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The Czech Republic’s fourth largest city is a thriving, growing burg, an hour’s drive southwest of Prague, the cultural and social capital of Western Bohemia. But for many, Pilsen is most famous as the place where beer changed forever.

The world’s first pale lager debuted here in 1842, quickly becoming an international sensation. Today, almost 70 per cent of all beer consumed is Pilsner-style.

And it comes with a great backstory.

Although the town was granted brewing licences in the 13th century, Pilsen’s ale production tanked in the 1800s. With no standard recipe, quality bombed. Disgruntled locals protested, pouring 36 barrels of bad beer into a gutter in the town square.

It was a tragic but necessary step, some say, as it prompted residents to join forces to establish a brewery ( still operates today) and to bring in a Bavarian brewer, Josef Groll, who introduced a new beer style, a bottom-fermented lager, made from four ingredients: malt, water, yeast and hops.

Propelling the powerhouse elixir? Pilsen’s soft water (making the beer light) and the Czech Republic’s Saaz noble hops (adding herbal, minty freshness).

In a city and country where beer is practically a birthright, I wanted to soak it in.

Which explains why, on an October morning, I’m eagerly dropping my robe to the floor at Purkmistr, Pilsen’s only beer spa, and gingerly easing into an oversize, oak-and-larch-wood tub swirling with beer.

Well — sort of. The suds are hooch-free.

The heady mixture isn’t real beer (so no smell) as alcohol would irritate the skin, but it is prepared from the same raw materials (malt, hops, brewery yeast) as Purkmistr’s classic Pilsner-type pale lager. The dewy concoction is warmed to 37 Celsius (lower in summer).

“The bath is 25 minutes and when you’re done, my colleague will pick you up and bring you to the relaxation room,� says Lucia as she distributes white robes and yellow sheets and leads four of us to the locker room.

Two spa goers, draped goddesslike in sheets, lead the way, tiptoeing down the hallway where Lucia opens four individual doors to side-by-side rooms, separated by sliding doors that provide privacy. Purkmistr also has a double tub.

We’re given an information sheet explaining how beer baths were known for their rejuvenating effects in old Egypt and were relatively common in the Middle Ages.

Particularly beneficial? The vitamin B, hops and cereal extract, believed to help skin, hair and nails regenerate. The warm water opens skin pores and washes out toxins, and it’s said the bath helps psoriasis, acne and cellulite. Lucia says not to shower for five hours afterwards.

I sink into the slippery, balmy brew. Eyes closed, I can hear a waterfall gurgle down the brick wall. Elvis Presley and Ben E. King croon overhead. I swish water though my hair, massage hops deep into my neck and lean into rare, welcome stillness.

When I come up for air, a hefty, half-litre of Purkmistr lager (yep, drinkable!) sits at arm’s reach atop a five-litre wooden keg that guests can tap during the bath. Beside it is a smaller mug of water.

Each keg holds 10 beers. Lest you think that undoable, think again. A German tourist (the record holder) polished it off — and ordered another keg for the relaxation room.

I manage a quarter of the glorious blend of creamy foam, sweet malt and bitter hops before the tub starts to drain at the 25-minute mark.

As I tie my robe, it’s fitting (and funny) that Aretha Franklin soulfully serenades, “You make me feel like a natural woman.� I toddle off to a candlelit room with relaxation beds draped with polar fleece blankets, where my breathing slows, and my skin feels notably softer.

At 1100 koruna (about $60), the experience is a deal — especially if you drain the keg. Beer not your thing? Along with massages and body wraps, the spa offers lavender, rose, coconut, apricot and other delightfully infused baths.

Shelley Cameron-McCarron travelled as a guest of , which did not review or approve this article.