Best beer experience in 2009

This year has been a great year for beers. I have tasted many good brews, and I have been able to taste them in various European countries. There are several moments that stand out. Among others I had a very good time in Brno and Prague visiting many great pubs. The visit at Pegas in Brno was very special, and I also enjoyed spending a day with Pivní Filosof at U Medvidku in Prague trying great beers like X33 and OldGott Barique.

It was a hot summer in 2009, and drinking wheat beers and cold lager beers in France are good memories. Trying Haandbryggeriet's IPA from a hand pump at Naboen in Bergen, Norway was also a good experience. The same goes for the many visits I had at U Prince Miroslava in Prague tasting various excellent beers.

But in retrospect, I feel the best beer experience I had in 2009 was at my second visit to the Autumn Tasting (or Oktoberfest) in Prague. It was arranged in a beer tent near the Pankrac metro station.

The first visit was OK, although I did not like the way the band's music was played at high volume. The second time the band was replaced by a duo playing accordion and cornet. The atmosphere was much better, and it looked as if people really enjoyed themselves.

I had a couple of very good beers, but my main reason for feeling this was the best beer experience has to do with the people I were there with: Some nice Czech friends. We had a great evening together, and the social aspect with experiencing something with others, a nice ambience in the beer tent and good beer made it a great beer experience. I hope to repeat it next year at The Czech Beer Festival in May.