner!
An amazing experience
It’s really an amazing experience, especially for beer enthusiasts. You end up feeling extremely relaxed at the end of the so-called “Ritual”. Besides that, their restaurant/taproom is so nice, the staff are so friendly, the beer and the food are so awesome, that you feel like just chilling, drinking and eating all the time. This is a perfect trip for a weekend. Oh, and don’t forget to take a bath, after the beer bath!
