223. Tue 14/11/17: V Ruthardce. Dačického nám, Kutná Hora. Czech Republic

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

We have a cursory wander, but can’t really find anywhere we fancy eating... so we wander back to V Ruthardce. The lovely little bar with the fire is packed, so we go round the corner to a very (too) well lit room full of little round tables – and there we consult the menus.

Veggie Steph has to go for salted sheep’s cheese on tiny little potato dumplings – stodge on stodge. I have pork shoulder. Very nice too. I was far more impressed with my meal than Stephanie was with hers.

240. Sat 18/11/17: U Bansethů, Prague, Czech Republic

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

Our Saturday crawl starts with (eventually) meeting my brother at Wenceslas Square and getting on tram no.11 to Nusle. From our stop it’s up the road to U Bansethů. It’s quite packed – all the tables have “reserved” notices on them, but we sit at one which is free for more than enough time.

This is a fine old traditional wood panelled boozer – one of the favourites of Jaroslav Hasek, author of The Good Soldier Svejk. He has a dedicated table, signposted with a big tin sign, portraits and pictures of him hanging on the wall (Hasek – not Svejk – Svejk, in cartoon form, is all over the place in Czech).

We have a couple of drinks – which is possibly doing this place an injustice, but is probably more than enough given we’ve a few more pubs left to visit. The next is next door.

   

232. Thu 16/11/17: Konvikt, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

Our favourite non-Old Gott beerhall in central Prague – selling tankovna PU.

Since our visit this time last year, the Czech Republic has banned smoking in pubs and restaurants – and that’s made a big difference to places like this, which used to be very smoky. Steph is very pleased about this. I’m generally happy but remain faintly nostalgic about smoke filled pubs…

There’s ice hockey on the telly. It’s Sev 2 Avt 4. I have no idea who either team are… but Sev have just scored another.

We’ve been to this pub several times in recent years – it makes a nice change from U Medvícků – the beer is always good, and it’s very rarely packed.

On this particular evening, it’s only 7pm, but we’re already quite drunk.

245. Sun 19/11/17: U Medvícků, Prague

Beer: Old Gott 5.2% 

After U Fleků it’s good to get to the slightly less cynical tourist trap that is U Medvícků. That said, at least at U Fleků there’s always somewhere to sit. U Medvícků is huge, and largely empty (it’s mid-afternoon), and every table appears to be reserved. There are reserved signs all over Prague – but most give some idea of time, allowing you to sit at a table and enjoy a couple of drinks if the reservation starts in an hour or so's time. The U Medvícků reserved signs only have one word on them. We visit the pub a few times this trip – and every time we’ve been standing outside the brewery bar, drinks on the barrel.

Conversation this time around revolves around how long we’re going to last into early/mid evening at the current rate of imbibing.

220. Tues 14/11/17: Pizzerie Rustica, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

Not for the first time without a guide book in the centre of Prague, the place seems bereft of the kind of dingy little bars that surround railway stations in Spain, and for that matter England.

We have one and a half hours before our train to Kutna Hora, and eventually find this basement pizzeria. It was probably a decent basic boozer in its (grim Communist) heyday – gentrified into this culturally irksome, but lovely smelling pizza joint.

The beer tastes good too. Not, Steph suggests, from the tank. Could, I suggest, she tell the difference? Possibly... not.

251. Mon 20/11/17: Mlsnej Kocour, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%
Another dull PU “green” pub, this one on Namesti Miru. We’d been looking for cheap eats – and this might have done, but every table was reserved. We eventually find somewhere, up on overly high benches, which is available for the next half hour or so…

What’s this place called? I’ve taken to taking exterior pictures; not just because pictures of pints is getting a bit boring, but as an additional visual note of what a place is called. Inside, usually, the menu is a reliable source of information. It appears this establishment is called “Homemade Lemonade”.

The beer is good. The beer is always good… is it a credible line in homesickness to subconsciously hanker for the odd dodgy pint?

My notes suggest we talk about religion. Not entirely sure… it was probably my browbeating Steph into not damning religion per se – rather that the it’s always the idiot minority blah blah blah… that’s my belief system – it sounds similar to the argument of the American gun lobby.

We don’t eat – so head back for the Wenceslas Square stodge stalls.

218. Mon 13/11/17: The Feathers Hotel, Merstham, Surrey

Beer: Harveys Best Bitter 4.0%, Reunion Ales Vanilla IPA 4.9%

The night before we fly to Czech, we’re staying at the Premier Inn at Gatwick and the best of “our boys” in the area is the above establishment, which is about twenty minutes on the train back out from the airport.

It’s a nice looking building, traditional interior... but why is it so COLD in here? Several small fireplaces, stacked with logs, resolutely unlit, adorn the walls – apparently serving as decoration and/or a way to mock customers who aren’t taking coats off. Nearer the bar, staff huddle around little fan heaters.

The beer’s very nice though. It’s “Cask Monday”. The food is good. The staff, and very few customers, seem affable too.

Normal passing customers, we suggest, might be attracted in by the cask deal – but would take advantage of the chilly atmosphere by keeping coats on and leaving after the first pint. People would not stop to have a meal. Apart from us, nobody is stopping to have a meal.

255c Fri 24/11/17: Old Eagle, Camden, London

Beer: Redemption Hopspur 4.5%

A strange but welcome pub, just round the corner from Camden Road train station. Hardly a "must visit destination", though this pub is unusual in NW1 for retaining a local feel. It also manages, just, to carry off its Irish theme (musical instruments and gardening tools hanging from the ceiling, posters of Churchill, L Richard, Presley, Winehouse, J Stewart, Laurel and Hardy, J Wayne, Margaret Hamilton, J Cagney).

A beer towel in the pub promotes Greene King IPA as the English cricket team's beer. Both IPA and England cricket team are poor, though thankfully, the Redemption is fine and the Old Eagle's toilets excellent. Best of all, a good looking black and white cat sits behind the bar, bold as brass. Dogs are often excellent pub additions; cats rarely so. S/he (looked like a tom) was probably enjoying the wafts of Thai cooking.

Lovely pub when it's quiet. I expected it to be horrible on a Friday night. It wasn't.

249 Mon 20/11/17: U Sadu, Prague

Beer: Sádek 11°

After quite a booze heavy, but reasonably early ending, evening last night we’re up and about quite early – with a resolution to leave the pubbing to quite late. We do the city centre tourist bit – trudge over the Charles Bridge, trudge back…

My brother is flying back today – and will meet us mid-afternoon in U Sadu. We seem to catch the sense of post-holiday blues, even though we have another day left to go.

He dashes off for the airport – I get another beer in, and we contemplate a visit to Namesti Miru Christmas Market.

One of the pictures features Stephanie tapping on the window in an attempt to attract my brother's attention.

211 Thu 2/11/17: The Bear Club, Luton

Beer: Leighton Buzzard Brewery Restoration 4.6%

Out: SW, AW, AJK, Simon, Phil and Pete

Quiet Night is quieter than normal tonight: the official launch party for the latest editions of Clod Magazine, and Luton Haiku book... I don’t think either sell exceptionally well (if they sold any at all).
We sit at our little table at the front, huddled around the amps and albums and raffle prizes - admiring all the old record sleeves and talking music (The Fall/Brix Smith), cricket (Pete and I) football and booze...

Raffle prizes this QN as seen in the picture: Beret, Of Mice and Men and Ligo branded sardines. Matt wins. We don’t know Matt. Matt seems bemused by the (quite good) prizes.

241 Sat 18/11/17: Sousedský pivovar Bašta, Prague

Beer: Polotmavý Ležák 5%

The Bašta is the brewpub wing from the same fine folk who bring you the very traditional U Bansethů next door. Not that Bašta isn’t traditional – but U Bansethů serves Pilsner Urquell (exceptionally well, but plenty of places do these days), and Bašta is brewing something new and different.

We probably liked polotmavy (half dark beer) more a few years ago - before becoming Pilsner Urquell devotees… but this is a nice change. Food always looks very good too - we really should eat here one year (making a reservation has proved problematic, and/or too much bother, in the past). Unlike U Bansethů, which is a large open beerhall, Bašta has several little rooms – which, we’ve found in the past, don’t nearly accommodate the folk who want to be here. We’ve normally had to stand at the bar, trying to keep out of the way of the waiters.

This time round we manage to find a table for three – and sit enjoying our beer – until news starts coming through from John back at Kenilworth Road. Not only are we missing the Town beating Cambridge 7-0, but Olly Lee scored from his own half. We eventually see footage of that – but do feel we’ve missed out somewhat. Sod’s law though, innit?

The post-crawl consensus is that we should have stayed longer in Bašta. It’s a great place – but I had my back to the room, missing all the action… there wasn’t any action, of course, but one does like to see what is/isn’t going on.

230 Thu 16/11/17: U Pinkasů, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

For me, apart from checking how the Bohemians (football team) got on at the weekend, being an ardent Czechophile involves downloading the week daily English language podcast from Prague Radio. I get to hear quite a bit about Andrej Babiš and his ANO party, the exhibitions I’ll be missing in Prague – and occasional series about life in the Czech Republic. One short series was about pubs, and U Pinkasů was featured: the first Prague pub to sell Pilsner Urquell in the capital.

It sounded like a tourist trap (like U Fleků and U Medvícků, also featured in the series) but I was surprised, given that it hadn’t made it into the pages of our guidebooks.

The pub is deep in tourist territory, but tucked away near the Můstek end of Wenceslas Square. It is a large sprawling pub – but the individual rooms therein are quite small and intimate. It’s quite nice. It also seems largely populated by locals – ours being the only voices in the English language lousing up the ambience.

Service (upstairs at least) was traditionally rubbish – but we eventually found a way to get served. The first bar we visit is wood lined and warm to the point of soporific; we finish one and then take a wander to the cellar bar, which is much cooler.

There’s a small cabinet selling UP merch’, but this doesn’t seem a “ram it down your throat” tourist operation like some other places. I quite like it... and we return a few times more.

Sat 4/11/17: The Black Horse, Luton

Beer: Wolf Brewery Poppy Ale 4.2%

Out: AJK and Steve Harper

Pre-FA Cup match against Portsmouth pints. Cup fever has yet to descend on Luton – and the pub is nicely quiet, which encourages my brother and I to play a game of pool. We’re rubbish at pool, but manage a game of relatively rare high quality.

The apparent lack of football enthusiasm (exacerbated by last weeks’ Coventry debacle) is illustrated within our group – with only we two and Steve Harper (all the way from Loughborough) deigning to attend.

215b Fri 10/11/17: The Butchers Hook & Cleaver, London

Beer: Fullers ESB 5.5%

Another pub situated in the surrounding environs of work. Effectively, a tied house just selling Fuller's beers but always an impressive selection of pumps. Went for the ESB of course, lovely smooth pint but with hidden alcoholic depths. Can't have too many of these in a session. The pub is large, lots of floor area and not really cosy. Gets packed on Friday evenings with crowds spilling out on the pavement, popular venue for office leaving drinks. Feel a bit guilty not coming here more often of a lunchtime midweek tipple because of the great selection of beers but just doesn't feel like that kind of pub where I could become a regular.

250 Mon 20/11/17: Prague Beer Museum, Prague

Beer: Bernard nefiltrovaný ležák 12°, Bernard tmavý ležák 12°

We’ve just been to the Namesti Miru Christmas Market (the first of the festive season in Prague). I’ve bought my niece a pencil case - with a cat on it - and spent considerably more on a belt for myself; selfish, but then I am designated wicked uncle.

Steph has a second wind – so we’re out for a bit instead of going back to the apartment. The PBM seems an odd institution. Far more pub than museum – but stocking loads of different Czech beers. We’ve not had a Bernard this trip, so I have one here. Very nice too.

The bar is too dark, and a little bit dingy, and the incessant blues soundtrack is a bit much. That all said, it’s nice and quiet – Monday night empty.

I have the dark Bernard for the second pint – my erstwhile favourite – which I now find too sweet. That said, and although I wouldn’t want too many in one sitting, it’s nice enough. Apologies, this all seems like déjà vu: I appear to be reacquainted with Bernard dark every few months – and every time my notes appear surprised that I still like it (in moderation).

254 Wed 22/11/17: The White House, Luton

Beer: Titanic Plum Porter 4.9%

Hoorah - back in Luton. After fruitless visit to gym (forgot shorts and/or t-shirt), I’m back into the JDWWH, and Titanic Plum Porter.

On returning from foreign climes my notes tend to take on the tone Mr Benn was wont to employ when finding himself, post adventure, back in Festive Road: they’ll suggest at contentment at being back at home and then get sentimental over a souvenir found in my pocket. In this case, back in Luton, the Polish family to my right are chatting away quite happily – while the group of lads over the way are talking football, generally genially but swearing away oblivious to the families sat around them.

And, from my pocket, a token procured from U Pinkasů in the centre of Prague: made up to resemble a 1 Kreuzer coin, dated 1843 – the year the pub opened (presumably); and not, as would’ve been handier at the bar back in Blighty, a £2 coin.

The White House has gone into Christmas overkill mode already, with more than a month to go.

Beer is excellent – and excellent without being Pilsner Urquell, which is lovely.

255 Wed 22/11/17: The Jolly Topers, Luton

Beer: Hardy & Hansons Rocking Rudolph 4.2%

I don’t know what people see in this pub, but see it they most certainly do; it’s an apparently humdrum Wednesday early evening, and the place is packed: lots of families with kids and DOGS. Dogs are great in pubs – they bring people together. Kids are fascinated by (other peoples’) dogs; owners and parents are compliant in a contract of trust (the kids won’t overly antagonise the dog – and the dog won’t bite the face off the kid), and relationships are made and maintained as a result. This is a fantastic community boozer… I don’t love it.

It’s a Baltistan post-order/pre-pickup visit so I sit, on my own. Nearby sits Gareth Owen (unlike me, he has company). He’s been Luton News football photographer for donkeys years… he may not be a fantastic photographer – I love his photography.

Are you one of those people who wish it could be Christmas everyday? Come to a pub like this anytime from November to January. The beer is perfectly acceptable, nothing special. What do you people see in this place?!

Pictures, my notes suggest, aren’t that good… I’ve had a little look, my notes look to be accurate.

246 Sun 19/11/17: Konvict, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

A hop over the way from U Medvícků to Konvikt – where you’ll always get a seat. Is this beer unfiltered Urquell too? Surely Urquell fails to be urquell (original) if they keep expanding the range. My notes labour this point, again… again, the beer is very nice.

Easyjet flights up to next Autumn are out – so talk is of where we’ll go in 2018 (and what variations of Spain and Czech we can think up).

221 Tue 14/11/17: V Ruthardce, Kutná Hora

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

Kutná Hora is a pleasant little town with a handful of UNESCO sites, and thereby attracts tourist aplenty (albeit mostly, one suspects, Prague based daytrippers). We have two nights here. Out of season tourist towns are great, as they have plenty of pubs/eateries, and they have plenty of space.

V Ruthardce is one such olde worlde joint – squarely aimed at tourists, without going the whole “staff in costume” hog. We try and enter through the kitchen, but are put right – and pointed towards a cosy little bar area, with a lovely big fireplace. Unlike our pub in Merstham the previous evening, the fire therein is lit two minutes after we enter – and is quickly raging.

The pub (as we find out in subsequent visits) is large, with several rooms – and this is by far the best. We’d have stayed at least one drink longer had the only other table in the room been occupied by low talking locals, and not loud English speaking (we can’t specifically pinpoint nationality – somewhere Scandi’?) Christians. Their conversation is interesting/amusing to start with – especially as they have a local guide in tow, for whom this has to be a tough gig. He tells them all about the beer. They’re keen to taste it but they’re all teetotal... do the pub offer the full range in non-alcohol form? They’re eating too – when the meals arrive they decide that the guide should say grace. Poor sod.

Anyway, they changed the ambiance (and were more annoying than amusing at the time), but this was a fantastic place to be before their arrival. We’d return (in glory) – and have to sit in other rooms… none of which could match this one.

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233 Fri 171117 Jelínkova Plzeňská Pivnice, Prague

Beer: Pilsner Urquell 4.4%

The 17th November is a Czech Bank Holiday to mark the “struggle for freedom and democracy”, harking back to the events (under different totalitarian regimes) in 1939 and 1989. The centre of Prague is busy, noisy. Roads are closed and students seem extremely politically minded: all of which seems very healthy. We buy some little Czech flag ribbons (worn like we wear poppies in November) and eventually find our way into this small Pilsner Urquell bar. It’s an excellent place, packed to the rafters with no more than two dozen punters. We manage to find a seat, but are required to share a table. That’s fine – until the blokes we’re sharing with decide it’s time to screen frightfully amusing (and invasively noisy) videos on their phones.