Pivní Filosof - Beer Philosopher

Subtle beauty

2008-07-18T10:50:00.003+02:00

Pivovar Kout na Šumavě en Domažlice is a true rara avis. Originally established in 1736, closed down in 1969 to resurrect in 2006. Not as one of the many brewpubs that have opened recently but as a proper industrial bottler. And with quite some success it seems. Their distribution has slowly been expanding in Plzeňský Kraj, and their beers have got many fans among beer geeks, so much so, that their 12° is already considered to be one of the best, if not the best, Pilsner Lager in the world.

Unfortunately you can't find it in Prague. There isn't any pub that stocks it nor there is anyone who distributes it. So, to be able to taste it I had to wait until a few weeks ago when Zlý Časy included it in the lineup of their minifestival of beers from the Pilsner Region. It's simply a brilliant beer, as I've mentioned before.

The other day, while having a pint with a couple of friends at one of my favourite spots, a bottle bearing the label of Kout na Šumavě materialised in my hands as if it had fallen from heaven (thanks Honza for the gift). After asking I learned that what the bottled contained was nothing less than Kvasnicová 12°.

Needless to say, my expectations were up in the clouds, which can sometimes make me a bit afraid and demands a lot of concentration. I always to ignore these subjective expectations. Sometimes it's hard.

I was going to pour this beer in the usual glass I use for tasting (you can see it in most pictures), but I changed my mind in the last moment, choosing my favourite půl litr instead. It turned out to be a very good decision. I poured carefully to have the right head. At first it looked like a very handsome Bohemian Golden Lager. Rich gold, no visible carbonation, compact head of angelic white. I let it settle a bit and, after shaking the bottom of the bottle a little, poured the rest. The yeasts that had sedimented fell into the glass and started to expand slowly like a cloud, until they turned a crystal like pilsner into a proper kvasnicové, cloudy and almost orange golden. The process was indeed beautiful to watch.
With my mouth watering I set to taste this eye candy. The nose was a perfect balance between ripe fruit and the characteristic citrus-flowery notes of Saaz hops. All delicate, but with character, and supported by the aromas of a barley field in summer (this is not an over the top metaphor, there is a barley field behind my house, and it smells just like that when the sun goes down).

The taste starts fruity, yet never becoming sweet, simply right. Slowly the hops start to show up, growing in intensity. In the finish the Saaz seem about the explode and blow our heads, but they never get to do that and leave the same way they came. They are like a stripper that never finishes taking off her clothes, and for that turns us on more.

I was fascinated by Kout Kvasnicové 12°. When I finished it, I automatically wanted to go and open another bottle, that was not there. It's so well made. It's the opposite of an extreme beer. It doesn't need to shout to be listened to, it just speaks clearly and with a melodic voice. Self confident, like a really attractive woman that doesn't need make up or fancy clothes, but still will turn the heads of those who know how to appreciate real beauty.

Na Zdraví!

BP (Before Pivo)

2008-07-16T14:05:00.005+02:00

Before they started brewing some of the finest beers in the world Czechs mostly drank "medovina", which literally means honey wine, but in English is better known as mead.

It's one of the oldest known alcoholic beverages and has a more than dignified history, at least from the mythical point of view. It's believed that it was the Nectar drank by the Olympic gods or the soma, the sacred drink of the Persians. It was also the favourite swill of the Nordic gods. It appears in the legends of Beowulf (at least in the film version:) and in some old Czech legends such as Bivoj and the Boar.

It has since lost its place of honour to beer and wine. However, it has never disappeared, it has always been there, specially at Christmas, when it is very popular to drink it warm.

Despite its Czech name, it's not a wine. It is made in a way similar to beer, though, instead of fermenting an infusion of cereals, an infusion of honey is fermented. At some time in the process different flavouring or colouring ingredients are added, such as fruit, berries, nuts, herbs, spices, caramel, etc. It can be either sweet or bitter. Basically, there is something for all tastes.
I've wanted to write an entry about medovina for quite some time. I like it a lot. We always have some at home. We usually drink it after dinner or in the afternoon with some coffee. But we always have only one bottle of any given kind that lasts quite long because we don't drink it in large quantities.

Fortune wanted us to attend a Celtic festival that took place the other day at a small town not far from where we live. It was in the gardens of the local castle, there was good music, nice food, not so good beer, very nice atmosphere and an incredibly massive choice of medovina. After having sampled several kinds we brought a few bottles home. The choice was as varied as I could think of and as much as we could carry with us to the car.
I had never done a parallel tasting of so many kinds of mead. I was really curious and started to open the bottles as soon as we got home.
The first one was Zlatá Medovina (18%ABV). This is a bottle we already had. It has a predominantly vanilla aroma, which also commands the taste. The finish is of roasted herbs and has a very silky body.

From the castle loot, I started with Eliška, it is a household name, and it's the one commonly served warm at Christmas markets. I brought Hořka (bitter) (12%ABV) with me. Its nose reminds me of some honey and mint candy I used to like a lot when I was a kid in Argentina. When drinking, the first thing that can be felt is ephemeral sweetness of honey, followed by a more intense bitterness with mint and licorice notes. A very fine drink.

I followed with the Elíxir Mladý (11%ABV), or elixir of youth. Its lighter colour tells us that caramel was not used, since such is the natural colour of mead after fermenting. It has a very mild nose, barely a hint of herbs. Its taste is also mild, velvety with subtle herbal notes.

Leaving the elixir behind, I went for Benatecká Bylinná (11%), herbal. And it has a strong herbal and spice nose. The flavour is medicine like, yet not unpleasant, which might make it a very nice digestif.

Kávový (coffee) (13%ABV) is a bit on the modern side. It is the darkest mead of all, with coffee dominating the nose. In the mouth, however, it is joined by honey and herbs in a very good balance.

I left the strangest of the lot to the end. Medovinový Likér (11%ABV), made with water, milk, honey, herbs and almonds. What an incredibly interesting drink this is. Very thick, almost like a pudding. It has a very complex nose where fruit, sour milk and honey are given equal space. It starts sour, almost agressive, but not quite so, when drinking it. Here the almonds can be felt, together with honey and herbs that close the drink joined by fermented milk. An ideal drink to pair with cakes and pastries.

Česká Medovina is a drink that unfortunately few foreigners seem to know. Partly because it's not that easy to find. The supermarket chains hardly ever carry it, and there aren't many restaurants that include it in their menu. But believe me, its subtle and silky characteristics make it a very good option to finish a meal, or as a night cap. Not to mention what a fine present a bottle can be.

Na Zdraví!

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Good and bad

2008-07-12T16:51:00.001+02:00

The good first:

It seems that the other great Czech brewer is beginning to realise what year we are living in. After having come out last year with the awful Pardal, following a market trend that had died a couple of years before, now, a bit late but better than never, they have become the fourth brewer to roll out the tanks. The other day, walking in Štěpanska I noticed, on the door of U Šumavy, a sticker announcing nepasterované tankové pivo. Later I heard that Budvar tankový can also be found at U Medvídku, and probably a couple more places around Prague. I didn't notice a big difference between the "new" unpasteurised beer and the good old one; perhaps a bit of a fuller body and more fruit. I must say that Urquell tanková, at the right place, is still better.

But that's not all from Budvar. The consumption of non alcoholic beers has increased considerably in the last few years, something most breweries haven't failed to notice and some of them have even started offering their nealko on tap. The first one to do so was Pilsner Urquell with their Radegast Birrel, with Starobrno and Bernard following suit. Budvar is the newest to have jumped on the wagon. They have recently started to offer their very good Budvar Nealko fresh from barrels. Nice to see the, thus far, state owned brewery catching a market trend when it's just beginning.

Now the bad:

After several months, I went back to Sousedský Pivovar Bašta, a brewpub that received much praise, mine included, after opening in Nusle at the beginning of the year.

I can't say it was a happy reunion. To begin with, the priced had been increased, a pint now goes for 30Kc instead of 25Kc. It still cheap and I'm sure the owners had ther valid reasons for it. In fact, the inflation would be a problem if it didn't come in hand with a serious drop on the quality of the beers.

I had all three beers being tapped that day. Polotmavé 12° (used to be 13°), Světlé 12° and Světlé 15°. The only one to keep some dignity was the first one. It was good, but not as good as I remember it. The other two, very defficient, specially the 15°, which I'm tempted to move to awfuland. Flavours not fully finished and terribly integrated alcohol that punches you in the palate and leaves a rather unpleasant aftertaste. For what I've heard in some corridors, the problem of this brewery is space and capacity. The beers don't have enough lagering time and that can be noticed. I believe they have potential, but they are not given enough time to develop.

I truly hope they can find a way to solve this very serious problem. Many already seem to have turned their backs to Bašta and it would be a big shame if the story has a sad end.

Na Zdraví!

Visiting Relatives

2008-07-10T14:38:00.005+02:00

The other day we went to visit some of my better half's relatives in Strakonice, a city at about 160km south of Prague. The excuse, a family celebration. The weather was ideal to sit in the garden, grill something and drink plenty of beer (well, actually, any weather is good for that). The beer of choice was, of course, from the local brewery, Pivovar Strakonice, mostly their Švanda, a new member of the team that seems to have replaced the locally popular "10". As its predecessor, this is a pretty good session beer, light bitterness, but with plenty of body and malty flavour for its 3.8%ABV. But there was one thing that caught my attention on the label.

During and after the presentation that Pivovar Strakonice gave last November at Pivovarský Klub, Evan Rail and I nagged about some bits of the company's marketing. Among them we ranted that, although being so, it wasn't mentioned anywhere that the beers were unpasteurised. When I asked the brewmaster why they were failing to mention something that many beer lovers see as an important added value, his honest answer was that he would bring it up to the marketing director. And so it seems, if you look at the picture below, you'll notice on the lower part of the label a word that does not need translation
"Nepasterované". When I read it, I couldn't help but smile and point it to my wife, while my chest was swelling a little. It made me feel good to see that our rantings had been paid attention to and that they've had some influence in the beer world, at least in the shape of one word. Yet it seems that it wasn't the only thing the people of Strakonice paid attention to. They have come out with Klostermann, an amber lager with 5.1%ABV. I agree with Evan on his review of this beer, it is very good. In the same category as Primátor Polotmavé 13° and Herold Granát, though maybe not as good. Still, I would put it a step above Master 13°. I really liked its contrasts of caramel notes with a refreshingly herbal bitter finish. So far, it can only be found at the brewery, but let's hope they will start distributing it in the rest of the country. It also seems that Dudák has become the flagship brand of the brewery, Nektar and 10 have already left the building.
Back to the family angle with which we started, the following day we went for a walk by the Otava. There isn't much to see in Strakonice. Except for the castle and a couple of buildings in the centre, the rest is a showcase of Communist good taste. However, the walk by the river is lovely. Full of trees and green, and with playgrounds for children every few hundred metres. It also goes by the brewery, which unfortunately was closed that Sunday; still we could feel the, for me, lovely smell of fermenting beer coming out of it. We found a beer garden that had just opened to sit down and refresh ourselves with some pivo. On the way back we noticed that the small beer garden next to the brewery had opened. I would have walked right past it hadn't it been for a sign the announced Kvasnicové 12°. Being a fan of this kind of beers, I followed my feet and quickly walked to the bar, regardless of my wife's reproaches. Unfortunately, sitting down to enjoy this beer in a proper glass was out of the question and I had to compromise and take it in a plastic cup. It was a pity because if it looked as well as it smelled and tasted, it would have been a beautiful thing. Perhaps, and due to the recent high temperatures, the beer as already going off, yet it was still delicious. Yeasts ruled the nose, reminding me of some German Wiessbiers, behind them, there were maltyness, grain and flowers. The taste was hugely refreshing, again with the yeast governing, here more Belgian like, the rest was tropical fruit and some herbs. I enjoyed every drop of it and prayed that some day someone will bring this beer to Prague. Maybe I should talk to my friends in Pivovarský Klub or Zlý Časy....
Na Zdraví!

Viking landing

2008-07-07T16:25:00.005+02:00

A couple of weeks ago I had a very pleasant visit, Knut Albert, a fellow beer blogger from Norway. He was in Prague on a business trip and, as it is his custom everywhere he has to go, he decided to spend an extra day in order to explore the local beer scene.

He arrived on a very warm Sunday. I went to pick him up at his hotel and we both went straight to Zlý Časy to enjoy the brewing wonders of Plzeňský Kraj, from there we went to Pivovarský Klub to have a couple more pints and pick a few bottles to take back to Norway.

It was an ideal afternoon to drink excellent Bohemian Golden Lager, chat about beers and life in general, and have a very good time. It's really remarkable the effect that our beer passion has. Two total strangers, different ages, from different cultures who had never seen each other before can have a great and extended afternoon with nothing more, nor less, than beer as the excuse.

I wont go into the details of the meeting, if you are interested, you can read about it in Knut's blog, here and here.

Knut didn't come empty handed, though, he brought five samples of Scandinavian beers, for from his country and one from Denmark.

Like most people, my knowledge of Scandinavian brewing was pretty much limited to Carlsberg, Tuborg (I'm I repeating myself) and other stars. Of course that, by no means, I thought of them as good examples of what you can drink in the Northern lands. My curiosity, thus, was pretty high, I didn't know what to expect. But I trusted Knut's choice, I was sure he hadn't brought the first stuff he could find at the nearest supermarket in Oslo. Still I didn't have any bar with which to measure this beers coming from a region with a long brewing tradition, but with a strongly eurolagered recent history.

Before beginning to taste this beer I realised how good it is not to have any expectations when you are going to drink something for the first time, other than, of course, the factual information found on the labels. It helps to make a more objective evaluation, although it still depends a lot on personal tastes.
I started with the oddball of the group. Humle Fryd, brewed by the Danish craft brewery Bryggeriet Skands. As far as I can gather from the label in Danish, this beer was inspired by Pilsner Lager, and was brewed with Saaz Hops. It came in a 25cl bottle (there is a reason for that, you'll see). Just after pouring this pale golden beer into the glass you realise that the label wasn't lying. The flowery scent of the Saaz hops is simply everywhere, leaving just a little room for some sweet fruit notes. The fruit are almost nowhere to be felt when drinking it, though. It is very dry and almost the only thing that can be tasted is the hops. I really like very hoppy beers, but this one in particular I found out of balance, and with a body suspiciously light for its 5.5%ABV. I wasn't a fan. Now, this little bottle came from a plane leaving Copenhaguen. Humle Fryd might not be among the craft beers I've liked the most, but it is sure a massive step forward compared to the canned eurolagers most commonly served on board of planes.
The next one was Aass Bock. Aass is, if memory doesn't fail me, one of the most important bottlers in Norway. As expected for a Bock, this beer pours down a dark amber and it's topped by a compact slightly tanned head. I felt sweet notes that reminded me of vanilla and fruit. However, when drinking it, I felt a pleasant balance between coffee and ripe fruit. Nice beer to drink with smoked meats.
It was the turn of the craft beers from Norway. The first one I chose was the one that intrigued me the most when reading the label. Romjul, from Haandbryggeriet, which for what can be seen on their web page, must be a pretty interesting micro brewery. Contrary to what is common in most country, this Christmas beer, brewed with wheat and Munich malts has only 4.5%ABV, which could make it a session beer. And a very good session beer it would be! It's dark amber, cloudy and with a tanned head. It's not filtered, nor pasteurised and it's bottle fermented and has natural carbonation and the right amount of sediments. The nose is mostly fruity acidity that tries to hide roasted notes of a rougher character. I found it simply delicious. The more subtle flavours of the wheath malt are a perfect contrast to the dry roasted ones of the Munich malts. All while licorice and sour cherries in syrup round up and give more character to this brilliant beer.
It was followed by Bøyla, from Ægir Bryggeri. Knut told me that the brewery is located in the Fjords, at the end of a trail very popular with tourists, and they exploit the viking theme, as it can be seen on the label. This blonde ale with 4.5% is rich gold and slightly cloudy. I felt tropical fruit and quite a lot of yeast on the nose, which gave it a character similar to some Weizen. It is drier than expected when drinking it, citrus fruits is what predominates and it has a very refreshing light body. It wouldn't make me go all the way to fjords to get it, but I would sure be very happy if I found it after a long walk.
I closed this round of Nordic beers from the strongest of the lot. Ø Imperial Stout, from Nøgne Ø Bryggeri. According to the comprehensive information found on the label, this beer has 9%ABV, 75IBU and it's fermented at 23°plato. A powerful beer, at least on paper. And it is so in reality, as well as very robust. It's brewed using Maris Otter, Munich, roasted barley, oat, black, and chocolate malt; Columbus and Crystal hops; English ale yeast, and the local Grimstad water. Quite a stew! And what a black beer this is! When pouring down it looks like too strong and thick coffee. The head is creamy and almost brown. The nose was a bit acid, with some molasses and coffee notes. It tastes like very strong and bitter coffee, not espresso, but drip. The alcohol can be felt a little, but it's still very well integrated, it does not disturb, it's actually a bit like a well placed "drink with moderation" warning on a billboard. The finish starts with some caramel, but it is again the coffee what we are left with, for quite some time. A very interesting beer, great for a winter afternoon by the fire. I really liked it.
Thanks Knut for sharing this very good and interesting bunch with me. But most of all, thanks for the visit and for the opportunity of meeting and sharing our passion. I hope you are enjoying the beers you took with you from Prague.

Na Zdraví!

And we are both happy

2008-07-04T10:18:00.005+02:00

So, my male reader. Let's picture this situation. It's a lazy afternoon, you are walking around Vinohrady with your wife, girlfriend, lover, date or one of your many ladyfriends when the munchies strike. As pretty much every other red blooded man would do, you suggest going to a pub.

She's having none of it, she wants to go to a nicer place, maybe have a cup of good tea or a glass of good wine to wash down something sweet or something more appealing to the female taste than the usual beer snack. You, on the other hand, are really craving for a good pint, and you know such thing at places like, say, Louvre are pretty much unheard of (nothing personal, in fact, I love Louvre for cakes and hot chocolate, but their beer is rubbish).

There are a couple of choices that would do the job. Dobrá Trafika is a few blocks away, but you know it will be full and you want something more spacious than their small café. Literarní Kávarna Řetězová could be fine, too, but you really can't be bothered with going to the Old Town. Where to go, then?

Medúza is the answer. And a very good answer at that. Located in a quiet street, less than 200m from Nám. Míru, it became one of my favourites (and my wife's) pretty much the moment I walked through the door. It is one of those places that invite you to sit and stay longer than you planned.

Inside it's simply beautiful. The furniture seems to have been bought at flea market, all the tables are different, all in dark hardwood, and all with unmatching chairs, armchairs and sofas. The colourful walls are covered with photos and illustrations from the golden years of the First Republic. Everything matches perfectly with the Art Nouveau style chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The cherry on the pie are the porcelain sugar pots on each table, also antique shop chic, and all different. At times it makes you feel you are sitting in the living room of a rather bourgeoise grandmother.
The service adds to the atmosphere. It's rather informal, efficient and attentive. You will never be rushed to order, nor will you be given the bad eye if you decide to keep on reading well after you finished whatever you were drinking or eating.

The food menu will be just perfect for your needs in an afternoon like this. There is plenty to choose from, pancakes and crepes, toasted open sandwiches, very original salads, beer snacks (including one of best nakladaný hermelín I've ever had), some cakes and the soup of the day. Add to that a wide choice of cocktails, teas and other hot and cold drinks, including an excellent hot ginger, lemon and honey drink, and your female companion will be delighted.

And what about you and your thirst? How about Svijanský Řytíř or, if you are in the mood for it, its dark sister, Svijanská Kněžná?

Somehow Medúza manages to mix the best of many places. The good beer and snacks of a corner pub, the atmosphere of a really bohemian café and the mood of a student's bar. Take your lady there, you'll score quite a few points and the best is that she will want to go back.

Na Zdraví!

Medúza
Belgická 17
Praha 2 - Vinohrady

Choose your preferred Prague hotels and get free transport.

High temperatures

2008-07-02T13:48:00.007+02:00

Except for a couple of rainy days, June was a fantastic month to drink those wonderful summer beers like golden lagers or wheat. And of the latter, there were several and all excellent. Starting, of course, with the every day better and more popular Primátor Weizen. Both bottled and draught it's a beer that has nothing to envy its German counterparts. On a more crafty side, I tasted the superb Pšeníčné from Pivovar Strahov. Mild, but unctuous body, very refreshing banana and cinnamon notes with a deliciously sour finish with a touch of cream. At 59Kc for a half litre (yeah, when they want, they can serve half litre glasses) it's not cheap, but worth it. Also down my gullet went the almost tropical Weizen from Ječmínek Prostějov. A beer almost ideal to pair with a rather spicy lunch.

Ah! But that's not it. During the minifestival at Zlý Časy there were, not one, but two wheat beers. Purmistr Weissbier, from the brand new brewpub of Pilsen, and Duchmaus Weissbier from Stříbro, this one actually a bit of an oddball, since it was bottom fermented. Anyway, they were both lovely. And if all that wasn't enough, Pivovarský Dum premiered their Dunkles Weizen, its taste, ripe bananas with a burnt sugar finish. Nice beer for dessert.

Not everything was wheat, of course. Kocour Vandorf's Stout almost blows my brain with its bitter Belgian chocolate taste. Simply outstanding, more so if we consider that its creator is actually a young girl fresh out of secondary school. How about that?

I stopped by at Chýně, where I hadn't been too long for my own good. Apart from awarding my senses with that unmatchable desítka, I delighted myself with their Vienna Lager 14°, a beer a body nicer than a Czech supermodel, silky texture and balanced flavours that danced between caramel and dry herbs. Oh! And I was almost forgetting about it. At Chýně I also bought a bottle of their Pšeníčné. As with every other one brewed by this magic brewpub, this wheat beer was simply wonderful, even after a couple of days in the fridge in its PET bottle.

Among the golden lagers it is worth mentioning (apart from Richter Ležák, that was in top shape this month, as was Štěpán) the deliciously hoppy Moritz Ležák, or Stříbro Argent, a perfect lager for a hot day, flowery nose, dry with a texture typical of an unfiltered beer. I must not forget either, Purkmistr Ležák with a delicate balance between caramel and herbal notes and Kout na Šumavě. This Pilsner style lager, which was debuting in Prague, has become a bit of a legend in a very short time. The expectations fell short for this remarkably excellent beer. Fruit notes struggling with the most flowery Saaz in each sip. At the end, it is the hops that win, conquering our palate and our hearts.

Honestly, I don't know whom to give the award to. All the above mentioned deserve it. So, as it was the case last month, there are multiple winners, with maybe a special nudge to the wheat beers. It's their season.

Na Zdraví!!

PS: During June I tasted 28 different beers, 20 of which were absolutely new to me. What a great month! The total for the year, 196.

Out of tune

2008-06-27T17:27:00.003+02:00

This is an entry I should have written long ago. The reason why I didn't do it before is that when I went to visit Louis Armstrong I wasn't carrying my cammera, so I promised myself I would go back some day and make photos of the place.

I never did.

Why? You might be asking.

That visit was a distaster. I decided to go to Armstrong because it must be one of the few places in town that stock Litovel, beers with which I wasn't very acquainted. It has two branches, both in Vinohrady, both in quiet streets. I chose the one in Manesová because it was the most convenient for me at the time.

I liked the decoration very much. To many, it might be a bit too much on the kitch side, but I found the jazz theme kind of amusing. When I walked in I took a few seconds to admire the décor. I spotted a table for two in one corner and there I was heading when one of the waiters with a pose, attitude and speaking like a bouncer at a posh disco (though much, much smaller in frame) asked me if I wanted anything. "To have lunch", I answered. Then he asked me if I was alone and when my answered was affirmative, he escorted me to the table I had previously chosen. For a moment I felt like sitting at a nearby table for four, to see his reaction, but I was hungry I couldn't be bothered with the trouble.

His colleague, with a slightly less bullish attitude, brought the menu. Good price, in those days the lunch menu went for 69Kc that would buy you a soup, main course from a choice of four and a drink, which included a small beer.

I went for a classic. Fried mushrooms with potatoes and tartar sauce. The soup that day was a pea cream, nothing remarkable, but did the job. The main course, on the other hand, was awful. The mushrooms were tasteless and the sauce watery, but the medal goes to the potatoes. Is it possible to ruin something so simple as boiled potatoes? It seems that it is in Louis Armstrong. They were so rubbery that I think I could have played a game of squash with them. Maybe there were part of a batch the the late trumpetist cooked on a visit to Prague, because they certainly weren't fresh.

Service didn't improve much during the meal. After I got tired of eating those rubber balls, I put the plate on the side and got no response. Even after I finished my beer neither of them came to ask if I wanted anything else. I am a patient person and I know that sometimes, when the place is really full, it is hard for the service to be on top of everything, even more if you are sitting in some remote corner of the restaurant. But here I was in plain view, and only a couple of tables were taken. The blokes had simply decided to ignore me. Can it be that they don't like long haired men with beards?

If only the beer had been fine. But no, keeping in rythm with the place, it was also horrible. Litovel Premium, pale gold, too much carbonation (I would blame that on the place) and pretty much nothing that could be called a distinctive flavour. Best word to describe it, Eurolager.

For several months I told myself that I would give it another chance, that I should go to the branch in Čermákova, not far from Nám. Míru. But after reading and hearing less than flattering comments about these restaurants, I thought it would be better to save some Crowns and stay with the first, and very bad, impression.

To be avoided

Louis Armstrong
Italská 30 y Čermákova 4
Praga 2

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The Golden Spring

2008-06-24T17:55:00.005+02:00

This is another one of those beers that I didn't like at the beginning, that I always tried to avoid. Zlatopramen 11° was in the list of my least favourite beers. But as it was the case with Platan, at some point something changed for the better and I stopped running away from it.

Zlatopramen is the flagship brand of Drinks Union, Heineken's brand new asset, joining Krušovice and Starobrno. It was actually this beer that started the trend of jedenáctký. Now, there are only a handful of breweries that don't make a 11°balling beer, in many cases they are almost indistiguishable from the 10° or 12°. Such was the market success of this beer that made Zlatopramen, once some sort of cheaper version of Březňák, be favoured by DU's people. Much is owed to the advertising campaigns and the slogan "O stúpen lepši" (a degree better). This is a beer that aims to compete with the most popular desítký, nothing too ambitious in quality terms.

The other day I fancied drinking something different with lunch at home. I was nearby one of the outlets of one of the local supermarket chains and I decided to go it to see what they had. I wasn't surprised (neither happy) to see that it's easier to find imported rubbish like Heineken, Stella Artois or even Corona (?!?!) than Czech regional beers. I took a bottle of Zlatopramen 11° because it had been a long time since I'd drunk it last.

When pouring down it builds a nice head, that stays there for quite long. The colour is deep gold, and has very little carbonation. A pretty handsome beer. On the nose I felt some mild caramel playing together with equally mild sweet cream notes, all as some sort of garnish for fruit like pineapple. It goes in mostly fruity and caramelly, and it ends in a more bitter herbal note, very pleasant I would say. It's not a beer I would actively seek, but I wouldn't walk away from it if I was thirsty on a Summer day. Neither would I put any objections if someone suggests it as a session beer.

The biggest mystery is what will happen with this beer, and the others from Drinks Union, once Heineken finally takes control. I hope they go the Starobrno's way and not the Staropramen's.

Na Zdraví!

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Well connected

2008-06-17T14:35:00.005+02:00

At first sight Privní Pivní Tramvaj (First Beer Tram) might look like a dive, and maybe at second and third sight as well. It's located right next to the last stop of tram 11, in Spořilov, the northern end of that monument to twisted Communist social mentality that is Jizní Město, an endless forest of paneláky that can bring down even the most upbeat character. It can't be any further from the tourist crowds.

After gathering a bit of courage and walking in, we can see that, what looked like any other of the millions of Gambáč pubs, is actually something much more interesting. We can notice a very particular atmophere. It's a small place, its chairs are actually benches rescued from old trams and the walls are decorated with paintings and rock posters. It's eeriely quiet in the afternoon, you can almost start to miss the almost dispossed local drunkard loosing his last coins at the fruit machine while cheap vodka, but that's just for a second or two.

Surprises don't end there, though. Beer is what brought me to this SPP hospoda of 2006. Of course they tap something else and better than the usual stuff from Pilsen, I wouldn't have gone all the way there if not. There is Primátor Weizen at 26Kc for a very well drafted pint. That might be enough, but there's more; the fourth tap. This pub must be the pioneer of the rotating taps in Prague. Anything can be found there, on my last visit they had Opat 12° kvasnicové, a very fruity light amber beer that can be almost chewed.

It's really worth going all the way there. I don't think the service speaks any language other than Czech, but they are really friendly and I don't think they will mind a few barbarians visiting in small numbers.

První Pivní Tramwaj

Tram 11 - Spořilov

opens at 2PM

Choose your preferred Prague hotels and get free transport.

Weekend flash

2008-06-14T17:02:00.003+02:00

For those in Prague between June 20 and 22 who want to taste some good beers, I recommend you make it to Zlý Časy. They will be tapping beers from Plzeňský Kraj, some of which have never seen the light in the capital.

The represented breweries will be:

Chodovar
Kout na Šumavě (that according to Evan Rail brews the best Pilsner Lager in Czech Rep.)
Střibro
Dobřany
Pukrmistr
U rytíře Lochoty
Lotr
and if there is space, that Urquell one

Each will have to beers that will rotate in the 7-9 taps.

I won't miss it this time

Na Zdraví!

Something is changing

2008-06-13T10:53:00.000+02:00

I really like cafés, but the old fashioned ones. I don't like at all those with plastic or metal furniture, LCD screens on the walls that only play MTV, and with a decoration that seems to have been designed by a robot. Fortunately, in Prague, there are still several, and very good, ones from the others.

Dobrá Trafika is one of them. It has two branches, one in Malá Strana and the other one in Vinohrady. Both are well known, but I'm sure there are many who have walked by the door without taking a second look at them. That's because in the front there is a "trafika", basically a news agent, where you can also buy tobacco, alcohol, etc. However, both have a room in the back, and there is were the café works.

Dobrá Trafika has been one of my favourite cafés for some time already. It has many things that make it ideal to sit down in the afternoon to relax a little while reading a good book. The decoration is of the kind I like the most at a café. Old and worn out mismatching furniture, improvised looking accessories and pictures that looked like something out of an old man's attic, and blues or jazz in a moderate volume as soundtrack. It's one of those places where you can loose track of time, the somewhat slow and informal service helps in this. And for coffee lovers, it is also a pretty interesting place to visit, they offer coffees from around the world at nice prices (33Kc for a cup of Ethiopian coffee). They also have a wide variety of teas, some snacks and sweets, wine and, of course, beer.

And it's beer what I wanted to talk about (surprise!). They always had Gambrinus and Pilsner Urquell in bottles. Obviously it wasn't the beer what kept me going there, but there were a few times when if I'd had something more decent to choose from, I would have stayed a bit longer after finishing my cup of New Guinea coffee, or maybe to wash down the nakladaný hermelín that I sometimes fancied, and that I invariably ended up eating somewhere else.

Things changes a few months ago. Tired of the increasing mediocrity of Gambáč (believe me, they aren't alone), the owners decided to change the brand. In an act of wisdom, instead of stocking any other of the big brands or, worse still, and imported eurolager, they decided for the beers from Primátor. The whole line can be bought bottled, and in the Malá Strana branch, you have a choice of three on tap, Světlý Ležák 12°, the brilliant Polotmavé 13° (this must be the only place tapping it in Prague) and the increasingly popular Weizen.

And so it was that the other day, during a break in the afternoon, I decided to stop by the Malá Strana branch. It was rather warm and very sticky. From the entrance to the café I spotted an empty table in one corner of the patio, and there I went. I ordered a Poltomavé 13°. It felt so good on a day like that. Primátor beers bottled can be very good, but some of them get even better when on tap, perhaps because they aren't pasteurised. That amber lager is one of them. It's got a fuller body and a more citrusy finish, delicious for a summer afternoon.

It was followed by Weizen, which has slowly become one of my favourite beers. It's sweeter than the German wheat beers, and that makes it very good for those who want to start exploring these family. I drank it with a nakladaný hermelín. Having lived already six years in Prague, during which I must have eaten hundreds of these marinated cheeses all over town, I fancy myself as a connoisseur. I liked that, when I first ordered, the waitress didn't want to sell it because, as she said, they had just put it to marinade. However, she came back shortly after to tell me that they had another jar, and if I still wanted it, I could have one. The hermoš had a very nice presentation and a lot of oregano. It wasn't bad, but a couple more days in the jar woudln't have hurt. Anyway, it went really well with my Weizen.

Really, being able to sit metres from the rat race of the centre, in such a quiet place, ejoying such good beers at a good price (31KC/0.5l) it simply great.

But Dobrá Trafika is not the only case in Prague. Logos from small breweries are being seen more and more often, more pubs and restaurants are starting to stock lesser known beers. Brands that before were only known by a minority are starting to show up in supermarket chains. Are we in the first moments of a slow revolution? Is this the hour when the owners of restaurants, cafés and pubs start to realise that they don't have to stock rubbish such as Stella Artois in order to be modern and different? Let´s hope so, and let´s also hope that the Czech consumer finally opens their eyes and sees what they were missing, and what they will miss if they don't start supporting the smaller breweries a bit more. The same goes for foreign residents and visitors.

Dobrá trafika v KORUNNÍ
Korunní 42
Prague 2

Dobrá trafika na ÚJEZDĚ
Újezd 37
Prague 1

We had to wait so long

2008-06-09T16:12:00.005+02:00

Pražský Most u Valšu is the newest brewpub in Prague. We had to wait long for it. Its opening was planned for the end of last year, but a series of technical and bureaucratic problems resulted in their beers not seeing the light until a couple of weeks ago.

They didn't make much of a fuss about it. I think the owners were afraid of announcing the "opening" and then another problem would come up. Fortunately for them, though, u Valšu is a restaurant that has been open for quite some time already, so the business was not much affected and things were more or less normal (except, maybe, for the constant questions about the kettles in the cellar or when the beer would be ready). Even before their beer was ready I had visited it a couple of times. They were already a sort of rarity in the neighbourhood since they stocked Rohozec and Březňák, which are reason enough to drop by every now and then. Still, I wanted to wait for the brewery to be fully working before writing a review about it.

And there I went, full of expectations. Despite being metres from Betlemské Nám. and its historical church (that is where Jan Hus started his reformist preaching), the place was almost empty at lunch time. I went straight to the cellar, followed by a smiley and friendly waitress who took my order.

The beer came quickly, I also ordered something for lunch. I really fancied Svíčkova, even though it was quite warm outside. They had it as one of the lunch specials, the waitress was really great in drawing my attention to it, I had ordered it from the regular menu, where it costs 115Kc, whereas the lunch special went for 85Kc and included soup.

The soup was a pea cream with bits of smoked meat, it was alright. Done with that, it was the turn of the Svíčkova na smetaně. It's one of my favourites, but here at u Valšu, at least this day, it was prepared in the best tourist trap style. The sauce was watery, almost flavourless. It actually tasted more like UHO (universalní hnědá omačka - universal brown sauce) without salt or spice than the classic sauce made with root vegetables and cream.

The beer? Nothing to write home about either. It leaves so much to be desired, if craft beer is what we are talking about. Comparing isn't always fair, but in this case is valid; so I will compare U Valšu's Světlý Ležák (the only one they had) with those of Pivovarský Dům and Richter. It can't hold a candle to them, actually, it couldn't even sit at the same table. I would even put it several steps behind Novomětský Pivovar's. It's got a nice body, yes, but not enough of it either. The flavours are too mild and finish is a fleeting glimpse. At moments it gave me the impression that I was drinking a nice industrial 11°, and not something out of a microbrewery with 5hl capacity.

I will go back in a month or two to see how it has evolved. I wasn't at all impressed by the first round. And I was even less impressed by the fact that there was only one beer to choose from (apart from the above mentioned industrial ones).

But to be fair, it should be mentioned that Pražský Most u Valšu, thanks to its location and atmosphere, could easily be a tourist trap. However, the prices are moderate. 30Kc for a pint in Old Town is not at all bad. I just hope their beer improves.

Na Zdraví!

Pražský Most u Valšu
Betlémská 5
Praha 1 - Staré Město
rezervace@prazskymost.cz

We all win

2008-06-06T10:05:00.003+02:00

May was a brilliant month in terms of beer. I started it sampling the very good Spanish beers that my friend Andrés sent me, and finished it at the Festival. Between that there were the unconvincing beers from Erdinger and a couple of very forgettable Polish beers. There was also some new stuff, Majové Polotmavé 13° from Pivovar Louny, a very tasty beer, new in the market (I reckon) and that gives some hopes that the new Dutch owners will keep this pivovar open. It reminded me a bit of Primátor polotmavé, with just a bit more caramel in it. Nice beer to sit down and sip slowly. And what can I say about Bock 16° from Richter. They make some really nice German style beers there at U Bulovky. This one was an amber with a creamy white crown. Its nose mixed apple, caramel and mint. The caramel dominated the palate, together with some bitter nose, somewhat like burnt sugar. The caramel continued in the finish, now joined by citrus notes. All that with a permanent subtone of apples. Delicious.

I was also able to enjoy the much awaited Majový Kozlík 16°, another May Bock, this one from Pivovarský Dům. Also amber, but with ochre sparkles. The nose also had caramel, this time mixed with sour fruits. The taste was glorious, started fruity, turned caramelly and finished herbal, the end of each fading into the beginning of next one. Glorious.

In any other month Kozlík would easily collect the award, but not in May 2008. This month the winner is not one, nor two beers, but the beers from small breweries that took part in the festival. Not because of their quality (which was not lacking), nor for the novelty (though I had a couple I'd never tasted before), but fact of having been the most popular ones. The beers from the big brewers could only watch with resentment how most of the festival's visitors avoided them to taste something new, more interesting and, in many cases, of better quality. It's still too soon to celebrate, but if that was the beginning of a market trend, then we will all be the winners.

Na Zdraví!

I was almost forgetting about the count. During may I drank 35 beers that I hadn't tasted this year, some of them, never before. That makes a total of 168 different beers so far in 2008.

Choose your preferred Prague hotels and get free transport.

Second round

2008-06-02T17:08:00.006+02:00

Just as I had promised myself the other day, I made my second visit to Pivní Festival Praha. This time the weather was a lot nicer, pretty warm and with a lot of sunshine. Ideal to sit and have a few beers under the shade of leafy trees.

I got there early, again, there was a bit more people than the previous Friday. I went around a little to make some pictures and noticed that most of the stands were already open, and were offering a rather wide assortment of food and merchandising.

Not being able to score a free pint this time, without further ado, I headed towards the K Brewing tent. Big was my surprise when I noticed that the tent had been expanded to the neighbouring one, which the first few days had offered only Staropramen and Braník. Svijany, Platan and Janaček had been now joined by Herold. I took a seat and ordered a pint of excellent Herold Polotmavé 13° to drink while I waited for one of my mates, who was already on his way.

I enjoyed the beer slowly and noticed that, already that early, there was more people at the small breweries' tents (the two mentioned above, plus Konrad's). Actually, the only people that were at SAB-Miller's and Budvar's seemed to be tourists o Scottish football fans.

My friend Mark arrived, we had each a pint of the brilliant Herold Tmavé 13° and went to the Konrad's tent. It had been a while since I drank any of their beers, and I had never tasted Jocker, a gold lager brewed at 14°balling that didn't really make it. I found it a bit out of balance, with the added sugar overwhelming a fruity bitterness that, had it been stronger, would have made this beer a great one. I didn't think too much of their 11°, again, the sugar. Anyway, we both enjoyed the service at that tent. They were really friendly with broad smiles and spoke a more than acceptable English when they heard us speak in that language.

We moved to the original K Brewing tent. We wanted to have some Rohozec, Černá Hora and Jihlava. All the time talking about how most people seemed to be at these tents, avoiding the others as if it was bad luck to go there.

Soon we were joined my friend Eric and Evan Rail, and later my queen. What can I say, we had a great time. We moved between tents, we had really a lot of very good beer. I also had the chance to have a short chat with one of the organisers, Max Munson. He gave me a press accreditation that, unfortunately, I wasn't able to use. Pity I didn't get it before.

There had been changes in one week. The offer from the small breweries had been expanded, as well as the space dedicated to them, taking it away from the big boys. The ironies of life. Ten years ago Staropramen was about to close down Svijany, now they were sharing a tent where surely, the very good beers from North Bohemia were outselling the very deficient ones from Smíchov.

The policy for ordering food had also been modified. There was no need anymore to go to another tent to get it. The servers will bring your order just as in every restaurant.

I found the service efficient and friendly. The taps of the small breweries were now properly tagged and there none of the mistakes of the first days (at least not while I was sober enough to notice). One of the problems that I had heard and read many say, the slowness of the service, had apparently been solved by dividing the six breweries that, at the beginning, were in one tent.

I haven't got any figures, but to me, and regardless of criticisms, the first edition of the Czech Beer Festival Prague was a success. The organisers showed that they are able to put together an event of this size without any major problems, and also that they are smart and flexible people. They quickly realised the popularity of the small breweries and acted accordingly, giving them more space and offering more.

There are of course several aspects to improve. Here are some of the things I would like to see next year:
- Free entrance, at least until 7 or 8PM. With the level of prices once inside, charging 120CZK just for getting in make no sense. During the week, when I had a long break, I really fancied stopping by there to have a couple of beers, the admission fee made me change my mind. I wonder how many more people thought the same.
- Cheaper food. I might be asking too much here. But 156CZK for guláš is way too much. As is 195CZK for a 200g portion of roasted steer, which I tasted and didn't think it was worth that much. And I'm not so sure about the price tag for the soups. We had kyselo (a sour vegetable and potato cream soup) and gulašova, they weren't bad, and they came in a loaf of pretty good bread, but if it hadn't been for the limitations of the tolar system, they should have been cheaper.

- More small breweries, specially Bernard and Primátor (the biggest absentee). This seems to be already a fact.
- Evan would like the multinationals to be dropped. I don't agree. Whether we like it or not, Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and the local brands of Heineken are an important part of the Czech brewing world and they must be there. Of course, with a lot less space and maybe even sharing one tent.
- It's not entirely the organisers' responsibility, but I would really like to see more official support. Beer is national drink here and it is an important part of popular culture. However, the event wasn't even mentioned in Czech Tourism and only the mayor's visit at the opening received some space in the website of Prague's City Hall.

The real winners of the festival were the small breweries, and thus, the consumers. The tents where they were tapped were the most popular by far. People told me they actually had to wait to get a table when they went, while there were plenty of free seats in the other tents. As mentioned before, the relatively high price played in favour of these beers. Not many are willing to pay 39CZK for a pint of Gambrinus when it can be found at every corner, and cheaper. But when we are talking about something little known or totally unknown and (after having drunk one) of better quality, the price doesn't seem so high anymore.

Svijany, Platan, Konrad, Herold, Janáček, Jihlava, Černá Hora, Rakovník and Rohozec proved that, when everybody plays with the same rules, has the same conditions and opportunities, regardless of size and marketing budgets, can put up a good fight if not outright beat the biggest breweries in the Czech Republic.

It has been a fine celebration of Czech Beer. Let's hope next year's will be better

Na Zdraví!