Trumer Pils is a memory of Salzburg I never had. I visited the city of Trumer’s origin with my father in 1992. We stopped there for a few hours on a train trip to Switzerland. I recall two experiences from our sightseeing walk: We walked up a hill and entered the Maria Himmelfahrt church that belonged to the nunnery Stift Nonnberg. The church was empty. No sooner had I sat down in a pew to take the place in, that the nuns began to sing. The choir’s acapella chant echoed […] Continue reading >
There is no shortage of Czech beer brands in the U.S., at least not in Portland, Oregon. Pilsner Urquell is unsurprisingly ubiquitous, both on tap and bottled. The real Budweiser (Budvar), sold here in individual 0.5l/16.9 oz bottles as Czechvar, has in the past few months become a staple in Safeway’s and Fred Meyer’s beer coolers. Lion (Lev), Rebel, Žatec, Primátor, and Bakálař brands are all available at beer ’boutiques’ or international grocery stores. But to discover Staropramen Lager (courtesy of my hockey buddy Brian Schmonsees) was like discovering […] Continue reading >
Fall is ale season. As the Pacific Northwest skies darken, rains commence, and temperatures drop, I transition from the lightness of refreshing lagers to a more grounded feeling of darker brews. This could spell doom for Lager Field were it not for the assortment of heavier lagers available on the local market. I found Bakalář Dark Lager (Tmavý Ležák) from Pivovar Rakovník (Brewery Rakovník) at the Belmont Station beer store. Though I’ve learned to enjoy ales over the years in America, I approached Bakalář Dark Lager with skepticism. Even though […] Continue reading >
Lager Field is launching guns blazing. First up, Upright Brewing Company‘s Gunslinging Helles, which I had a chance to sample as a draft brew at the biercafé Belmont Station. When I first looked at the menu, I only had to see “Helles” to know I wanted to taste this lager style. The pint came out a beautiful gold that underlined a gorgeous, sunny Sunday, with vigorous but not overwhelming carbonation and a modest head. The first sip surprised me: at the exact same moment that I felt the satisfaction of […] Continue reading >