Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Road to 1,000 - number 999

Our Czech trip had now taken us into Budejovice - home of the original Budweiser. As is often sadly the case, there are all sorts of great beers brewed by the brewery that you can't find in Canada. Such was the case with beer number 999 - Budvar's dark beer, Budweiser Budvar Tmavy Lezak. This was a smooth dark lager with a slightly bitter aftertaste. We drank it at a great pub / restaurant owned by the brewery - Masne Kramy.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Road to 1,000 - numbers 997 and 998

Another two-fer! In the Czech Republic this is rather easy, as establishments all tend to sell only one beer makers product, so you can sample multiple beers from the same brewer at one sitting. In this case, the beer was the "Master" brand by Plzensky Prazdroj. Number 997 was the Master Tmavy (dark). According to its website, it is "the 18° special, full-flavoured beer". I found it to be fairly sweet. Number 998 was the Master Zlaty (Gold). It has a deep gold colour, and is 15 degrees. It is slightly dry with a caramel start and a bitter aftertaste.

Friday, June 17, 2011

The Road to 1,000 - beer number 996

Beer number 996 was Gambrinus Unfiltered (12 degrees). This is an unfiltered (i.e. unpasteurised) beer. Deep golden, slightly cloudy, with a nice smooth taste. Has a slight bite at the end. Beer as it used to be. We had this beer at a pub called Pivince Stupartska 1869, which was recommended to us (for the beer) by the shop keeper at Bric a Brac, an antiques store.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The road to 1,000 - beer number 995

Hello again from the Czech Republic. Beer number 995 was Bernard Svelte Pivo, a pretty standard Czech lager. No exciting stories about where I had tis one either - picked it up in a bottle in Prague and drank it in the hotel room. Although even that is not all that bad as I think about it!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Road to 1,000 - beers number 993 and 994

Another two-fer in Prague! This time at the Pivovarsky Dum (pub and brewery). A nice brewpub that makes its own beers. For 993 I had their Pivovarsky Dum Tmavy (dark) - a good dark lager with a slight taste of bitter coffee. For 994 I had the Pivovarsky Dum Lezak Svetly (Classic) - a golden coloured, sweet, unfiltered lager. Unlike Sith@Heart, who went for the green coloured nettle beer, which really did taste like, well if not nettles, some kind of green plant.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Road to 1,000 - Beers 991 and 992

A bit of a two-fer here, as I tried two separate Staropramen beers at the Potrefena Husa ("Wounded Goose pub"), one of a series of gastropubs in Prague owned by the Staropramen brewery. The first was the Dark: a nice and smooth dark lager. The second was the Granat ("garnet") a lovely red beer. I honestly couldn't tell if it was an ale or a lager. It was smooth as silk in either event. An excellent red beer (which, I am told, is what pairs best with pizza).

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Road to 1,000: beer number 990

Greetings from Prague! I (with considerable patience and support from Sith@Heart) decided that if I was going to hit 1,000 I better do it in style. So here we are in the Czech Republic (via Germany) seeing the sights, having fun and of course enjoying the great beers.

Beer number 990 was a delicious and well timed Amber beer at the Klasterni Pivovar Strahov in Prague. Well timed because we found the monastary brewery during the rain, and it gave us welcome comfort. Delicious because it was a lovely, slightly hoppy unfiltered amber beer. It is named St. Norbert Amber. Those monks do good work!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Beer number 975!

Greetings from Cologne!

This is a fantastic city if you have never been. Gorgeous historical buildings, including one of the greatest cathedrals I have ever seen. But more importantly - lots of beer! There are 20 local brweries that all brew Kolsch as near as I can tell. And pubs / beers gardens everywhere showing them off. However, interestingly, although mny beers between 950 and 975 were Kolsch, 975 was in fact Kulmbacher Eisbock, a 28% "starkbier". Although it packs quite a punch alcohol wise, it did not taste that strong, with a sweet taste, frothy head and dark colour more reminiscent of strong Belgian beers.