I enjoy a brewery taproom that not only offers good beer, but also a good beer drinking experience. That can come in the form of a sociable taproom atmosphere, appropriate glassware, good food, some homage to tradition, or can be as simple as showing respect in the way the beer is poured.
Tmavé Pivo
During a “quick pint” stop at Ten Eyck Brewing (Queenstown, MD) I wanted to catch up with one of my favorite offerings from them, the Tmavé Pivo, the dark Czech lager. I’ve happily seen this beer style offered more often on brewery menus lately. If you'd like to learn more about this style, it was the cover article in the MABN Feb/Mar 2021 edition entitled, Tmave, The Czechs’ Dark Secret.
Hidden among their beer menu pages was one entitled “Why is there so much foam in that beer?” Being the curious beer drinker that I am, I read on about the Czech side pull faucet. I asked the beer keeper about getting one of these pours. There were three, the Hladinka, Šnyt, or the Mlíko pour, each with an increasing amount of foam. I opted for the middle Šnyt pour (pronounced as ‘schnitt’). The head is a dense white foam which the introduction page reads that this pour is “not filing but rather refreshing”. And, I would agree.
I appreciate Ten Eyck’s curiosity and willingness to not only recognize the great beer tradition of Czech beer culture but also to extend that to their customers. I later asked Nicki Senner, one of the owners about my experience and she said that it had not yet caught on. Just the same, I hope they keep this pour option and continue to expand the beer drinking culture.
P.S. — Some weeks after my discovery of the side-pour at Ten Eyck I'd learned that the tmavé pivo had kicked and the side pour tap was gone. They hope to bring the Czech-style back in the fall and I hope they also offer the side pour option with it.
EVAN RAIL
Evan Rail is a beer writer based in Prague, Czech Republic, and writes more about the Czech beer culture than anyone I know. I had the pleasure of meeting Evan a few years ago while he was touring with the Czech embassy promoting tourism to their country through beer. A nice concept and it was a great evening. Evan has written several books on beer and is very approachable and willing to share.
“the side-pull taps were a reassuring indication that the new owners actually cared about beer.”
MORE INFORMATION
If I've aroused your interest of the Czech side pour even a bit, you can read more from the list of sources below.
Vine Pair - Evan Rail
There’s a Czech Beer Brewers Are Obsessed With, And It’s Not Pilsner
Pilsners dominate Americans’ perceptions of Czech beer, but the Central European country has a dark, beery secret. The second most popular brew in the Czech Republic is near-black tmavé pivo, or “dark beer,” a brewing style that actually predates pilsner — and upstages it in some Czech taverns.
Good Beer Hunting - Evan Rail
The Secret Handshake of the Side Pull Project
Like most aspects of Czech beer culture, side-pull (also called “side-pour”) faucets are relatively unknown by outsiders. But even outside Central Europe, a number of pubs that care about quality Lagers have adopted them in recent years, hailing their importance as part of a proper Lager pour.
Brewer World - Abhinav Reddy
3 Pours of Pilsner Urquell
Foam is one of the main attributes that separates beer from other refreshing beverages. It is considered one of the most intriguing characteristics of a beer.
Vine Pair - Courtney Iseman
Got Mlíko? Why You Should Try a Glass Full of Wet Beer Foam
In Czech beer service utilizing a side pour faucet, however, the foam is poured first and then the beer is poured underneath the cap of foam.
THINKING Tradition
Another Maryland brewery venture into traditional beer drinking culture has come from Jim Steinhardt at Steinhardt Brewing in Frederick MD. Jim was telling me that they offer Champagne du Frederick, a Berliner Weisse, which is not uncommon these days with the current popularity of sours. But they also add the option of adding the traditional woodruff or raspberry syrup to balance the tartness. Check out the Steinhardt Brewing menu for their latest offerings. You can learn more about Berliner Weisse from the BJCP Beer Styles Guide.
BE CURIOUS
I leave you with this challenge — be curious. When you sit down in a taproom, forgo the IPA and try a beer style that you haven't tried before or know much about. I've seen more than a few Kentucky Commons on tap recently. Ask the bar keep about a beer that you are tasting. They often know a great much about what went into making it and are very happy to share that knowledge. And if you see a side pour option, give it a go. You may find you enjoy the beer more, that you’ve expanded your knowledge of beer culture — and that’s part of the journey.
