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We here we are again in search of beer in the Czech Republic’s second largest city Brno and it is located in the southeast of the country. It was founded in 1243, although the area had been settled since the 5th century. As of December 2009 the population is 405,337. Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region as well as the seat of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman. Traditionally, it has served as the capital of the historical land Moravia.
Brno sights include, Špilberk Castle Stuck on a precipitous hill close to the city centre, Špilberk has a long and sometimes dark history. It was first built in the 13th century. It's open every day (except Monday) 09:00 to 17:00 and costs 40 crowns, if you want to go and have a look. Access is from the streets Husova (pedestrians) or Űvoz (vehicles).
Mendelianum Located at the foot of the castle hill, the Mendelianum celebrates the famous monk botanist,Johann Gregor Mendl Abbott of the Augustinian monastery in Old Brno, who laid down the basis of modern genetics. His work wasn't properly understood until 40 years after it was first published. The town has a square named after him. It costs a mere 8 crowns.
Public
transport
Dopravní podnik mesta Brna
http://www.dpmb.cz/ Brno transport authority
Our first port of call was Černohorský Sklep, Námĕsti Svobody. On the main square and easy to find. A cellar bar that is split into two one half a beer hall the other a half a dining hall, owned by the local Černá Hora brewery and selling their full range of breers including the new unfiltered 10° sklepní and Black Hill aperitif beer. The food looked good and the service was friendly and quite reasonably priced for a city. I highly recommend this pub.
We then went for a walk around the centre and saying this is the second city is was deserted for a Saturday afternoon! We made our way via a couple of nice centre bars to Pegas, Jakubská 4. The city’s original brewpub, which opened in 1992, we tried a couple of pints of all the beers and it was not found wanting. They brew three standard beers, svĕtlé, tmavý, pšeničný (wheat) and sometimes a special, usually Krystal, that is an attempt at a Märzen-type brew. As usual for Brno, the food is magnificent and excellent value with the pork in beer sauce with knedlicky (dumplings) being a classic Czech dish, that I always try and have at least once. The accommodation is also good value and, being only 10 minutes from the station and 3 minutes from the trams, is an ideal place to stay and explore the city. Rooms are bookable online too – we defiantly would stay here if we go again.
There is another brew pub just out of town about 30mins on the bus/tram. Pivovarská restaurace U Richarda, Ríšově 12, Brno-Žebětín; take tram 1 all the way to it’s western terminus at Ečerova, cross the road, take bus 54 to the last stop (Žebětín) then walk back along Ríšově until you see the pub on the corner of Ostrovačická Serves four beers, the usual svĕtlé and tmavý, and occasional special you can also take it away in bottles, brewed on the little plant in the back room. I larage modern building with a main bar and larage coverd beer garden and a function room as well. The food is excellent so all in all well worth a trip out to find and enjoy. Apparently there's a new bar, Restaurace Richarda, in the centre of Brno at Udolní 7 (let me know).
Pivovarská pivnice (Starobrno brewery tap), Mendlovo Námĕsti 20 was next on our list, Not that I am a great lover of Starobrno, especially now that it is owned by Heineken! This pub is located in the old brewery buildings at the top (north) end of the square just up from the trolley bus stops It has a huge outside patio and plain and cosy inside rooms with the bar being covered by a huge copper kettle lid and dispensing unfiltered kvasnicové (“yeasty”) beer alongside other test brews and the standard beers, including the rarer “Drak” bottled beers. The food looked good and the waiters are very efficient.
Another one to try is Hlucha zmije, Jugoslavska 34, serving beers from Strakonice and Dudak. It is a smoky den of iniquity on the south side of the Cerna Pole district. If you like rock music and beer (who wound not?) this is the place for you. Also there are a couple of tables and chairs out side if the weather is nice.
If you are a bit of a party animal and like to stay out late? You will enjoy Freeland, Beethovenova 7 but it only opens at 10pm during week days and 6pm Saturday and Sunday. The beer comes from one of the countrys smallest breweries, Dalesice usually 2-3 on draught, the food is of the hearty and filling variety. The pub itself is in a cellar furnished with rough-hewn booths, A must do visit for fans of rare and interesting beer.
There have recently been a couple of new bars I have heard of but not been to yet.
Vegas Club, Milady Horákové 1a. Open 10:30until midnight weekdays onlyLocal's bar with a decent range of micro beer on tap such as Poutnik.
U Hluché Zmije, Jugoslávská 37. A basement no-frills locals’ bar with "terrace" below road level and rock music its main attraction Beers available Pivovar Nektar, Strakonický, & Pivovar Svijany
Also of interest to the beer tourist are the following;
Hospoda U Orla Mácova 15, Opening hours: Mon -
Fri 11:00 - ,
Sat 16:00 Number of draught beers: 2 Usually from Staropramen
A
single-storey pub with a simple interior. They do standard meals
Kings Head Tř. kpt. Jaroše 26, Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 - 23:00 Number of draught beers: 3 An English pub that claims to be the only one in Brno to offer a full English breakfast. WHY WOULD YOU!
Brno is well endowed with bars but, unfortunately time did not allow us to check them all out, most only sell Starobrno or other national brands although there are a few other Černá Hora bars around. Hope I have been of help and found the best ones for you to sample first but you never know there is always a classic local waiting to be found around the corner.
Brno is a good city for a weekend break. Very few tourists make it this far and the welcome is genuinely warm and friendly. Go before it gets to popular…
Na Zdravi, Nazdar Otto & the little’un
