Prague beer scene   

ith the Prague brewing scene really taking off I've decided, after our recent manic scooping frenzy in the city, to rewrite my complete Czech section.  I've split off this Prague guide so as to give the city it's due and will update it whenever I have any new gen to post.

Thanks to all those who have tipped me off about the scene mainly Chris Fudge, Dean Roberts, Paul Harrop, Joe Wright, John Holland and Max Bahnson (the Pivni Filosof) - thanks, guys.

There are currently seven brewpubs in Prague (plus one which occasionally brews and one which will shortly) all of which are easily visited by tram (the only way to travel!); get a tram map first from one of the information centres as the network is one of the largest in Europe and is particularly convoluted and busy with trams running 24 hours a day to most destinations.  Prague's transport system combines trams, buses and a 3-line metro and is excellent, it really does save a lot of walking, and whilst the prices are steep for Czech they won't break the back with Brits with a 24-hour ticket coming in at 100Kč with which you can travel around the capital by almost any transport method - see here.

Take a look at my Google beer map for Prague here.  I'll list the brewpubs first in alphabetical order followed by the two student breweries then some good bars where you'll find interesting beers and then the beer shop.  More info can be found in the following locations -

• Evan Rail's blog is a good source of current gen although it tends to be a bit "journalisty"

• This one by an Argentinean living in Prague is more down to earth.

• This excellent site tells you all you need to know about each and every Czech brewery.

• Here you can see the active breweries in areas and there's also a big map too.

Brewpubs.

U Fleků, Křemencova 11, Staré Město.  Open daily 09.00 - 23.00.  ()

Take tram 21 to Myslíkova and Křemencova is opposite with U Fleků 50 metres on the left.  Alternately, take trams 3,9,14,24 to Lazarská, carry on south along the tramlines until you come to Myslikova and Křemencova is second on the right.

Famous as the world's oldest brewpub although the current beer (bottom-fermented in wooden vessels) only dates back 100 years or so.  Sadly the pub's raison d'être these days seems to be to fleece tourists although, catch it when it's quiet, and you can enjoy the dark 13° beer which varies in quality but - when it's on form - it's still one of the finest dark lagers you'll ever drink, and it should be for 59Kč per 0.4l glass!  At other times it can seem as if 500 lederhosen-clad Germans have been shoehorned into it, all singing along to cheesy choons on a squeezebox.  One more piece of advice is not to be tempted with the Becherovka (I think that's what it is...) which is almost forced into your mouth by the waiters; it's very expensive!  Touristy, yes, but it's worth it - even just once - in the hope you catch the beer on form for one of the world's finest drinking experiences.

Klášterní pivovar Strahov, Strahovské nádvoři 301.  Open all day.  ()

To get there, take the 22 (Bílá Hora) or 23 (Malovanka) tram (take them from the Štĕpánská stop outside Pivovarský Dům if you want!) up the superb hairpin bends of Chotkova and then past the Hrad (castle) before alighting just before the Klášter (monastery) on Keplerova, stop Pohořelec.  Walk straight ahead following the tram, cross the main road as it bends right, then walk up the small lane that heads uphill to the right towards some big stone gates.  At the top, turn left through said gates you into Strahovské nádvoři and the brewpub is on the left after a short distance behind a wall.

The standard beer is a dark 14° which is average to good and there is also usually a special on plus maybe the amber too.  It's ostensibly a tourist magnet which charges excessive prices (59Kč!) for small 0.4l glasses of beer much the same as U Fleků does, although the beers are, to be fair, pretty decent in quality.  Worth the trip, you can even do the funicular up Petřín hill then walk here in 15 minutes before scoring the beers and taking a tram to your next destination.

U Medvídků, Na Perštýně 7, Staré Město.  Note opening times below.  ()

Right in the thick of the old town and thus fairly easy to find.  Take the metro line B or trams 6,9,18,21,22,23  to Národní třída and Na Perštýně is just across Národní with the pub a short distance on your left; look out for the mural.

It's a right old mix of a place is the little bears; for a start it has three bars plus a brewery, a cabaret hall and finally a beer shop!  The main beer hall is open from 11:30 - 23:00 and serves just Budvar so that's of little interest to anyone except as a corridor to the main attraction, the so-called X-Beer bar (same hours).  To find this, walk straight through the beer hall, avoiding the waiters trying to offer you a table or beer, passing a room-load of wooden casks holding maturing beer on your right behind a glass wall, until you find some steps.  Go down to the shop or up to find the extremely well-hidden brewery and bar where you can sit in peace to contemplate one of Czech's strangest beers - Flemish Oud Bruin, anyone?  The price is a touch steep at 49Kč for half a litre but it's worth it for such a classic wood-brewed lager, although 111Kč for the X-Beer 33° (12.8%, usually bottled only) is a touch over the top in my view and you may be lucky and find a special beer on draught for astronomical prices...  The other bar in the building is at the front and is called the "Budweiser bar"; no need to visit that you might say, but if you want to try Budvar unpasteurised (or "ring beer" as they call it) then it's either here or Budvarka at Dejvická; it's open from 16:00 until 03:00.

Novomĕstský Pivovar, Vodičkova 20, Staré Město.  Open Mon–Fri 10:00-23:30, Sat 11:30–23:30 and Sun 12:00-22:00.  ()

Take tram 3,9,14,24 to Vodičkova and the Novomĕstský (New Town) brewpub is almost opposite on the south side of the road, but be aware that the entrance is pretty hard to spot (look for the name outside the shopping arcade-like entrance) and it's down the passage from there; just follow the cases full of tat! 

This place is geared to food, although the uniformed waiters might reluctantly find you a place if you make it clear you just want to try the beers.  Mind you don't get lost though, it's like a warren in there with a whole load of different rooms.  The 2 beers, pale and dark 11° kvasnicový lagers, are flowery and malty without being stunning and, unfortunately, this is another brewpub where the beers are priced for tourists (although nowhere near as highly as Medvídků or Strahov).  Don't bother with the food as even though it's okay the prices are very steep - do yourself a favour and go to Pivovarský Dům instead, it's only a five-minute walk!

Pivovarský Dům, Ječná 15, Nový Město.  Open daily 11:00 - 23:30.  ()

Take trams 4,6,10,16,22,23 to Štĕpánská and you'll see the brewpub about 20 metres up the hill on the south side of the road (the right hand side looking up the hill).  It's not that obvious it's a bar, looking more like some Soviet kitchen appliance showroom, but believe me it is - and it makes some of the best beers around on it's shiny copper plant. 

In my opinion some of the best beer in Prague; they serve a fantastic tmavé and svétlé plus a wheat (pšeničné) and sometimes a seasonal in addition to other less impressive concoctions such as cherry, coffee, banana and nettle (!) plus a bottled beer called Šamp (champagne beer with muscat grape extract).  Stick to the basic beers and don't neglect the food (their roasted garlic soup is wonderful, as is the game with cranberries) and you can't go wrong.  One of my favourite brewpubs in the world - thus far - although it does get very busy and the staff aren't the cheeriest even for Prague!   They also own the Pivovarský Klub at Křižíkova 17, Karlín, which is 100 metres from Florenc Metro station and is probably Prague's only true scooper's bar with six changing guest beers at all times.

Pivovarský Klub, Křižíkova 17, Karlín. Open 11:00-23:30 daily.  ()

From metro station Florenc, exit by the Křižíkova steps and the brewpub is 100 metres along the street towards the railway viaduct (not the big concrete flyover!).  Florenc tram station (trams 8,24) is one block behind the metro and the bus station is almost opposite the pub.

A unique place in Prague's centre, this pub offers no permanent beers but a constantly changing choice of six guest brews from all over the country.  There's generally a Pivovarský Dům scoop available (they have all the special brews here) but the others could be anything at all!  A pair of fridges hold a whole load of bottled beers, mainly from Czech, and as if this wasn't enough the place also doubles as a beer shop and also a brewery; you can arrange to use the dinky little copper brewplant in the front window to make your own beer and apparently, very irregularly, they sell one of their own brews from this picobrewery... if you're extremely lucky!  A classic bar and very unique in the city, although not really a brewpub as such.

Pražský most u Valšů, Betlémská 5, Staré Město.  Open 11:00 - 23:00 daily.  ()

Situated close to Charles Bridge and not too far from U Medvídků, this brand-new brewpub is found in the maze of old lanes and so needs a map to locate.  The closest tram stop is probably Karlovy lázně, trams 17,18.

Beware, the website is in Cyrillic and Czech only... but if you can't read either then to save you the bother of going there to investigate let me say that the brewplant is now installed in the cellar bar but, according to the barmaid, won't be used for another month (it should be in use by March/April 2008) so for now you'll have to make do with Rohozec tmavý 12° and Březňák světlý 12° - which isn't too hard a deal as they're both pretty good.  A nice place which, with decent beer, will be an essential stop.

U Bulovky Richter Pub, Bulovka 17, Libeň.  Open Mon-Thu 11:00 - 23:00, Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00 and Sun closed.  ()

Take tram 10,15,24,25 to Bulovka and you pass the road just before the stop.  Cross the zebra crossing (from the back of the tram heading out of town walk to the end of the platform then turn right across Zenklova) and the brewpub is a short distance down Bulovka on your right.  It's a lot easer than this sounds, only a few minutes' walk!

Quite a way out of the action, most people would never guess that this little side-street bar holds a delicious secret in the shape of František Richter's gleaming copper brewery which takes up one corner of the cosy bar in a very Austrian or German way - which is understandable when you learn that František lived in Germany for a while!  The standard beer is a 12.3° svétlé which is simply superb plus at least one special which could be anything from a dark lager through wheat beer to ale or stout; the range is very wide and includes - almost uniquely - top fermenting styles alongside the more traditional Czech lagers.  A superb place with excellent food, excellent beer and an all-round quality which you don't see that often.  Oh yes, as an added bonus, and the only tourists you'll see will be fellow beer lovers!

Sousedský pivovar Bašta, Táborská 49, Nusle.  Open 11:00 - 00:00 daily.  ()

Take tram 18 to Nuselská radnice then walk along following the tramlines, cross Sezimova, and the brewpub is just on your right.

A very new brewpub which opened at the turn of 2008, this is an unusual pub in that it's very Köln in character - it doesn't have a bar but an area where the staff dispense beers before service!  All very new and wood-clad with a cute little brewery in a  side room producing a range of four beers of which two are generally on at any one time plus, apparently, some specials.  Both we tried were very good with the polotmavý being excellent so it's well worth a look and can be worked into a crawl featuring U Klokočnika and then Prvni Pivni Tramway.  The Ježek bar opposite the tramstop advertised kvasnicový pivo but sadly none was available on our visit; the barman was very apologetic, explaining that it only comes in small kegs!

The one that got away...

U Zlatého Anděla, (Golden Angel), Celetná 29, Staré Město.  Not currenly open?

A famous old hotel which apparently accommodated Mozart during his stays in Prague and is/was being totally refurbished as an upmarket hotel once again.  This was supposed to include a brewpub, but they've apparently changed their mind and now it won't... ah well.

Breweries.

Minipivovar SPŠPT, Podskalská 10, Nový Město.

Trams 3,7,16,17,21 to Výtoň and it's a few minutes walk from there.

Not really a brewpub as such, this is a micro-brewery inside the "Střední průmyslová škola potravinářských technologií" - which translates something like "central school of industrial food processing technology", yum yum - produces beers as part of the courses there and, as far as I can gather, sell it in 1.5l PET bottles - but I don't know where!  If anyone does, please let me know... Joe Wright visited the site in 2006 but couldn't find a bar or anywhere obviously selling the beers.

Suchdolský Jeník, Kamýcká 129, Suchdol.

Take bus 107 (Suchdol) or 147 (Výhledy) from Dejvická metro station (the two buses give a 15-minute frequency) to the Zemědělská univerzita stop and then follow my map to building G where you can find the bar stocking (sometimes) the university's own brew.

This is the "Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze" or Czech agricultural university where a small brewery exists for the courses run there.  The beer is served on draught in the bar within building G although on our visit it wasn't available and we were told "try Mondays".  It's one for the adventurous, this, being a 15-minute bus ride out of Prague and then wandering around the university grounds which look like something from some Soviet concrete nightmare, but the bar is sociable enough and I'm definitely going back next time!

The Pivni Filosof has sent me a PDF file showing where the beer can be found in the University campus - the places highlighted in red (NOT the red buildings on the map!) sell the beer so the choice has increased by threefold... we saw both the others when we were there and the restaurace JIH didn't have the beer on it's outside sign whilst the studentský klub wasn't tried as we didn't have the gen.  Best of luck!

Bars.

Budvarka, Wuchterlova 22, Dejvice.  Open 11:00 - 00:00 daily.  ()

Just south of Dejvická metro station but closer to tram stop Vítězné náměstí (trams 2,8,20,26), you pass the pub on the left descending the hill towards the tram stop.

One of a growing chain of Budvar pubs across the country specialising in unpasteurised beer (here called kroužkovaný not kvasnicový) and excellent food in a comfortable atmosphere.  This one is a handy final stop before the airport bus and is one of only two places in Prague to serve unpasteurised Budvar, the other being the Budweiser bar in U Medvídků.  Reasonably cheap and I can categorically recommend the food especially the Staročeský talíř (Bohemian plate) which is a 1/4 duck, smoked pork, sausage, roasted pork, white and red sauerkraut served with bohemian, bacon and potato dumplings all for 195Kč - an absolute bargain.  The beer is fine but I'm still not sure why it's so raved over...

Ferdinanda, Opletalova 24, Staré Město.  Open Mon-Sat 11:00 - 23:00.  ()

Situated in a cellar between the main train station (Hlavní nádraží) and Wenceslas square, if you leave the station and walk along Opletalova it's on your left and only a few minutes walk.

Not everyone will like this brash, trendy bar but there's no denying it's in a decent location for the station.  It serves up four Ferdinand beers on draught including the pretty good Sedm Kuli 13º polotmavý.  Not really one for the pub-lovers but the beer's okay if you need 'em.

U Kláštera, Bělohorská 169 Břevnov. Open 10:30 - 23:00 daily.  ()

Trams 15/22/25 to Břevnovský klášter and the pub is on your left after a few metres.

A superb local's pub far enough out to be free of tourists and without the old town's "tourist tax", this large multi-roomed bar serves a strange array of draught beers including light and dark Klášter brews, Urquell, Budvar, Hoegaarden (!) and the relatively rare Náchod Primátor 16°.  The food is excellent, expecially the koleno, and all things considered it's a cracking pub which I'd never have found without Evan Rail's guide!

Klášterni šenk, Marketská 1, Břevnov.  Open 11:30 - 23:00 daily.  ()

Follow directions as for U Kláštera and you'll see the Břevnov monastery (dating from 993) across the road.  Walk in through the main gates and the pub is through some lovely old doors on the right-hand side of the courtyard.

Now this is one hidden gem.  It's done out in a very old-world style with stripped wood tables and a large glowing oven in the middle and seems to be a popular destination for locals to eat the splendid looking victuals.  The beer isn't bad either, being Klášter's lovely 11° light and dark beers for a reasonable 28Kč a half-litre making this an good place for a meal and some top beer, plus you've got U Kláštera across the road too... it's enough to make a born-again Atheist believe in heaven...

U Klokočnika, Na Veselí 48, Nusle.  Open 11:00 - 23:00.  ()

Tram 18 to Na Veselí and walk up Na Veselí north to the pub, around 200m.

What a cracker this is! A proper local's bar out in the wilds of Nusle which will never see an ordinary tourist (unless they're very lost) which serves ordinary and kvasnicové versions of Kácov's excellent brews, with the extra yeast turning them into some kind of divine nectar and some of the finest Czech beers I've ever tasted.  It can be worked into a crawl of sorts with Prvni Pivni Tramway and Sousedský pivovar Bašta so there's no excuse not to come here - it's a classic pub with superb beers for some of the cheapest prices I've ever seen in Prague; 15Kč for the 10° kvasnicové is just daft for something of that quality!

Hrom do Police, Moravská 40, Vinohrady.  Open 12:00 (Sat 14:00) - 23:00, Sun closed.  ()

Tram 10,16 to Šumavská; if you're travelling out of the centre then follow the tramlines and take the first right into Chodská; the entrance to the bar (it's in a cellar and the entrance isn't what you'd expect!) is just over the first road (Moravská) on your left.

A great cellar bar which serves the full range of Polička brews; 10° pale and dark, 11°, 11° kvasnicové, 12° and 12° kvasnicové for very reasonable prices, enabling you to clear the lot for less than 150Kč!  Reasonably close to I P Pavlova and therefore Pivovarský Dům, this bar is well worth a visit for the very tasty and characterful brews on sale.

Prvni Pivni Tramway. Terminus of tram 11 at Spořilov, the official address is Na Chodovci 1a.  Open 14:00 - 00:00 daily.  ()

Take tram 11 to it's terminus at Spořilov; as you alight the bar is in what looks like the old concrete staff hut just a few metres from you!  Remember that the tram boarding point is at the other side of the loop, but they ring a bell inside to warn when a tram is leaving (or so I've read, I think I heard it but can't be sure... it had been a long day!)

Inside is thankfully nothing like the exterior with various cosy rooms including one where a fake tram has been constructed for patrons to sit in... all very surreal, but the main reason to come here is for the "4th tap" which houses a permanently changing guest beer from anywhere in the country.  I particularly liked the posters which advertised Black Death vodka, "Drink in Peace" being their slogan!  The food is good and reasonably priced (the garlic soup was lovely and very garlicky!) but the main reason to come is for the guest tap plus Náchod wheat beer on draught.  Surreal, strange, different - but very good, and I guarantee you won't have been to many places like it before, this was the Czech beer lover's bar of the year in 2006.

Beer shops.

Pivní Galerie, U Průhonu 9, Holešovice.  Open Mon-Fri 12:00 - 21:00, closed weekends.  ()

Take tram 5,12,15 to U Průhonu but note that this tramstop only exists northbound, if you travel south to the shop from Holešovice then you must get off at Dělnická two blocks further south and walk back.

A classic beer shop which stocks well over 100 varieties of Czech beer in bottle, definitely the best range in the city, but that's not all; the pub also has a little tap room to the side (accessed through the shop) which has two taps dispensing various guest beers from all over the country.  Considering it's dual attractions as a guest beer pub and excellent bottle shop I consider the Pivní Galerie to be an essential visit when in Prague, although the weekend closing is rather inconvenient!

Other beer gen.

• There is a bar at Dejvicka metro station (if you walk to the Suchdol bus stops) which sells Rychtář beers from Hlinsko.

• A Ježek bar opposite tramstop Nuselská radnice (tram 18) advertises yeast beer.

Getting into town from the airport.  (Updated 06/02/08)

At Prague airport (PRG) there are various ATM's in the entrance hall all of which speak English; once you have your money you no longer need to get change from the shops for the bus as there's a new "transport information centre" in arrivals which sells all the required transport tickets; it's now 26Kč for a "changing" ticket (Plnočenna jizdenka) or 100Kč for a 24-hour (24-hodinové) ticket - all must be punched in the machines on the bus upon entering to avoid the attention of the plain clothes inspectors.

Walk out of the terminal entrance (flying from the UK you'll come into T1) and the bus stop is signposted just across the road to your right.  If you need to buy a ticket - which you can now do in arrivals - there are yellow ticket machines that also speak English; a "Plnočenna jizdenka" (transfer ticket, 26Kč) and allows 75mins travel (90 mins off-peak, 20:00-05:00 and all day Sat and Sun) on city transport - metro, tram or bus.  You can also get a "denni jizdenka/24-hodinové" or day ticket (valid 24 hours from validation) for 100Kč from the machines, useful if you're doing quite a bit of travelling, but buying hourly tickets is an option - after all, you need to validate 4 transfer tickets to spend more than a day ticket!  There are also 72-hour tickets (330Kč for some obscure reason) and 5-day ones too (500Kč).

The routes into the centre of town are operated by DPP and take the form of a journey by bus then Metro.  You have three options here;

1. The new No.100 bus to Zličín metro - this takes ages and isn't advised as Zličín is literally miles out of town,

2. Preferably, bus 119 to it's terminus at Dejvická for the metro line A forwards to wherever you need in the centre.  Bus 119 runs every 10 mins or so and make sure you punch your ticket in machine once inside as the plain clothes inspectors are very desperate! 

3. There's also a new bus called "AE" which runs from the airport via Dejvická to Holešovice rail station but it costs 45Kc and only runs every 30 minutes...

The official ticket gen from Praha public transport is "Transfer tickets Tickets for three fare zones can be used 75 minutes from validation. On working days from 08.00 PM to 05.00 AM and on Saturdays and Sundays round the clock such tickets can be used 90 minutes from validation. Non-transfer tickets apply to trams and buses 20 minutes allowing no change. On the Metro such tickets are valid for the distance of 5 stations from the station of validation (not including the station of validation) allowing to change between the lines A,B,C, but no longer than 30 minutes. These tickets do not apply to night routes and funicular railway."

See the latest maps of the Praha transport systems here or visit the main site here.

A collection of Czech beermats from all around the country.

© Gazza v1.0  06/02/08