Bottoms Up

William: I am lucky to be traveling to Prague (Czech Republic) in early August. As this country is known for it’s beer and it’s citizen’s known for consuming large quantities, I would like some advice on what to try. Are all of the recommended Czech brews different from anything we have here. Do any of the many craft brewers that you cover resemble the beer that I will find in Prague. The recommended pivo’s are: Gambrinus, Staropramen, Krulsovice and of course Budvar which must drive the legal department at Anheuser-Busch crazy.

Your advice would be welcome, David

Hi David… Did some quick research. Let me direct you to the Prague Daily Monitor . It’s a blog written by Evan Rail, who lives in Prague. He’s written an excellent book: The Good Beer Guide to Prague & The Czech Republic. I found it on the Amazon UK site, but not on U.S. Amazon site. It’s an official publication of the English Campaign for Real Ale. No doubt you can pick it up in Europe or at a good U.S bookstore. Cost is $21.74 U.S. (God, the dollar is falling, falling, falling along with our once vaunted image.)

I’ll post your request and maybe someone will respond. I understand that there are lots and lots of breweries in the Czech Republic that only sell locally and almost everywhere you got, there’s good beer, mostly in the Bohemian pilsner style. Outside of Pilsen, where Pilsner Urquell is made, the style is called “bright lager.” One I’m familiar with is Zatec, but there are many others.

Wanted: A Belgian ‘starter’ beer…

Bill...I know you are a big fan of beers from Belgium. I have never been exposed to them, aside from seeing them on the shelf at Bevmo. What would you suggest I pick up as an introduction the beers from Belgium?

For reference, my tatses prefer the English and American Ales variety. Pales ale, bitters, IPA, stouts, porters, etc. As a homebrewer, Alts are my Holy Grail of brewing the perfect Alt. I find lagers and pilsners too crisp and too clean and not interesting to me.

Also I will be working on the East Coast (Queens NY) for the next month. Any east cost beers you know of I shoudl try. Right now my favorites Smuttynose Brewery and Troegs brewing. I of course will be reading the blog from my hotel room Whitestone Long Island. Tom

Hi Tom…Try Duvel. (It’s Flemish for devil, and well-named. 8.5 percent, lots of malt complexity, very drinkable, very strong. It’s one of the berst of Belgian beers and you can even find it this week at Trader Joe’s” $7.99.

In New York, don’t miss Brooklyn Brewing’s beers. Just tried their Brooklynator Double Bock in Philadelphia: Outstanding. They also make Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, quite similar, I’m told, to DeKonnick, the primo Belgian beer from Antwerp.

And there’s an excellent Belgian-style brewery-restaurant on Long Island: Southampton Publick House, 60 Bowden Square, Southampton, NY, 631-283-2800.

A good review on Faultine in Sunyvale

William, Love the blog and various newspaper articles. I want to bring to light a brewpub in the south bay that does not get enough attention. Faultline Brewery in Sunnyvale. I have been there many times. Always a wonderful selection of beer. Every beer was an excellent example of the style.

I was there tonight. They had 10 (as in Ten) different beers available. Among the selection: a kolsch, a cask condition best bitter, a hefeweizen, a dunkel weizen, IPA, pale ale, stout, amber, etc. No room for complaints among the beer bill of fair.

The food? Not Faultline’s strength. I had ribs once and they were sort of grizzly. Curiously, open Monday-Friday, closed Saturday & Sunday. It is in the heart of Silicon Valley but not much traffic from the locals I guess.

I do not know what your travel/work schedule or what The Contra Costa Times allows for mileage on your expense report. If you can ever work it out, check out The Faultline. It is a hidden treasure in the South Bay. Drink beer, drink beer often, T.

I need to get down there. You know there was a Faultline in Walnut Creek (It’s now Pyramid Walnut Creek); I found the beer OK, but not great and the food was very pricey and not great. That’s good to hear about the original Faultline. I’ll definitely pay a visit in a couple of weeks. I don’t know what the trouble is with finding good beer in the South Bay, excellent pubs _ serving anything other than standard corporate beer _ are hard to find. The only hope is the brewpubs- wb

Bill –Faultline seems to have ales only. I do not recall every seeing a lager or pilsner being offered. A Kolsch on tap? That impresses me. The cask condition Best Bitter was smooth, balanced and had the Guiness xcascade of fine bubbles.

You are right. It appears no one wants to explore the wide world of beer beer down in teh South Bay. You can find the standard Bud, Miller Coors and a couple craft beers. English Pubs will have the Bass, Guiness, Bodingtons and Harp on tap. T