Hotel Rous Plzen

... part of the plant but one line was running so we saw the bottles scuttle past on their way to being filled.<br><br> We wound our way through the plant and saw a multimedia presentation on the brewing of Pilsner Urquell. They mash it or boil it three times which is unusual. They also hop it three times. Using Saaz hops from the region. A few years ago, there were several natural hops ...

... I would - as they were pretty impressive, but then you all know how to use google!!<br> <br><br>We then had a tour of the fermentation tanks and details of the vital ingreadients (water, malt, special yeast and bacteria...). The tour concluded in obvious fashion - with a taster straight from the keg, poured by the most photographed man in Plzen!!<br>

Today we went to the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Plzen. Pilsner, the type of beer, originated here, where Pilsner Urquell was brewed from local crops and local mineral water. The tour was awesome. We saw the traditional brew kettles and the modern ones, as well as a very modern new packaging plant. We also tasted some unpastuerized beer directly from fermenting barrels.<br>

... we camped at this weird, seemingly abandoned hotel. After we ride miles out of our way to get there this lady tells me in broken few words and mostly hand gestures that we can't stay there it's only for people of an association. I'm not sure if it was my puppy dog eyes or my deadly looks but in the end she let us camp out back. It was kinda weird because we were the only ones there.

... nipped in the bud. Czech is a whole different ball game. Like cricket. It sorta resembles something familiar, but you soon realize everything is differnt. Differnt field, different rules, different variations on familiar things. Even the liquid refreshment is different ...rather than breaking the action for tea, they break for beer here. And sadly, I have NEVER figured out cricket. Perhaps the beer will do the trick and I will eventually remember how to say hello without my crib notes.

Before arriving in Plzen I had a certain image stuck in my brain of how the city would look like. I imagined a Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory type of city but with beer fountains instead of chocolate fountains and little munchkins frolicking in beer lakes. Obviously, I was quite disappointed when I got off the train and stepped out of the train station. I was instead met with a lovely sight of three drunk shirtless old men (it was ...

... beer brewed in the cellar. This was unfiltered, un-pasteurized and absolutely delicious. It was worth traveling 6 hours to taste this one cup of beer. It was unbelievable; I have never met a beer that tasted so good. Dominic had told me had tasted the best beer of his life in Plzen, I can understand and wholeheartedly agree. Looking back on the beer, I would probably step over my own mother to get another one.

... things have remarkable quality. We were noticing that the bar of soap that we have been using for showers for the last four weeks is finally down to a sliver. At home, a bar of Dial, which is twice the size, lasts half as long. Some things are remarkably poorly made of cheap materials. Packaging is different. One pound of ground meat comes in a container big enough to handle two or three pounds. The quality of food is very good. We have grown to love persimmons. The other day ...

... our favorite store, Tesco. We each bought a knit cap. MS bought a winter jacket. Had lunch at the Atelier. We had a wonderful onion soup, but not French as advertised, Greek salad, rolls, and beer. Back to the room to work on this and work on really learning the monetary system. Dinner at home. FM made chicken breasts. Impressions: This really is a beautiful city. We are more and more impressed. So far the air doesn't seem too bad. 26 October-Sunday Another cold day. Our laundry ...

... to a place of mystery, not disimiliar to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Short introductory video, copper vats, 160 year old underground cellar, before we finally entered the holy shrine.....a mist hung over us as the temperature hovered around 2 degrees celsius, i could just make out in the distance the hand that unleashed the the beer from the one tonne oak casks, unfiltered Pilsner, made the same way as centuries before, the only place ...