Day Two in Prague: Vinohrady

 Today I decided to visit some places I missed on my last couple of trips.

First stop was Výčep, the Dalešice taproom in Prague.

Only three beers on tap today. They call this a tap room but it really is a restaurant with Dalešice beers.

I started with the Dalešické 11⁰. This was also my first outdoor beer. My biggest complaint here is they serve .4l mugs instead of the traditional .5l -- but you pay .5L prices. Good job, if you can get it.

Reading the coaster, I realized the Dallas 13º was an IPL with American hops. So I had one.

Even if you don't read Czech you can make out the hops: Cascade, Citra & Galaxy. A little taste of home.

Up the street a few blocks is Vinohradský Pivovar, the best brewpub in Prague (in my opinion)

Five beers on tap today, more that I remembered. Choice is always good.

The upper level was pretty full with the lunch crowd. There were tables with only one or two people I could have joined but in these pandemic days I'm not too comfortable doing that. So I went downstairs. On the way you can see the brewery.

I decided on their Jedenáctka (11⁰) Man, I love this beer. It's almost too pretty to drink.

Almost. Many think this is the best beer brewed in Prague. The argument is simplified because Unětice is just outside the city limits.

The soup of the day was cabbage and sausage -- seemed a good match.

Yesterday I provoked a Twitter discussion about the difference between a Polotmavý ("Half dark" usually translated as "Amber") and a Vienna lager (usually called Jantarová, which is also translated as "Amber"). The consensus from people far more knowledgable than I was that the Czech Vienna Lagers were almost always nearly 100% Vienna malt. I have had a couple in the past, one from Hostomice which was maybe the best beer I've ever had in Prague, and I think one from Unětice that was also great.

So when I realized Vinohradský had one on, I couldn't pass it up,

The Vinohradský Jantarová 13⁰ was definitely a Czech Maltshake...

The lunch crowd had cleared out. So I did too

Walking down to the next place, I came across a plaque. I think it says he drank on beer on this site, or something. Your daily, non-beer culture.

I was heading to Pivo a Párek but there was a conflict in their opening times on Facebook and their website. Turns out the later time was correct. So I had an hour or so to kill. A little further down the street was a tap room for Švihlý krám, a local brewery run by a Belgian born (and trained) brewer.  It turns out the tap room was closed and the site was a bottle shop. He did have some Švihlý krám beers and would loan me a glass but they were 750ml bottles and of Belgian strength, so I passed.

So I still had time to kill when I saw this sign.

Turns out it was a Venezuelan restaurant. With Unětice. Tell me more.

They had both the 10º and 12º and even side pull taps. Who'd a thunk it?  I asked if I could just have a beer and he said yes.

I ordered the 12º and decided to sit inside, listening to the music and enjoying the aromas. The picture is backlit and if I was a better technical photographer I could have fixed it. But I wanted to drink. The color was normal.

My this time it was past the later opening time at Pivo a Párek (Beer and Sausage) so I headed there.

They had 5 beers on tap. 

I thought about the Mariupol -- there was a sign saying profits went to support Ukrainian refuges -- I've seen that at a number of pubs -- but it was fairly strong so I went with the Flamendrák 11º

In retrospect I should have tried the France 13º -- I realized the note said it was brewed with French hops (I used to brew with French Strisselspalt hops back in the day I like them), The 11º was fairly bland. Nothing wrong, but not as good as the other beers I've had.

I asked the bar lady to bring me a sausage with the beer. Her English and my (non-existant) Czech were good enough to find out more than it was from a small Czech butcher.

Whatever it was called, it was delicious. When I cut into it, the interior was sort of a radioactive red and I was worried it was too spicy -- I like spicy but this early in the trip I try to avoid too much spice.

A short walk over to for aVery nice. By myself in the back room because the front room is packed with people watching hockey: CZK vs GER. They get quite excited...

Another shortish walk brought me to Černá Svině (Black Swine) that opened up just after my last visit.

Eight beers on tap today

I chose the Vycpaná Vydra 12⁰ from Pivovar Kostelec. I was relegated to the back room \ because the front room is packed with people watching hockey: CZK vs GER. They get quite excited...

The back room is quite large.

I thought about having another, but I still had places on my list. So I hopped a tram to Dno Pytle. The tram stops directly in front, which is nice but it does block the picture.

A number of taps were dry (I've noticed this a lot this trip)

I settled on the Zichovec Krahulik 10⁰. I glanced at the Support Ukraine beer but a barleywine was too much.

They used to be known for having Franconian beers on tap, but I understand they lost the connection to whomever was bringing them to Prague. The wifi password will make Franconian beer fans smile as well.

It is a cozy little pub (though there is a large back room). It had been too long since my last visit.

Another short tram ride and a walk took me to Decentní Dýně 

Six beers on tap

Unětice is the mainstay and its been a while since I had the 10.7º -- it was Stockholm I think, the last beer I had with my late friend Gunner Ericksson.

On my first look I said 'oh no!" -- that is not a clean glass. And it was not a clean beer. Even though it was 90 minutes or so since they opened, I think that was the first pour of the day and he hadn't drained the lines. Normally I would send it back but I was late to meet a friend of friend so I just left it. I will give them another chance but I would say they are on probation.

I headed back to the tram and so was at Beer Geek to meet a friend of a friend, They had just finished a tap takeover from the Polish brewery Pinta and it seemed a convenient  meeting place.

Sadly, for me, not a lot of Czech lagers on the list. The one from Sibeeria (which is owned by the same person who owns BeerGeek) I had yesterday. So I decided to try the Grodziskie. I had tasted one brewed by Jopen based on a historical recipe, and it was good. So I thought it worth a try.

It could have been my taste buds tired out, but I was underwhelmed. It was best described as bland -- no smoke character, little bitterness.

I had always like the wings at BeerGeek so I ordered the monthly special -- Thai Chili.

I needed another beer and couldn't pass up a Schlenkerla Märzen.

As is usual for me, I find the legged version a little sweeter than the gravity barrels in Bamberg -- but I just be remembering sitting the Schlenkerla tavern and missing that.

On my way home I had one more place to check out.  The former Pivní šenk U Kacíře had closed and reopened as Pražský Floutek.

 

Turns out they only have beers from Pivovarská Uhříněves and there are other places to drink that so passed and went back to my hotel.

Day One in Prague: Nové Město

I can't be 100% sure I staying within the bounds of Nové Město, but I believe most of these pubs are within the bounds

I started off at my favorite place for drinking Pilsner Urquell, Jelínkova Plzeňská Pivnice.

It is a small two room pub. The front room has the taps and a standing bar. The rear room has benches along the walls and tables. I went to the back room and ordered a beer (they only have the one, so it easy)

The do the traditional way of keeping track of your beers, marks on a paper. The beer was good, cold and fresh. So I had another.

 You can tell this is a different picture by the tally on the paper.





Prices sure have gone up Kč 58 per beer. I was outraging until I realized it still is just of $2/beer. Hard to complain, really.

I hopped a tram and soon was at U Šumavy



There is a similar layout -- the front room has the taps and places to set your beer while standing and then a larger rear room with tables.




A few of the taps were dry, which was usual. I decided on the Albrecht 10º




I liked it better than the Hostimice 10º which is unusual for me. It was lunch tine so using Google translate I ordered chicken and mushrooms with rice. Very tasty.





On the way I had passed Pivovarský Dům,  the oldest brewpub in Prague (1998). I knew the Benedict brewery had taken over their sister pub  Pivovarský Club but I didn't realize they had taken over Dům as well

I really like the Benedict 12º so I went in and had one.

It didn't disappoint. I would like to have stayed for another, but there are pubs to visit

I learned later that Pivovarsy Dům will be closing at the end of the month. After a unspecified period of "reconstruction" something new will open in its place. No mention of what, could be a McDonalds for all I know. I hope it is a good beer place but I'm not holding my breath.

A short walk up a hill is the new location of Kulový Blesk

They moved a year or so ago and the new location is smaller, fewer taps and they no longer have a kitchen, which is a shame because they had good food.

Bad Flash is a joint venture between Kulový Blesk and Zlý Časy and they have a lot of Bad Flash beers

Sticking with my goal of no IPA's I chose the Bad Flash světlý ležák12º

Clean and refreshing, I quite enjoyed it. But it was time to move on to the next place.

In the Before Times one of my favorite places was a small pub called Illegal Beer. A year ago or so they surprised everybody in deciding to close. It wasn't (directly) the pandemic, the husband and wife team who owned just decided they wanted to move on.

I was happy to hear that a new pub, Beer and Friends, had opened in the venue.

The interior was pretty much unchanged. The tap list trended a towards what I call "modern" styles, IPAs, sours, flavored beers, etc.

But they had one traditional style, Falkenštejn světlý ležák 11º

It was a fine beer, but probably would rank last today (so far).

A walk down to the nearest tram stop and a short tram ride and another walk and I was at a new place that I just learned about: Mysliš? -- yes the question mark is part of the name.

It didn't really look open but the door was unlocked and I went in. I gather the person who was supposed to open up hadn't made it and the called in a backup. It was almost an hour after posted opening time but they were still getting set up. But they were serving.

They were coming off of a Sibeeria Tap Takeover so choices were limited.  I hope to be visiting the Sibeeria brewery on Monday so I would have like more choices but that is life :)

If you've been paying attention you'll know what I had: the Sibeeria Everyday Life světlý ležák 12º

They have a very interesting layout of the taps.

The interior is a bit between living room comfortable and Industrial Chic. The main table is supported from the celling 

All in all, I liked it and will certainly return on another trip.

On the way back I passed U Medvídků, which is Budweiser Budvar place, with their own small brewery in the back. They cater to tourists and I find the service often to range from indifferent to surly, so I haven't been in awhile. They tried the scam of saying "Welcome to Prague" and offering a shot of Becherovka but it wasn't free and if you took it, you were charged an excessive price.

However, my stomach said "feed me" so I went in for a beer and dinner.

The beer was in good shape and I didn't see the scam so maybe they got the hint. I ordered the goulash for dinner and it was tasty but not really hot (temperature wise)

The beer is served from tanks (Tankovna) which are on display on the way to the restrooms.

I thought about stopping for a night cap at Minirest, but as the tram passed I could see in the door and somebody was sitting on my barstool so I took it as a sign and called it a night.

Arrived in Prague

After a number of delays I finally arrived in Prague. I had arranged a driver from Prague Airport Transit ,(which I highly recommend if you need a ride to or from the airport). I'd had this driver many times and his first comments "So Fred, you're finally back in town for some beer?"

After checking in and resting for a bit, I headed out for a beer or three. First stop Hostomická Nalévárna, one of Hostomice taprooms in Prague,

A tiny, two room pub they always have at least 3 Holomice beers on draft (10º and 12º pale lagers and a 14º dark lager) plus the occasional special brew.

Walking in it was if the past three years hadn't happened -- there was hockey on the TV and many of the same regulars, A few of them even remembered me and came over to talk.

I started off with my favorite, the 12º světlý ležák. It did not disappoint.

Next up the desítka or 10º pale lager. This one had a touch of diacetyli that isn't usually found in the Hostomice beers. Still delicious and very drinkable but not perfect.

I was a bit hungry so I ordered Hermelín -- Camembert like cheese marinated in oil with peppers and onions, This is a common Czech pub snack as it doesn't require refrigeration or cooking. It hit the spot

I decided I might as well try the third beer, the Tmavý 14º. It did not disappoint.

I thought about having another 12º but decided to move on. But I didn't make it out the door without sharing shots of Becherovka (Czech herbal spirit) with the bartender.

Back towards my hotel was a place with the unusual name of Minerest.

A friend had stumbled upon it just after my last trip to Prague. A one room pub with seven beers on draft. It had been raining when I left the hotel so I had a jacket with me. When I came up to the bar I set the jacket on the bar. The bartender immediately should a string of Czech which I am sure translated to "Were you born in a barn? Hang up your jacket over there" while she pointed at a coat rack. Made me feel right at home.

 

I ordered the Rampušak 12º Světlý Ležák kvasnicový nefiltrovaný. (unfiltered and kräusened)

The mug unfortunately was from a different brewery -- they lose a style point on that. The beer was nice, fairly soft and tasty but not up to Hostomice standards -- but then again few beers are.

I thought it interesting that 6 of the taps where "regular" but the Pilsner Urquell was on a side pull tap. You could see one drawback to side pulls -- they take up more space, otherwise they could have 8 beers on tap.

I was enjoying myself, so I ordered the Lambert 12º Polotmavý ("half dark" == amber)

It was a little on the bland side -- nothing objectionable but didn't excite me. It could have been my jet lagged taste buds were giving out. I decided to move on.

Minirest is about half a block from the Masarykovo nádraží train station (lots of commuter rail) and they have schedule board above the door. So you know if you have time for one more before your train.

Around the corner from Minirest in a new place called PULT. It is owned by the Ambiente group, the people behind the Lokál chain.

They have 9 beers on tap. I believe the first.6 are relatively fixed.

I've had many Matruška beers but never the Dvanáctka (12º( so I ordered one

A very nice beer.  There were some interesting kegs that I assume were coming up next...

When I ordered the beer, the bartender asked if I wanted anything to eat. I pointed to a sausage thingy and asked what that was. He looked confused, as in why am I even asking. "That's a hot dog."  Oh. I ordered one anyway...

It was good 

I was looking at the bottles in the display fridge behind the bar when a familiar label jumped out.

But then I saw it was the Schlenkerla Weizen so I passed and called it a night.

Beer Trip Underway!

It has been over two years since I did a solo beer trip, So I am excited to be spending 9 days in Prague followed by 3 in Amsterdam.

 

In the three years since I was last in Prague I have added over 30 places to my “To Do List.” Add in at least a dozen or so old favorites and that is a daunting task for my aged liver. I will try to visit as many as I can but I’m sure I’ll have to come to continue the research project.

 

The first beer of the trop was an IPA from 2 Row Brewing of Utah, in the Delta SkyClub at Salt Lake City Airport. A very nice beer but to be honest, it did not entice me to delay or cancel the trip to Prague.

 

 

 

If you are planning your own trip to Prague, please check out my website Beer Guide Prague — or search for the app in the Apple or Google Play App Store.