Czech It Out

I was in London in late May. Just a couple of days visit to see what the (junk) mail mountain in Tandleman Towers (South) was like - considerable - and to make sure the gaff was still standing and in good order. There wasn't too much time for beer really, but there was an opportunity to call in on their opening day at Pivo, a new joint selling Czech beer at the Clerkenwell end of Old Street, which was a pity in some ways, as we'd just had lunch near the more traditional Old Street Roundabout end. At least it walked some of that off. But I digress.

This is a modern looking two roomed establishment with contemporary rather than traditional furniture, a big bar, large windows and a downstairs area, which you could describe either as cosy, or claustrophobic, depending on your sensibilities.  We chose upstairs and were rewarded with good views of the whole room. Service was quick and pleasant considering that it was the first couple of hours of opening, the choice of beers was good and rather unusual. Prices were very fair indeed, ranging from around £5.50 to £7 or so a pint, for beers that you won't usually encounter, plus Budvar, which you will.

We stayed for three and a bit of people watching. Quite a mixed bunch, but of course, few conclusions can be drawn from an opening day crowd. Many seemed to be East European, and maybe such émigrés will find a happy home there, but I would certainly imagine that I'll be calling in again too, as should you. The beers are good enough for that, even if the ambience was a little difficult to read, but as I said, allowances had to be made.

 So. Rare Czech beer at reasonable prices, and a pub review from me. What's not to like? 

I note some misery guts have complained  that the measures aren't full pints. I must say, I didn't notice, but then again, I like my beer with a traditional head.  Not sure what to make of the 12.5% service charge, though I just noticed it today!

We had intended to call at the - new to me - Farringdon Tap, but after Pivo and our preceding very filling lunch at Blackstocks, Shoreditch, a lie down was more in order. Next time, hopefully.

This really is late, but I am slowly catching up with a few things.

Getting Tanked Up

There has been a bit of talk recently about a new fad about to hit the UK.  Well hit some of the trendy, hipsterish parts thereof.  The fad is tank beer.  Now us older chaps can well remember awful tank beer in the seventies and eighties.  It was dire, tasteless, ice cold and probably made with floor sweepings.  It wasn't generally pasteurised and arrived on the back of very odd looking tanker/drays to be pumped into Grundy tanks in pub cellars.   These inexpensive, mass produced tanks, were produced in the 60's and 70's for directly dispensing carbonated beer from pub cellars.  On removal, as the cask conditioned revolution displaced them, they were snapped up by the nascent and burgeoning micro brewing sector as cheap, ready made, fermentation and conditioning/bright beer vessels. Might still be in use here and there still.

I read that Meantime are to the fore in this and you know, when it comes to their keg beers, they might be on to something in terms of freshness.  One place that has been  re-introducing tank beer for some time is the Czech Republic and I remember well on my previous visit around five years ago, legging round to sample the beer in the few places that sold it.  Fast forward five years and the craze has spread, if not like wildfire, at a steady pace.  Tankovna pubs sell beer from stainless steel tanks that hold ten hectolitres of brew held in a plastic envelope within. and steadily held at between 8 and 10ºC.  Beer is pushed out of the tank by air pressure, not in contact with the beer, which tastes remarkably and noticeably fresher, more rounded and tastier.

On my recent visit, we were fortunate to be within a three minute walk of one of the newest and finest outlets for Pilsner Urquell Tankovna beer. Lokal is a large, narrow beer hall, with a small bar at the front and two very long and large rooms behind, the furthest of which is mercifully no smoking.  The beer is remarkably good, with a rounded mouthfeel, medium carbonation, good hopping and is very moreish.  Lokal is mainly a Czech haunt and the beer is brought to you, without asking, as your glass empties, with the beers being marked off on a card covered in printed tankards.  When you have had enough, you simply decline and your bill will be totted up by the somewhat gruff but efficient waitresses.

Should you fancy the Budvar version, a good place to try it is U Medvídků where I first tried it years ago and where we lunched one day.  To me though, and I'm surprised to say it, the PU version was better.  You can also with ease seek out Krušovice, Gambrinus and Staropramen versions for comparison's sake, though you might want to avoid the Gambrinus one in the Old Town (pictured) where, to say the least,  some assiduity could be applied to measure.  Well short in other words.

So.  Tank beer making a comeback?  May not be a bad thing if done correctly.



The great thing about all these places is being able to view the tanks in situ. They are actually rather lovely, though a bit like Thomas the Tank Engine.

You Can't Sit There

A few weeks ago in London, in Craft Islington to be precise, a few of us encountered that most annoying and anti social of things in a public house.  There, in the middle of the afternoon, in a fairly quiet pub - well it was until we arrived - was a sign on a table -  more than one table in fact - "Reserved" it said.

Now I can understand it a bit.  Well just about if it was a gastropub where drinkers are a bloody nuisance, but this is a wet led beer emporium.  Food there is scotch eggs and exotic cold pies. As it happened there was lots of other tables, so it didn't matter.  The sign did though sensibly say that it was reserved from a certain time and that customers could feel free to use it up until that time, but it warned, ominously, that the chairs were part of the reservation.  No nicking them then!   I suppose it is a sign of the times and how middle class pub going in some places has become and is in this case a reflection of just that, as well as time and place. I'm guessing Craft Islington gets busy with hipsters of a Saturday night.  Still seems wrong to me though.  A pub is first come first served in my book.

And so to Prague.  Following up Mr Dredge's recommendation we hoofed out to Restaurace Kulovy Blesk.  It wasn't that hard to find once we'd nicked a wifi signal from Starbucks and as Mark mentioned to me, an unusual place.  The outside beer garden was empty and the bar abandoned, but we went on downstairs to find a neat little old fashioned bar.  We looked around. It was empty, though a barman leapt out from nowhere and ushered us into and through a second room, empty again apart from from two Czech guys talking gloomily over a beer.  All tables except theirs had reserved signs on them.  We were taken into another room with two more beer scoffing denizens.  It wasn't big.  Maybe six tables.  All except one had a reserved sign on it.  E remarked (no English was spoken) that this table for two must be our destination and headed to it. With incredible fleetness of foot, our guide headed her off at the pass and with a triumphant flourish, furnished the only unreserved table with a reserved sign.

Now I could say Dear Reader that I knocked him out at this point and he may be lying there still, but with great forbearance, I didn't.  He turned and went to a closed door.  It was a further small room, with about four tables.  You are ahead of me now aren't you?  All had reserved signs on them, but one tiny table by the door was indicated and the sign removed.  We'd made it.

As Dredgie says, the beers were good and interesting:  Matuška Raptor, Kocour Sumeček, and lagers from Chotiviny and Konrad.  We stayed for a hour and a half, along with the other guys. Well they were there.  The waiter/barman having dealt with the reserved situation to his complete satisfaction, was very pleasant and if the till receipt is to believed, was called Veronika.
 
Nobody else came in the whole time we were there.

We also took up Mr D's other suggestion of Nota Bene, where we ate. Modern, pleasant, good beer, no oddball behaviour. That was the only disappointment.  The bar had been set high by Kulovy Blesk. Both were blessedly non smoking.

Prague

It's five years since I've been to Prague and I dare say things have changed.  I'm off there on Monday for a few days with some of my more cultured friends.  They'll be seeking out classical music and museums and while I'm not agin either, I'll be looking for a decent glass or two.

Now I know some of the usual suspects - sorry highly recommended pubs - and know too that IPAs and God knows what else will abound, which should really interesting,  but I'd like some really good lager too, so I need some more specific advice as follows, if my readers would be so kind:



Where does a decent selection of (non PU and Budvar) lager exists and what should I drink there?

Where can we go for decent beer and food where we won't be smoked out?

Which pubs - even really good ones - are the most smoky and should be avoided on that basis?

What's the best around in the area of Rybna, Praha 1?

Can anyone help?  I'd really be most grateful

I also found 700 Kč in notes in my house.  Hope they haven't changed the currency. Should buy a few beers

Bohemia Regent

Have I mentioned this before? I can't remember, but JW Lees have available to all their pubs and the free trade, rather a good, genuine Czech lager.  The beer is Bohemia Regent Premium, a golden full bodied genuine 5% Czech beer falling into the class of světlý ležák 12. It is now imported directly by JW Lees to the UK.  Having been brewed in the Czech Republic, it is regularly tankered over to Lees to be kegged.  The Regent brewery has been brewing beers since 1379, in the ancient heart of the town of Trebon, in the Czech Republic and there is a rather interesting potted history of the place on their website.

Unfortunately, class counts for little when branding is all. In most JW Lees pubs in our area, the preferred premium tipple is Northampton brewed San Miguel - not even the same strength as that brewed in Spain (5.4%), but a 5% variation of the same. The name however sells it, though I doubt many know it is made in Northampton, nor care if they do.  Fortunately one pub, the Ship Inn, a handsome little pub on the Rochdale Canal and the nearest other Lees pub to my local, does sell Regent and in the proper glassware too. I often make a little detour there to sample the wares. We did so again on Sunday and three pints of this hoppy and bitter, delicious and well balanced brew were just the ticket. It is a firm favourite of my lass too, which makes it a lot easier for her to be persuaded into the Ship.

I don't know what sort of reputation the Regent Brewery enjoys in the Czech Republic, but for me, having a genuine, tasty Czech import on my doorstep, sold at reasonable prices, is good enough. It is though I believe available from Lees nationwide.

More details here.

And no, they didn't pay me for this.

Budweiser Budvar next in InBev's Sights?

With its $52 billion takeover of Anheuser-Busch safely in the bag, one side effect may be that Budweiser Budvar may well become a target for the world's biggest brewing company. InBev inherits more than 100 legal disputes, mostly over versions of the Budweiser trademark, in more than 30 jurisdictions around the globe. Batting for the other side is Czech state-owned brewery Budejovicky Budvar, which has Bud and Budweiser brand trademarks registered in 28 European and 37 non-European countries. Anheuser sells Budweiser in 16 countries and the Bud brand in 15.*

Anheuser and Budvar have fought for solo control of the Budweiser brand for a century, though with more ferocity in the past decade as Budvar’s exports have increased. One way out for InBev would be to buy Budvar. That could cost more than $2 billion, the price being high due to the value of the Czech brewer’s Budweiser trademarks. The Czech government is preparing to sell Budvar before its term of office ends in 2010.

The Wall Street Journal says "When asked if AB-InBev would like to acquire Budvar and its trademarks, InBev spokeswoman Gwendoline Ornigg said: “Timing for [acquiring Budvar’s Budweiser trademarks] has to do with the Czech government, however, and its plans for privatising Budvar. We have great respect for their brand and would like to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.”
We can see the way that one is heading I reckon.

* Source - Wall St Journal

Reflections on Prague

It's a nice city. Lovely architecture, grand old buildings in various states of repair, a river and a castle, though that is more of a palace and a very grand cathedral. It has a lot going for it. But what of the pubs and beer I hear you cry? Well I have already said that much of the beer drunk in Prague is ordinary. Not godawful Carling ordinary, but still fairly dreary mass produced lager. In each pint of Pilsner Urquell or Staropramen you just felt that the beers had had something taken out of them that should have been left there.

I liked most of the pubs. There is something about drinking in a brick cellar with vaulted ceilings that appeals to me. Perhaps, since generally there are no windows, it is the sense that you are separated from the rest of the world that I like. There are few distractions. It is the here and now that you have to enjoy. You can concentrate on the beer! In that respect the Pivovarsky Klub ticked all the boxes and in addition, it had six very different beers at all times. I liked the upstairs there too, with its bottle shop and a pleasant bar to sit at. U Fleku did not disappoint either, with its multi roomed interior and agreeable outside drinking area. Go there any time but the evening and it is excellent. I agree with Tyson when he says it is not particularly expensive compared to others around and there must be a lot of upkeep on such a grand place though the 0.4 measure is a cheap shot at the customers. Klášterní Pivovar Strahov wasn't cheap, but had a fine location above the castle and for me, the second best beer of the trip, more of which later. (Again here the nasty 0.4 trick is played on you.) U Medvídků had a very decent little bar and offered beer, tankovna Budvar was decent but not spectacular. We also tried nameless local bars which were cheap and dour in that particular East European way, but an experience well worth having with customers concentrating fixedly on the beer in front of them and of course their inevitable cigarette.

On the beer side, I found that the dark beers were much better. Pick of the bunch for me was Herold Tmavy Special which was bitter with treacle and liquorice roast flavours, full bodied with a clean bitter finish. A very good beer indeed, though it was pushed close by Strahov Dark 14° with its deep back colour, complex layers of bitterness and roast malt giving a firm body and a clean, hoppy, bitter finish. I liked Zvikouska 13° too, drunk at the Pivovarsky Klub, for its richness and dark cake fruit body with a hefty swish of alcohol at the end. An honourable mention must be given to the dark beer at the Richter Brewpub. I liked its slighly sour, lactic finish and the pub was pretty good too.

There were plenty disappointments. Much of the beer was vastly overcarbonated. I had really looked forward to Bernard Kvasnicové, but it was a watery let down. Generally speaking the kvasnicové (unfiltered) versions of beers were unhappy experiences for me. To me, despite Gazza waxing lyrical about it, the unfiltered beer from Kácov at U Klokočnika was far from being "divine nectar" but a foul, wort tasting, trub laden mess, though the pub was great and worth the long walk to it. Not a soul spoke a word of English and the food was good and cheap too, so all was not lost.

So a bit of a mixed bag like most beer places. Would I recommend it? Yes of course, but get there soon before any more of the existing breweries are lost.

Guides to Prague Beer

Being new to drinking in Prague I had with me Evan Rail's guide, Ron Pattinson's stuff and Gazza Prescott's. I found that Gazza's is the most practical in that he really understands the basics of beer hunting best. His directions are idiot proof and that's what really counts. Cheers Gazza.

One or two immediate observations. By and large beer in Prague is nothing special, though when it is good it can be spectacularly so. All guides reflect the author's impressions and that has to be taken into account when using them and lastly, while tankovna beer is much better than pasteurised beer, we are starting from a base that is lower than it should be. Some of the pubs are brilliant as pubs. U Fleku is a deserved world classic and so in its own way is the Tramway. The waiters, by and large are surly. If you get polite indifference, then they have really taken a shine to you and finally, it isn't as cheap as it ought to be, though we did find 10 degree beer for around 11 crowns.

Prague airport PilsnerUrquell outlets are a shocking rip off with the beer being 135 crowns a half litre. It was a pleasure to see the robbing bastards were very empty.

More soon. I've got washing to do.

Oh - and the tram system is brilliant!

Lunchtime No More!

I observed in a recent post that lunchtime drinking, which has diminished elsewhere, is alive and well in London. I see that a survey by SAB Miller backs this up. Only one in ten of us enjoy a lunchtime pint here in the UK. The top lunchtime tipplers are the Danes, where one in four like a bevvy at lunchtime. The Danes also hit the pub first at 4.41 pm, while Brits on average don't rush panting to the bar until 6.14. Full details here in the Morning Advertiser.

It is noteworthy too that the Czechs remain the world's biggest beer drinkers. I'll see for myself on Thursday as I'm off to Prague to lend them a hand, though it looks like they don't need it!

Czech Beer Loses It's Taste. Or Does It?

Two seemingly contradictory articles caught my eye this morning. In one, the Czech On Line Newspaper the Prague Daily Monitor reports that in an article, leading newspaper Lidove Noviny, is concerned that foreign companies now produce eight out of ten beers consumed in the republic. It states "A number of beer experts and consumers point out that the mergers and acquisitions of Czech breweries by foreign investors considerably damage the unique quality of Czech beer, so the traditional Czech drink is slowly turning into "Eurobeer." The paper further states: "Moreover, the repeated saturation of beer with carbon dioxide to increase its durability significantly harms its original characteristic. Such beer is then often served cooled down to quite a low temperature to disguise its real taste."

Now all this might seem a familiar and inevitable outcome of ownership by some of the fizz kings of the world, but it seems that Jan Vesely, chairman of the Czech Beer and Malt Association doesn't agree or rather didn't when he took part in this interview for Radio Praha 3 years ago.

He says "The trend is totally opposite. The quality of Czech beer increased incredibly over the last 15 years. There's no comparison with the majority of beers fifteen years ago. Not only shelf life, but also all the hygiene and sanitary conditions. Yes, it's true, that sometime in history every beer from every brewery had a specific sensory profile - or taste and smell, to be more human in my expressions. But I must say this trend of losing this specific sensory value is very positive. Because the reason for the specific taste and smells was different contamination of specific breweries. Breweries were contaminated by bacteria. There were some high-level breweries, but the majority were suffering. And no-one could help themselves because there was no money for substantial improvement. Now, in the new conditions, it's true that beer is more standardised and perhaps one beer is closer to another. But for me it's very positive, because at least now we can be sure that it's just beer yeast that's found in beer as a final product!"

Sorry Jan, but when I go to Prague in May, it will be the beers from the small independent producers I'll be seeking for just that "specific sensory profile". If I want beers from the big tastealikes, I can just stay home.