I had a great time last Friday with Gazza and his mate Dave Dean. We started at Zlý Časy (when we were about to leave they tapped the new IPA from Vyškov, pretty good, but I liked the 1.0 better), from there we went to Zubatý Pes (you can see that the new owners are trying to do things the right way, but the place was lacking atmosphere, though it was still quite early when we arrived) to finish the evening at U Vodoucha (we went there walking, nothing like -20ºC to burn the alcohol in the blood).
We talked about a ton of beery things and I took the chance to ask Gazza to confirm me something I was suspecting, if the problem with keg beers in the UK isn't so much with the beers themselves but with the with the pubs that don't know how to deal with them properly. Gazza is a fan of cask ales, but he loves good beer above all things, and he said that yes, that pubs often treat good keg beers the same way they do with macrolagers and that is why they tend to be too cold and too fizzy. Interesting, I don't remember seeing this mentioned in any of the debates on the matter.
But anyway, between pints we came up with an idea that has a good chance of seeing the light in a few months.
Top blokes Gazza and his mate.
Na Zdraví!
Reserve yourPrague hotel and win a walking tour.
We talked about a ton of beery things and I took the chance to ask Gazza to confirm me something I was suspecting, if the problem with keg beers in the UK isn't so much with the beers themselves but with the with the pubs that don't know how to deal with them properly. Gazza is a fan of cask ales, but he loves good beer above all things, and he said that yes, that pubs often treat good keg beers the same way they do with macrolagers and that is why they tend to be too cold and too fizzy. Interesting, I don't remember seeing this mentioned in any of the debates on the matter.
But anyway, between pints we came up with an idea that has a good chance of seeing the light in a few months.
Top blokes Gazza and his mate.
Na Zdraví!
Reserve yourPrague hotel and win a walking tour.
What you will hear is the blanket assertion that "keg beers are too cold and fizzy" when, as Gazza rightly points out, "they tend to be colder and fizzier" would be more accurate. That can be changed but, to some people, cold and fizzy might be appealing characteristics!
ReplyDeleteGranted, but what would happen if keg beers were dispensed the way they are dispensed in CZ or Germany, where you don't often come across too cold and fizzy pints (at least not at good pubs)? I know of the surprise of some English and American beer geeks when they come here and they are shown a pint of světlý ležák and told "now THIS is lager".
DeleteI have been banging on about this for some time: http://refreshingbeer.blogspot.com/2011/05/pouring-lager.html One of the problems with keg beer in the UK is that nearly nobody can pour it properly.
DeleteNow that you mention it, I remember.
Deletei totally agree with you Max on the subject of lagers not being treated properly over here in the UK.too cold,too fizzy and either no head or a head that lasts 5 seconds max.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, why do you always use the word pint, while everywhere in the Czech republic beer is served in half a liter portions? I know it is only a little less, but anyway, Czech never say "Lets go for a pint"
ReplyDeleteActually, with most of my English speaking friends we always use "pint" to refer to a half litre of beer, with my Czech friends, I say "pivo". I remember once someone mentioning pushing the idea of "metric pint", or something like that. I don't know how much sense that makes, but I'm used to saying "pint"....
Deletewas a good evening in your company, but my name was Dean by the way!!!
ReplyDeleteOops, got that one letter wrong :)
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