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OT: Visit to Czechia 3

Posted by Jason on 2017-10-10 03:31:15

It's freshness that's crucial. The beer is transported to the Tankovna pubs direct from Pilsen and is only sold to pubs with high turnover. Fresh from the brrewery and fresh in the pub. These pubs also pride themselves on their beer, some more than others. UK beer is moot, because it's real ale and has to spend time in the cask to condition - as long as the transportation looks after the barrel temperature and stability it's not a problem.

As a glaring example, on the very few times I have drunk beer in Erlangen, in cafes rather than breweries (hence Erlangen, I'm not picking on it), something I rarely do in Bamberg or elsewhere, the difference between the Meister, Held or whatever I tried to what I have enjoyed at the breweries is marked. This can be many things including the cleanliness of the lines but bottom line is beer is meant to be drunk near where it is made, hence why Franconia has so many breweries and 'Export' breweries like Kaiserdom and Bamberger Hofbraeu were a 'thing' and not the norm. Hence why Spezial supply only 2-3 outlets with draft beer (they are also small, granted). Even this past Saturday, the beer in Moenchsambach was just better than what we had in Rothenschild - both barrel dispensed. Not huge, but enough.

I'm not arguing the point about the differences between bottled (stupid green bottles), canned and kegged PU - these products are filtered and pasteurised, the tankovna is not pasteurised. The tanks are temperature controlled. The taste difference is chalk and cheese, regardless of what any people you trust say (with respect, there is no one I trust more than myself, except the locals). I can tell I'm drinking Tankovna, the head formation and condition is so much superior to the keg product. Streets ahead.

Tankovna is not a gimmick - it's hardly easier or cheaper than having kegs and clearly they are prized in the places where the locals drink the beer and have done for decades.

Whether or not PU is the best multinational beer or not; whether it's as good as it was or whether you like it - it's all irrelavent, but one thing is for sure; the Tankovna is a far superior product. If people can't tell the difference then i pity their palatte.