Lemke am Schloss, Berlin

Visiting Berlin on the coldest weekend of this winter may not seem particularly appealing, but there’s a bright side: bars, cafés, restaurants, and microbreweries feel even cozier. And with dusk arriving early these days, you might spend more time sampling dishes and beers than wandering the city center or exploring the treasures of Museum Island if fine arts and historical artifacts are more your thing. Fortunately, there’s Kreuzberg. A neighborhood that never sleeps (except, perhaps, on Sunday mornings), with its bars, barrelhouses, doggeries, and boozers. Kreuzberg, which draws night wanderers like a candle does moths. This story, however, is entirely Kreuzberg-free.

Oli Lemke launched his brewing career start-up style in a friend’s garage some 25 years ago. Not long after, he opened his first taproom near Alexanderplatz, right in the heart of Berlin, pioneering craft brewing in the German capital. And since Germans love beer almost as much as we Czechs do—and naturally prefer good brews over mediocre ones—Oli’s microbrewery has been growing in popularity ever since he learned the ropes and moved past the rookie mistakes of those early garage days.

Vydat se do Berlína, když zrovna chumelí, a před vámi je nejchladnější víkend celé zimy, možná nevypadá jako ten nejlepší nápad. Ale má to i svá pozitiva. Ve městě s tak zajímavou gastronomickou scénou máte víc času ochutnávat, a všechny podniky jsou díky té slotě venku ještě útulnější. I když je pravda, že na nějaké ty procházky centrem, nebo bloumání po Ostrově muzeí, to tak úplně není. Na druhou stranu je tu vždycky Kreuzberg, který snad nikdy nespí. A pokud ano, je to v neděli dopoledne. Kreuzberg se všemi svými bary, špeluňkami, putykami, nálevnami, kluby, a čert ví, čím vším ještě. Tenhle příběh se ovšem Kreuzbergu vůbec netýká.


Oli Lemke začal pivo vařit před čtvrtstoletím. Napřed v garáži svého kamaráda, a později pod jedním z oblouků mostu železničního mostu kousek od Alexanderplatzu v samém srdci Berlína. Stal se tak jedním z prvních řemeslných pivovarníků v německé metropoli. A protože Němci mají pivo rádi skoro stejně jako Češi, a vesměs dávají přednost tomu dobrému, Oliho minipivovaru se daří. Tedy od chvíle, kdy přestal objevovat slepé uličky svého řemesla.

I didn’t visit the original venue at Hackescher Markt Square, as Lemke am Schloss (or Château Lemke) was closer to my hotel. I was quite hungry and eager to try one of the renowned traditional dishes alongside my usual beer sampling. However, I hadn’t booked a table and ended up sitting at the bar, sampling beers only. Oh yes, such venues have waiting lists. Still, I could appreciate the classy interior, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and, of course, try a few beers while chatting with the bartender—who happened to be from Brazil. My basic Brazilian Portuguese even came in handy to prove that I had actually been there.

Já se ale do původního výčepu nevypravil, Lemke am Schloss, neboli Lemke na zámku, byl totiž kousek od mého hotelu. A na rozdíl od výčepu se může pochlubit i vyhlášenou kuchyní, takže se mi sbíhaly sliny. Škoda, že jsem si neudělal rezervaci. Ano, stejně jako v mnoha vyhlášených restaurací a pivovarů u nás, i tady je rozumné si dopředu zamluvit stůl. Nu nevadí, sedl jsem si alespoň na bar, abych mohl v mezičase vyzpovídat vrchní. Ta byla mimochodem z Brazílie, a tak jsem oprášil těch pár frází, které umím, abych ukázal, že jsem v té Brazílii opravdu byl.

The Beer

Weizen, Hefeweizen
A robust wheat beer with noticeably bitter German hops—more so than I’m accustomed to in this style. It opens with typical banana and clove aromas, followed by a sparkling, yeasty-bitter body and an aromatic malty aftertaste. It is an interesting appetizer, indeed. Sadly, I was too eager and thirsty, that I forgot taking a picture of this one.

Berliner Perle, Helles
A classic German lager showcasing just the right hop varieties that give it an aromatic, spicy kick when the beer lingers on your palate. The aftertaste is rather flowery, remaining true to the style. What’s Bohemian Lager to us is Helles to Germans! It appears to be the house flagship, and rightly so.

Spree Coast IPA
The bartender’s recommendation. The name might puzzle beer pundits—the Spree is Berlin’s river. This brew combines German malts with classic IPA hop varieties, and being double dry-hopped, it’s as bitter as they come (IBU 75!). However, a rich citric palette—featuring red oranges, mandarins, and pomelo—steals the spotlight, even though the bitterness ultimately dominates the aftertaste. A brew for hardcore IPA lovers.

Lemke Original, Dark Vienna Lager
I find dark lagers particularly fitting for winter evenings, so this was my final sample. Accustomed to Dark Bohemian Lagers, I appreciated its dry yet gentle body, with a bitter chocolate aroma taking center stage. The aftertaste carries notes of toffee with hints of hazelnuts. As the name suggests, this was the house’s first brew, and it is definitely worth sampling—especially if you plan to pair it with smoked or barbecued meat or even certain sauces.

This is my #BeerSaturday challenge post, and I would like to invite @oldmans to participate. I am sure there are some local brews in Oregon he would find refreshing :) Write a post in any language about beer with at least 3 pictures. It does not have to be published on Saturday. Check the rules published by @detlev

Posted Using INLEO