Craft Beer--Beer Events Calendar--Information
The brewery is temporarily closed until the sale is completed. Expected to reopen soon. See here!
Hoppy’s last visit in Prague was at a Pilsner Urquell taproom/restaurant in the Vaclav Havel Airport. You’ve probably heard someone say that a certain beer tastes better in its home country than it does after being imported to the U.S. In the case of Pilsner Urquell, I would heartily agree.
Pilsner Urquell is brewed using triple decoction which is described as heating a portion of the mash three times to add more flavor and color to the beer, as well as using parallel brewing in wooden lagering barrels. They use Moravian Barley and Saaz hops from the Czech Republic. In Europe, some of their beer is served from tanks.
Their description of taste is a refreshing crispness from natural carbonation, then subtle caramel tones and a clean finish with a pleasing hoppy bitterness. The reason that I feel that Pilsner Urquell tastes better in the Czech Republic is the way that they pour, which results in a much larger head of foam. This would be the use of the Hladinka pour which is three fingers of foam on top of the beer. That thick head of dense, wet foam seals in freshness and flavor giving the beer a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness.
Pilsner Urquell is brewed by Plzensky Prazdroj, and is the original pilsner having been brewed since1842. It is 4.4% ABV, 40 IBU.
While in Prague, Hoppy visited the BeerGeek Bar which also serves as a taproom for Sibeeria Brewing, their own microbrewery which opened in 2014. They have 32 beers on tap which change regularly. During his visit, Hoppy sampled six or seven of the beers that were available, including three or four from Sibeeria. To no one’s surprise, most of these were IPAs.
Hoppy’s next visit was at Cafe Dacicky which is a traditional old Czech restaurant in Kutna Hora. It is named after Mikulas Dicicky who is the most renowned inhabitant of Kutna Hora who lived from 1555-1626. The life of this chronicler, writer, poet, drunkard and rambler inspired many other artists. His house is located next to the restaurant.
While at the cafe Hoppy enjoyed a Kutna Hora Vienna Lager. It had a 4.7% ABV; 24 IBU.
The next beercation brewery stop was at Pivovar Strahov in Prague. It is located in the Strahov Monastery which was founded in the 12th century. Beer has been brewed at the monastery since the 17th century, and the majority of their beers are named after St. Norbert. The brewery is located in a picturesque spot, just inside an old wall from the cloister around which the ancient monastery stands.
Hoppy quaffed a Sv. Norbert Weizen described as a very brisk and refreshing drink brewed with Saaz Special hops and top fermentation yeasts which produce a naturally wide palette of aromas and flavors. 5% ABV; 17 IBU
Hoppy’s next international brewery visit was in Passau, Germany at a microbrewery known as Lowenbrauerei Passau. The location consists of a brewery bar/restaurant in the historic Ratskeller building along with a 250-seat beer garden. Hoppy enjoyed his time in the beer garden where he drank their Stockbauer Weisse, a German-style Hefeweizen clocking in at 5.4% ABV.
