Czek Republic Beer

Judy and I toured the Czech Republic for two weeks this summer and were delighted with the history, the food and the beer. It was, after all, about the beer. When we hinted that we liked beer to the person who was introducing us to her country for our self guided tour, she assured us we were in the right place. Her immediate comments was, "Drink the beer, it is cheaper than the (bottled) water." She also thought that the Czech's have come a long way since the fall of communism in 1989 but that there is still a lot of potential, and regarding Budweiser, "They stole our name including the style in which it is printed, but they didn't steal the beer. She was right about all three.

In the Czech Republic it is all about the Pilsner and Urquell rules for good cause. It is available and advertised everywhere. It is clear, crisp, thirst quenching with an appropriate amount of malt flavor, and cheap, as were most things (average price $1.75 per pint ). It was our favorite.

First brewed by Josef Groll in Pilsen on November 11, 1842, after locals dumped barrels of the dark bitter porter of the day onto the street as a protest. Using locally grown Saaz hops, fresh iron rich water and local barley, he produced the "first golden beer". It is still brewed with the same recipe in the same town, "pure original pilsner from Pilsen". Although we never made it to Mecca we turned west and said our prayers everyday.

Our beer adventure in CR, other than drinking a lot of Pilsner, was walking by and almost touring or trying to tour two breweries. I believe our experience would fall under the CR has a lot of potential, or do it in high tourist season.

Eggenburg Brewery in Cesky Krumlov.

While looking at their signs, one would

think that the Eggenburg Brewery has been in production since the 1560's. I think the facts are that beer has been produce in CK since that time, but a lot has changed through the past 500 years, including Nazi and communist control. The bottom line is that the brewery was privatized, the last time, in 1993. Since then the owner changed the name of the brewery to the original families name and has increased brewing. He has also added a US or German style large brew pub and has even added soft drinks to the production line. There production is mostly for consumption by the local communities.

We were there on a cool rainy day in September and after being used to eating local food in small restaurants were turned off by the feel of the large brew pub, and it was almost empty. The tours of the brewery were not in English and not convenient so we also passed on that. We did sit at the beer garden, however, with some locals, and the pictured bar fly to test some of their beer. Granted, we should have called ahead for a tour. The beer was not remarkable.

Bohemia Regent Brewery

The Regent Brewery was another example of "We should have called first". It was another rainy day when our tour took us through Trebon. We found the brewery easily, a massive old fortress/castle like structure, but it was not as easy to get in. There was some language problems when we tried to find out about tours, but the message was clear, "NO". Next we tried to get into the retail store. It was open 12:00 to 12:30, no kidding. People were lined up and bought their kegs and cases quickly. Again, there was a language problem and we only bought 2 bottles of beer, but we felt like we were in an old Motor Vehicle Registration office in the US. There were no smiles for the tourists. Apparently they have a large outside beer garden set up, but in September and in the rain it was closed.

Regent is promoted as one of the oldest continuously run breweries in Europe. Monks were brewing in Trebon in 1379. They say some of that original equipment is still being used. The current building was built for the brewery in 1712. The best part of the "tour", however, was the lunch in Trebon. We went into a small restaurant close to the brewery and hit the jackpot. We ended up sitting next to an English speaking older local women who filled us in. It was the place the older locals went for the special soups. I had already ordered baked carp, and Judy the apricot dumplings. The waiter heard us lamenting that we missed the potato leek soup, so he brought us a cup. The fish was boney but excellent, the dumpling were way too sweet for a main coarse, but delicious, and the soup was to die for. From then on we looked carefully at soups when we ordered. The beer was good, although I cannot be more specific, one of the best dark beers I had in the CR. I was having such a good time I asked the waiter if I could buy one of the Regent beer glasses from him. He told me to go to the retail store. It was 1:30.

Great Barrington Brewery

English Ale (seasonal), Ice Glen IPA, Black Bear Stout, Harrington Brown (the English Ale probably got the highest ratings, although all of the beers were solidly drinkable!).

Belgian Beer List - Part I

Still Under Construction!

This is the first part of our recent Belgian beer tour, taking in everything we sampled in and around Bruges: the various establishments are in bold.

Terrastje, Bruges, August 27

Mark picked out this spot, which faces on to one of Bruges's canals, for our first evening - and our first Belgian beers. They have a tiny interior, which was especially crowded than normal when we visited because of the presence of an excellent band. We sat outside, and enjoyed some of their simple bar fare while starting things off with, among other choices, a number of locally-brewed options. Their beer choice seemed, at the time, only okay, but by the end of our time in Belgium it seemed quite normal for a place that focuses equally on food.

Brugse Zot Dark (Donker) 3
Brugse Zot Blond 2
Lindemans Kriek 2
Watou's Wit 2?
Brugse Straffe Hendrik 2
Watou Tripel 3
Malheur 6 3
Hommelbier Poperings 2

Erasmus Hotel, Bruges, August 27

This is a hotel bar, so it wasn't that atmospheric, but it's close to a beautiful courtyard which faces on to one of the canals. They had very tasty desserts and an excellent beer selection, including some fine options on tap; the service was top notch, and was ultimately one of the friendliest, most helpful welcomes we experienced in Belgium.

Struisse Rosse (Struisse Brouwers) 2
Echte Kriek Verhaeghe 3
Stoute Bie 1-2 (a very unusual beer, with a "malta" quality; hard to compare to anything else and hence hard to assess accurately)
Hercule (Brasserie Ellezelloise) 2

Garre, Bruges, August 28

Tripel van de Garre (House Tripel) 2
Gulden Draak 2
De Witte Van Celis 3
Pêcheresse Lindemans 2 (but admittedly not our favorite style)
Oerbier 3
Arabier 2
De Ranke XX 3
Dulle Teve 2-3

Grand Kaffee de Passage, Bruges, August 28

Brugse Straffe Hendrik (again, by accident) 2
Palm 2 (just about)
Vieux Temps 2
Sixtus 6 3
Westmalle Tripel 2 (low 2)
Martins Pale Ale 2.5
Brigand 2
Kriek Max Jacobins Bocker te Bellegem 1?

't Brugse Beertje, Bruges, August 28

Barbär (Lefebvre te Quenast) 2+
Liefmans Kriek 2
't Smisje Blond (De Regenboog) 2
Witkap Stimulo 3
De Cam Oude Geuze 3
Boon Oude Geuze 3 (a very horsey/agricultural beer!)

Taverne 't Zin, Sluis, Netherlands, August 29

Jupiler 1

Oude Speye, Damme, August 29

Achel Blond 3
La Chouffe 3
MacChouffe 3
St Louis Kriek Premium 2

In 't Nieuw Museum, Bruges, August 29

St Feuillien Blond 2
St Feuillien Bruin 3
Orval 2-3
Grimbergen Bruin 1
Grimbergen Blond 2

Cambrinus, Bruges, August 29

Westvleteren Blond 3
Westvleteren 8 3!
Westvleteren 12 3
Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambiek 2 (challengingly sour; it's far more a Lambiek than a normal Kriek)
Bink Blond Kerkom 2-3
Guido (De Regenboog) 2 (v. fruity, with a raisin aroma)
Saison Regal 2

Atlas Brewery

http://atlasbrewery.com/

On a recent walking tour of Scotland, our journey brought us to the front door of Atlas Brewing. After finishing our 19 mile day (day5), we were rewarded with a shorter 9 mile walk from Kingshouse over the devils staircase and the highest point on the West Highland Way, to Kinlochleven. The trail ended with a very long descent in dreary wet weather with intermittent views of the Blackwater reservoir into the former aluminum mecca of Kinlochleven. We arrived in town at 2:00. Judy had emailed ahead for our tour and we were ready to take some time off the Way and talk about beer.

Atlas Brewery is located in the former storehouse of the aluminum smelting factory. The brewery was put together and was moved into in October 2001. The first batches of Latitude and Tempest were brewed in February 2002. Norman Sinclair, a highland business man, bought the brewery in August 2006. He has since added Orkney Brewery orkneybrewery.com to form Sinclair Breweries Ltd.

We were met at Atlas by Harry, an assistant brewer, who got his job by home brewing in the right place at the right time. Some administrators of Atlas were having a barbecue next door to Harry's house and the were invited over for a brew. Apparently they liked what they tasted because he was offered a job very shortly thereafter. I was happy to hear that even with his full time job at Atlas, Harry still enjoys the rewards of home brewing. Harry gave us a wonderful, personal, in depth tour of the Brewery.

Atlas brews 36,000 pints per year, an interesting way to quantify output. Their focus is real ale. Utilizing local soft water, the "Atlas" of any beer, and western grown Maris Otter barley, the beer is top fermented 5-7 days at 20* C, cooled and keg conditioned at 9* for 4 weeks and then shipped to the pub, to be tapped as real ale and finished hopefully within one week. The majority of the ale is kegged as real ale, with only a small percent sent out for contract bottling.

After the tour, and an in depth discussion of real ales, we were treated to a glass of Three Sisters from a bottle. A keg had just been set up but not yet settled enough for consumption. Three Sisters, named after the mountain range in Glencoe, is a dark fruity refreshing ale, blended with chocolate and crystal malts as well as whole flower hops; a pleasant end to a delightful and informative tour.

Harry's favorite brew: Wayfarer IPA, a seasonal which we could not find.

Harry's favorite home brew recipe:

12 gal all grain
18 lbs Maris Otter, or Optic
1 lb Crystal
150 gm Fuggles to boil
150 gm Kent Golding to finish
65* C to mash
72* to sparge

Single Malt Tasting Notes from Scotland


Clynelish 14 yr 46%
peppery

Delwhinnie 15 yr

honey, apple light, smooth

sweet, malt, honey, fruit, fireworks (Talisker)

Edradour 10 year
caramel

Glenfarclas 105 cask, 60 %
eggy french toast, honey

Glengoyne 12 yr cask strength 57%

sherry, crisp

Glen Marangie Port

apple pie, cinnamon, sweet

Glen Morangie 10 yr

lemon bar, soft, honey

Highland Park

smooth

Highland Park Cask 1991

peat, sharp, pot roast

Jura Experimental

bacon, sharp, smokey

Longmourn 15 yr
bay side malt, butterscotch

Macallan 10 yr
cinnamon roll, raisin

Macallen 15 yr
smooth, lemon, melon

Oben 14 yr

smooth, orange peel

sea salt, orange peel (Telisker)

Old Port Cask, Double matured port finish

caramel corn popcorn, roast

* Alona favorite

Strathisla 1967

fruit cake, cherry, hint of leather

Talisker 10 yr
smokey
peppry, citrus, flower (Talisker)

Bier aus Klebealm

After a long hike in the Austrian Alps, down from the Hochstubai Hütte, at 3174 m, nothing quenches the thirst quite like a Stiegl Lager or a Paulaner Hefeweizen. Brewed in Salzberg, Stiegl is a popular request in the Alps because of its light crisp flavor and refreshing characteristics. It does not linger on the palate or in the bottle. For those on the continuous search for their German roots, Paulaner Hefeweizen hits the mark. Straight from Munich, this light wheat beer, high in effervescence while low in calories, is what the doctor ordered for all aching muscles and tired soles. Order up some Kaiserschmarren and one may even have enough energy to get back to Sölden.

Locals Night at Ebenezers

Tour of Sweden, June 20, 2007

The directors of the WMWT were called into executive session today at 5:00pm to discuss the important question ,”Can a ride count toward a patch if it does not end at a bar?” The question came to the table because it was heard that a couple of renegade riders did a tour and finished before the bar in question was open. One director suggested that because the board meeting was hastily called and we were meeting at Ebenezer's, that the decision might be biased. Another round was bought and the question was forgotten. The final decision was that because that rule was not written into the articles of incorporation that we would have to give the renegades credit, but someone at the end of the table was heard to say, “But why would they?”

Nine riders met at Ebenezer's today at 1:00 (two at 1:15) and started the tour of Sweden. Mapped by Judy, the route, which was 80% dirt roads, was a diversion from the fast-paced road trips to date. The first leg was to conquer the hills to the Sweden town office. Sunday recon paid off because there were no signs and no people at the newly constructed building. After being reassured by the recon team that we were in fact at the town office we made our way back down and up the previously summited hills to get to the dirt road cross over. Most of the roads were hard packed and smooth although there was one rough and soft section which was walked by most. Most riders stayed on the designated route, while Ann couldn’t help herself, exploring every skidder trail as well as the Gorge. She reminded me of Bailey, our dog. Despite all the meandering she was still the first to the rest stops.

When arriving at the sign, we were pleased to find that the renegades had done the trip this morning and already signed in. After the sign the group broke up. Five riders decided to go back to E. by the paved route 5, while the rest went back along the same dirt route. Judy gave Ann, Barb and me permission to blast back so that we would not be late for our reservations. Fool as I am, I thought I could keep up with them.

We all congregated back at E. within 30 min. of each other and enjoyed some fine beer and locals specials. Judy and I sampled Belgian draughts, all on sale for $5. Rogue Dead Guy, a brown ale from Oregon, was a popular choice, and Ann sipped Domaine Dupont, a 2005 French apple cider.
There was considerable discussion about the next tour, probably Denmark next week. Also the group is still trying to map out a reasonable approach to the China problem.
More to follow.

Russ