It's been just three weeks since I spent several days in Berlin, yet there's snow in my photos and spring outside. The temperature has jumped around 20 °C, which makes the trip feel like it took place months ago. Fortunately, I made my notes as usual regarding the brews and the trivia from the staff, so the post is still grounded. Any beer buff must find themselves in a haven in the German capital. On the other hand, Prague offers more craft microbreweries scattered throughout the city – we have at least 50 of them, while Berlin boasts just around 30 such venues, and it's worth noting that the city is three times larger. Brlo is one of the most reputable ones.
Jsou to sice jen tři týdny, co jsem se vrátil z Berlína, ale tak nějak to působí, jako kdybych tam byl před několika měsíci. Na fotkách je sníh, za okny jaro. A asi o dvacet stupňů víc. Ale poznámky jsem si udělal jako vždycky, o pivu i o tom, co mi barman prozradil navíc, takže se nemusíte bát, že by článek tím odstupem nějak utrpěl. Berlín má méně minipivovarů než Praha, a to přesto, že je asi třikrát větší. Na druhou stranu se u nás pije spíše na kvantitu, a spousta lokálně uznávaných "znalců" prostě tvrdí, že nejlepší je Plzeň (případně Budvar, Radegast nebo Svijany) a tečka. Každopádně Brlo má v Berlíně slušné renomé.
Remember how I praised Kreuzberg in my
previous #beersaturday post? Brlo was founded in that bohemian district in 2014 and opened its brewhouse after two years of nomadic brewing there. I visited their second venue in Charlottenburg, on the other side of the city, simply because it was close to my hotel; I worked during the day and wanted a nice dish accompanied by several pints worth writing about somewhere around.
Z minulého článku, nebo možná spíše z vlastních návštěv německé metropole, si určitě pamatujete Kreuzberg. Brlo v téhle bohémské čtvrti začínalo, nejprve jako létající pivovar, a od roku 2014 jako minipivovar s vlastním zázemím. Ale protože Berlín není zrovna malý, a já přes den pracoval, vyrazil jsem si jen do jejich druhého podniku v Charlottenburgu. Chtěl jsem se trochu slušně najíst a ochutnat pár zajímavých piv, která by stála za článek. Což se podařilo.
Does Brlo sound rather clumsy? Although German may not be the most pleasant language to hear, don't you blame it for this! The name comes from an old Slavic word for "bear's den," which incidentally gave the city its name – according to one explanation, although there are arguably more accurate versions. On the other hand, a black bear dominates the Berlin coat of arms, and you can find dozens of Berlin Buddy Bear statues throughout the city. Here's another piece of trivia: "brloh" in contemporary Czech still means "bear's den."
Brlo možná nezní tak úplně německy. A možná vám asociuje se slovem brloh. Kupodivu správně. Jedna z teorií o původu jména Berlín se totiž odkazuje na staroslovanská slova pro bažinu, nebo právě pro medvědí brloh. Těch teorií je pochopitelně vícero, nicméně Berlín má ve znaku velkého černého medvěda a všude po městě narazíte na pomalované Berlin Buddy Bears. Všudypřítomní medvědi tak nějak tuhle teorii v očích laické veřejnosti ukotvily.
Brlo Charlottenburg is a gastropub rather than a taproom – that's why I headed there in the first place. It's a good idea to book a spot in advance. The place may look empty, but you might notice that most tables are reserved. I arrived just after the opening hour, being almost the first guest of the night, which earned me a welcome drink. As if they knew I was going to review the place! Both Brlo bars are renowned for their grilled chicken, but I decided to try the sandwich, which turned out to be a meal rather than a snack.
Brlo Charlottenburg si je oficiálně gastropub. Pro pravidelné návštěvníky tuzemských minipivovarů nic neobvyklého, často jsou nejlepším místem široko daleko, pokud jde o kvalitní gastronomii. Tady jsou vyhlášená grilovaná kuřata. Zachce-li se vám ochutnat je, doporučuju udělat si rezervaci. Ty stoly sice vypadají prázdné, ale když si fotky zvětšíte, prakticky na každém je rezervace. Já přišel brzo, hned po otvíračce, což mi vysloužilo welcome drink. Skoro jako kdyby tu někdo tušil, že se o Brlo chystám napsat článek. Namísto kuřete jsem si ale dal sendvič. Nenechte se zmást názvem, je to plnohodnotná večeře.
Beer
Weizen My Ass, Hefeweizen
As my readers know, I am fond of wheat beers, and since many of these styles originate in Germany, I thought it fitting to start with one. The name, of course, is quite catchy. The beer presented a typical yeasty scent with notes of banana and cloves. Upon sipping, I detected decent coriander tones, light floral tones, and a robust yeasty aftertaste. The beer is slightly sweeter than I expected, but overall, Weizen My Ass is a good representation of the style.
Berliner Weisse, Berliner Weisse
When in Rome, drink what the Romans do. When in Berlin, it's only fitting to try a Berliner Weisse. As the name suggests, this style originates from the city, and I must admit that I haven't had many of these before, so I approached it with an open mind. This sour ale incorporates lactic acid fermentation, making it unsuitable for vegans (yes, there are vegan-unfrinedly beers!). The aroma is citrusy, and the body is fruity with green apple tones, as well as herbal and acidic aroma due to the fermentation method. A hint of hoppy bitterness appeared in the aftertaste, blended with a citric acid tone. It's an interesting brew that showcases the style's unique characteristics.
Happy Pils, German Pilsner
I expected a heavily hopped lager, similar to those brewed by many Czech microbreweries recently. However, the aroma is relatively mild, with sweetish tones and a yeasty note. The beer opens with a robust bready body and decent floral tones, followed by a bitterness that appears in the aftertaste, blended with light floral hoppy notes. While it's not my cup of tea pint of beer, as I tend to enjoy more bitter lagers, it's an interesting brew indeed.
Blurry Vision, NEIPA
How else could a microbrewery visit end but with blurry vision? I simply had to try this New England IPA as the final sample of the day. Brewed with a hint of wheat malt, it has a relatively low bitterness (IBU 35). The beer is well-balanced. The aroma and initial sip are dominated by red oranges and red berries, giving way to grapefruits and mangoes later on. The finish is dry and crisp; Blurry Vision is a proper NEIPA.
This is my #BeerSaturday challenge post, and I would like to invite
@tazi to participate. Write a post in any language about beer with at least 3 pictures. It does not have to be published on Saturday. Check the rules published by
@tazi
