Martin Halstead, co-owner of The Junkyard in Traer along with his wife Channing Halstead (not pictured), smiles while standing behind his bar top displaying a line-up of the new commemorative 150th Anniversary Czech Pilsner cans designed by the Halsteads in partnership with Millstream Brewing Co. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

TRAER – There will be plenty to do in Traer this year for those who wind up in the historically-Czech community as the town celebrates its Sesquicentennial year. Such celebrations now include the opportunity to enjoy a commemorative anniversary beer thanks to the efforts of The Junkyard Bar owners, Martin and Channing Halstead.

The ‘150th Anniversary Czech Pilsner’ – featuring Traer’s iconic downtown Winding Stairs on a 16-ounce can – has been available exclusively at the Halsteads’ main street bar since early April after being brewed and packaged by Millstream Brewing Company of Amana.

But while the new beer harkens back to the 1969 Traer Czech Fest commemorative beer – cans of which Martin found in the basement of his two-year-old bar – the taste of the new beer is anything but stale.

“It’s been described as half Busch Lite and half Blue Moon,” Martin told the Telegraph of the Czech Pilsner which features on its can a black and white photograph of the Winding Stairs from its early 20th Century days – the Halstead building visible under the business sign “Royal”.

The process to create the beer was quick and easy, Martin said. Choosing a photograph and designing the label with Millstream’s team requiring the most time in the form of back-and-forth emails.

PHOTO COURTESY MILLSTREAM BREWING COMPANY/FACEBOOK

Martin credits the art director of the downtown Traer business Rubline, Mark Watson, along with members of the Traer Historical Museum board for help in choosing the photograph – help which included obtaining copyright permission.

As for the taste, Channing said they wanted a beer that tasted similar to Busch Lite – an Iowa favorite – which led them to the Czech Pilsner.

According to the Brewers Association, a Bohemian-Style (or Czech) Pilsner has a straw to gold color, a clear appearance, and tastes “slightly sweet and toasted” with a “biscuity, bready malt aroma and flavor.”

The Pilsner style – which originated in the city of Plzeň in 1842 in what is now Czech Republic – is a “clean-slate” beer best known for “versatile drinkability,” per the VinePair website.

The Halsteads were required to order 50 cases of their Czech Pilsner for a first run. So far, Martin said, Millstream has brewed 40 of those cases with plans to hold off on the final 10 until closer to the Winding Stairs Festival – formerly Czech Fest – set for August 11-13.

A six-pack of the 1969 Traer Czech Fest commemorative beer which was brewed and bottled for Traer’s annual town celebration by Cold Spring Brewing Company of Cold Spring, Minn. PHOTO COURTESY MILLSTREAM BREWING COMPANY/FACEBOOK.

For now, The Junkyard has plenty of the commemorative beer available in single cans, 4-packs, and by the case but it’s selling fairly steadily, Martin said – and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

If there truly is no beer in heaven as the old polka standard goes, the Halsteads hope you choose to drink more of it here – in Traer, Iowa. As their commemorative can declares, Na zdraví! (Cheers!)

All sides of the new 150th Anniversary Czech Pilsner can label on display last Sunday in The Junkyard Bar in downtown Traer. The Junkyard co-owner Martin Halstead is pictured behind the cans. PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON