Lust for life: Mustață

I guess my translation of “Pofta de viață,” the slogan of Mustață craft brewery in Brașov, is slightly off. But hey, who am I? Iggy Pop? Or Ignatie Manele, a famous Romanian counterpart of Iggy? Not at all! Just a humble beer wanderer who happened to be taken to Brașov. I literally didn’t know where we were going until @honeydue gave that secret away as we were pulling out of Bucharest. Just before all phones on board started beeping frenetically: every single passenger (who just rode and rode through the city's backsides, looking through their window) got an alert telling everyone to avoid the area. Not particularly Brașov, though; the adjacent region had issues with drinking water. Or rather: no water whatsoever. Oh, by the way, can you guess my soundtrack?

Of course there was a hike. Of course there was a bit of roaming the city. And then we became hungry. And thirsty. Is there any better place to satisfy your basic needs of this nature than a craft brewery? If Maslow were Czech, he’d put beer somewhere between air and shelter. Fortunately, Romanian beer culture is on the upswing as you may have noticed from my Bucharest reports. Brașov, a small but rather rich and progressive city, has a lot to offer to thirsty wanderers like me.

The taproom looks deserted, but I blame the early hour we entered it (for Sunday dinner, that is) – people were still hanging around the Christmas market downtown. Beer seems rather pricey too, although true beer buffs appreciate an interesting quirk of the menu here. All beers cost 20 lei (€4) per 400 ml glass. Quite costly for lagers, great price for some of the fancier styles.

Speaking of quirks, there was a secret coffee offer in the men's bathroom above the urinals. And only there, for some reason.

Did I mention I loved the place anyway? It felt cozy, with board games at your disposal, a wall covered with photos of the local brews taken abroad, and especially the waiter, sneakily watching Home Alone, as he admitted having never seen it. That’s why he seated us, the only guests at the time, just in front of the large screen. He did the same with the people who came later. Also, I appreciated the altar dedicated to the local ice hockey club. Very Czech indeed!

Beer (and a stout brownie)

Pumpkin Ale
A seasonal special that caught @honeydue’s attention on a blackboard at the entrance. Rather pleasant cinnamon and gingerbread scent, autumnal indeed, followed by acidic pumpkin tones in the body. All three aromas blended smoothly in the aftertaste. If you’re looking for a brew to sip sitting by a fireplace somewhere nice, this one is just right. Highly recommended for those who claim to dislike beer in general.

Mustață Negră (Dry Stout)
My first pick. I was in the mood for something stout and dry. And dry it was, dark-roasted, chocolaty. A bit of creaminess appeared somewhere around mid-sip, but roasted aromas dominated the palate. A proper brew that felt more robust than it actually was, akin to Guinness, yet way better.

Mustață French Amber Ale
One of the special brews, which are usually pretty expensive. I even recommended it to a random couple at the next table who were quite lost in the maze of beer styles on the menu. The girl who actually ordered it seemed as happy with it as we were (or at least she was quite skilled in looking polite). Anyway, this beer was like a dish; a dense, strong ale with a complexity of various tastes that marched across the tongue like Napoleon’s Grande Armée. Honey and herbs up front, yeasty tones in the middle, and a bit of smooth, acidic bitterness as the rearguard. No artillery, fortunately. A must-try beer!

Mustață Albă (Bière Blanche)
My second pick, since French and Belgian beers pair surprisingly well. And this one was just right, a staple of the style: cilantro and sweet oranges in the scent and aroma, followed by a hint of blood orange bitterness. Refreshing, although a tad too summery for the season. Yet still great, especially for someone as fond of wheat beers as I am.

Stout Brownie
Simply the best dessert in such a place.

I’d love to invite @holdonla to participate in #BeerSaturday!

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