Ignore any nonsense that that you read about U Fleků being an over-priced tourist trap; it is quite simply one of the world's most spectacular taverns, and the beer brewed within its walls is only expensive, see below, by Prague standards, and in any event, it is superb. This White Beer Travels "Pub of the Month" was selected by John White. Descriptions of places such as this are taken from Beer Guides that have been prepared for White Beer Travels Beer Hunts, all participants getting copies: they typically get well over 100 A4 pages of information per trip. This particular write-up is based on one of the handouts for a 1995 White Beer Travels Beer Hunt, based in Prague. Whilst in Prague, there was a day trip to Pilsen and Karlovy Vary. For details of the whole trip, including much information on Prague, click here. Details of other past White Beer Travels Beer Hunts can be obtained by clicking on the Past [Beer Hunts], in this sentence, or at the top or bottom of this page. The write-ups on other Pubs of the Month can be accessed by clicking on Archives, or by using the "Previous Month" and "Next Month" links at the top and bottom of this page.

Only one beer (pivo) is brewed, Flekovský tmavý ležák 13^o, a dark (tmavé or cerné), almost black lager (4.5%, 1052 OG); light is světlé. According to the place's website, in June, 2007, a 20cl glass cost 29.50 Crowns (£0.70, €1.04, $1.40, at June, 2007 exchange rates, using the Discount Currency Exchange website www.discount-currency-exchange.com). Note that in bars where both types of beer are available, the light is said to be for men, the dark for women, sexism often depriving local men of a more flavoursome beer! The dark Bavarian style beer was first produced in 1843, which is ironically the same year in which the first clear golden beer was introduced to Prague drinkers: Pilsner Urquell, in U Pinkasů (Jungmannova náměsti 15, tel 02 21 11 11 51, www.upinkasu.cz). In 1843, U Fleků was one of 164 breweries in Prague.

Although not available elsewhere - 3,500 imperial pints per day (1925 litres) are sold - Flekovský is a Michael Jackson world classic. It is a very drinkable, fruity, malty beer, with a hint of liquorice in the after taste. Saaz hop pellets are used, at three stages in the brewing process, as per Pilsner Urquell. The last addition is carried out cold, just before lagering, to provide the beer with its fresh hoppy character. This is the equivalent of dry-hopping, in the cask, of certain British Real Ales. None is bottled, and there are no plans to do so. The mash tun doubles up as the copper in the brewery. Four kinds of malt are used in the mash, all Czech. The brewery had its own maltings, until they were closed down by the commies in 1953. In 1999, to celebrate the place's 500th anniversary, a Brewery Museum (Pivovarské Muzeum) was set up in the former maltings, where much of the brewery's old equipment, and that of other local breweries, is on display. Before fermentation, natural cooling from 100 to 65^oC takes place, before a plate heat exchanger is used to bring it down to the fermentation temperature of 5^oC.

The long, thirteen day fermentation takes place in open, oak fermenters, which are waxed. The photo of these on the left was scanned from the 1995 booklet Pivovar A Restaurace U Fleků (U Fleků Brewery & Restaurant). Subsequent lagering takes one month. In 1985, the wooden lagering vessels were replaced by stainless steel tanks. This is not as bad as it sounds; since these are more hygienic, it has meant that the beer is now served direct from the lagering tanks, unpasteurised and unfiltered, another major factor in the beer's fresh taste.

For much of the 20th Century, successive generations of the Brtník family have been involved with and owned U Fleků. They lost the brewery in 1949, when it was nationalised, and put into the hands of Prague Breweries, a group which exists today; the Prague brewery Staropramen, the biggest brewery in The Czech Republic is in the group. According to a 1995 booklet produced by U Fleků, both the tavern and the brewery are now owned by Frantisek Brtník, the third member of the family to own the place. The tavern was returned to him in 1991, the brewery in 1992. Presumably a statement from someone from Bass on a 1995 White Beer Travels visit to Staropramen that it was still owned by Prague Breweries is out of date. The U Fleků brewery can be visited, by appointment. Visits are preceded by an excellent English language video. They are usually conducted by the brewmaster.

Today, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the crowds inside U Fleků are largely made up of foreign tourists; for "Cheers" "Prost" is more likely to be heard than " Na zdraví". This does not stop one enjoying this great tavern. Note that there are only Czech and English pages on the place's website, even though Germans make up the highest proportion of the visitors.

The internal visual splendour of U Fleků is not hinted at from the outside, apart from the trademark clock, see the real thing in a photo above and the sketch of it to the left, which was scanned from one of the place's table settings. Its many interconnecting rooms can accommodate over 1,200 people, but the place never seems overcrowded. In one large room a burlesque shows take place, according to the guidebooks, for which there is a small charge, as there is in the courtyard, see above, when a band is playing; on one visit there was a trio with a good trumpeter.

As with famous German taverns, and others in Prague, empty glasses are quickly exchanged for full ones, and the famous Czech herb-based liqueur, "Karlovarská Becherovka" (Karlsbad Becher Bitter), from Karlovy Vary, is regularly brought round, as a Schnapps chaser equivalent: 79 Crowns for a 4cl measure, in June, 2007 (£1.89, €2.79, $3.76). It has not been my experience that these are forced on one, as is reported by some visitors; I have had this great drink here, purely because I wanted one; I was pleased to be offered it. Drinks are paid for on leaving, in this and most other bars in Prague. Food is available, which is detailed on the place's website. There is an English version of the menu in the place itself, which, of course, offers Dumplings (Knedlíky), of the Potato (Bramborové knedlíky) and Bread (Houskové knedlíky) varieties. Despite criticism of Czech food, I happen to very much like it and it is rather good in U Fleků. A house speciality, in addition to the beer, is a particularly smelly, very salty cheese: Pivní sýr (Beer Cheese), served with Rye Bread (85 Crowns, in June, 2007). The combination is known as a Miner's Breakfast. Main dishes include Flekovský guláš, 1/2  špekový knedlík, 1/2  houskový knedlik (U Fleků Goulash, 1/2 Bacon Dumplings, 1/2 Bread Dumplings), at 185 Crowns (£4.44, €6.54, $8.79).

U Fleků is open from 9am until 11pm. The Brewery Museum is open on Monday to Saturday between 10am and 5pm (4pm on Saturday).

John White (1945-), , November, 1995, updated in June, 2007.

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