Issue #5

I wrote in Issue #4 that I’d like to be posting more but also that I had some reservations about simply sharing tasting notes. Here are three of my beer highlights from January to March and what made them particularly special. 

January – Mills – Saison Cider Cask 2023 @ Home

I can’t recall when I bought this bottle, but it must have been among the very first I ever collected from Mills. Enough time that it should find its moment to brighten up a January evening. 

Light amber in colour and a moosey head, I found the aroma to have a slight vinegar bite, lots of crab apple, and black pepper. It tasted very bright, full of fresh apple, lemon, pineapple, a touch of ginger and some strong oakiness too. With a medium-high acidity, very dry, and no distinguishable bitterness, it made for sharp and exciting aperitivo. 

February – Newbarns – Midnights @ The Hand & Marigold Free House

I had just moved to around the corner from The Hand & Marigold when it closed in 2021. However since reopening last year I had heard great things and made a date to visit before catching a film at The Arzner. 

The Hand & Marigold itself is a beautiful pub, great decor, friendly staff and decent pork pies. With a great mix of cask and draft lines, I was stumped on what to order but I overheard someone raving about Midnights on cask and that was good enough for me. Midnights is a 3.4% mid-century style stout, fairly full bodied, rich in malt and roast, and very easy drinking with a low bitterness. It is perhaps the easiest drinking beer I have had in a long while, whilst being incredibly interesting too. 

March – Černokostelecký Pivovar – Vycpaná vydra & Černá svině @ Restaurace U Šumavy

After landing in Prague I had to undergo the two hour process for the new entry/exit registration for the EU. Thanks Brexit. Eager to catch up on lost time we set to exploring as much of the old town as we could before getting dark. Fortunately I had booked a table for a late dinner at Restaurace U Šumavy, which had been recommended by a number of people. The restaurant itself has a beautiful and classic decor meanwhile the menu nails down all the expected Czech classics. 

But what about the beer? I felt obliged to order a Pilsner Urquell first. However, our waiter, after hearing this was our first night, wisely insisted we try both the light and dark beers from Černokostelecký Pivovar, to go with the pork knuckle and the duck. This was such a good opener for what to expect in Prague and made for an incredibly soul nourishing experience.