Anagram, Bucharest

A beer tour across my brain? Perhaps! Army baron secures orbit. That was an anagram of the opening line, using each and every single letter. A cool brunch exercise, ain’t it? Anyhow, Anagram… And some tidbits of my mind.

When I learnt I was coming to Bucharest for sure, owing a drink that was due, I naturally sought craft breweries. Anagram was the first choice from the very beginning. Just my pint of beer – great Google reviews, and all written in Romanian. Tourists hardly ever roam the surroundings, and even if they do, they focus on the lake. A lake, you say?!

Hey, it’s by a lake – can I swim there? Dip and drinks?

Sure you can, dude! But book an appointment with your dermatologist though.

Let's not rash things. Oh, I mean rush them. No swimming this time.

Still, the walk across the city in the grip of a heatwave called for a dip, or at least for a couple of great beers. The latter was feasible.

Most of these places are fueled by love; love of crafts and arts that is. Anagram grew from an actual love story, though, founded by a Romanian-American married couple, originally as a gypsy brewery. Ain’t it interesting how location affects the naming of these? I’ve heard them referred to as nomad or flying breweries in different countries.

Anyway, Romanians love beer almost as much as we Czechs do, although that love is mostly about drinking as much as one can stand, and possibly even a tad more. As cheap as possible. We're not entirely innocent on that front either, of course. Anyway, in the recent decade, people have started demanding quality over quantity, and Bucharest (not only the capital though) has been experiencing a boom in craft production. You can easily get craft bottled beer in better venues downtown, or even in some dive bars, and several interesting breweries run their taprooms across the city.

I’ve visited three of them so far, and I love Anagram the best. Great vibe – chill at the beer garden with children, sink a pint or two, shoot some hoops, grab another pint, get some smoked pulled meat or burgers paired with one of the local brews, chill a tad more, have a dessert beer and then roam around the lake. Just perfect, especially if you leave at night just like we did. See for yourself:

As for the smoked meat, I really appreciated the recommendation for the beef cheek – it was the very last portion and absolutely perfect: tender and tasty. The pulled pork burger was good too, but that cheek cheekily stole the thunder.

Since I was focused entirely on my company this time, I didn't really inquire much about the place. Instead, I just charmed Andrei, the bartender, with my beer knowledge – he kept nodding approvingly as I explained the brews and what to expect from them. We vaguely chatted with an American guy who, for a moment, thought we too were from the US, and then just rounded the garden, collecting empty glasses to bring them to the bar. Not that he worked there as a barback or was anything related to the brewery, we were told he’s just someone in business, perhaps an investor living in Bucharest for a while.

Beer

Wheat Widow, Dry-hopped Hefeweizen

An interesting blend of traditional style and modern dry hopping. Given my fondness for wheat beers, I couldn't really skip this one. And good for me: Yeasty bread notes dominate the aroma, but the first sip reveals a touch of herbal bitterness, with clove emerging swiftly. Bananas and a bready yeast texture emerge mid-palate, leading to a moderately bitter, fruity, even grapefruity aftertaste. IIf I had any doubts beforehand, they'd all vanish with the first sip.

Cherry on Top, Cherry & Amarrone Gose

@honeydue was in the mood for something less 'beery' to start with, and goses fit that shoe perfectly. As for Cherry on Top, it indeed smells like a homemade sour cherry compote, and tastes just like it too. Amarone notes emerge mid-palate, adding complexity. These are followed by subtle roasted malt notes, perhaps a faint hint of almonds, culminating in a mildly bitter-sour aftertaste. A perfect brew for those not quite in a beery mood, especially on hot summer days.

Dark Light, American Porter

Not exactly a summery drink, but why not venture into that Dark Light, especially after my recent visit to Gravity in Budapest, a brewery that truly excels at porters and stouts? This one is heavy and dense, with a distinct roasted dark chocolate aroma and a complex porter flavor profile on the palate. Roasted chocolate with coffee hints spread across your tongue, moderated by taffy and hazelnut notes a bit later. A pleasant chocolatey bitterness lingers in the aftertaste. Yet another great brew.

Common Ground, APA

And now for something rather common – what most people would consider beery. With rich cotton candy and lightly fruity aromas, Common Ground delivers a fruity bitterness characteristic of American hop varieties – my best guess would be Mosaic and perhaps one other, though I didn't inquire this time. The bitterness builds, reaching its peak in the aftertaste, where you can clearly detect blood oranges combined with other fruits. A good one, though not the standout of the evening.

I believe it’s time for @meno to step up to the plate (or glass) and take the #beersaturday challenge! See the challenge announcement published regularly by @detlev and join us!