On this exciting day, we did two of the activities I was looking forward to the whole trip: the Pilsner Urquell Beer tour and the Czech Cuisine Food Tour! Although I have never particularly cared for beer, I have always been fascinated by the brewing process. Perhaps its my fathers influence from when he brewed his own beer in our house’s kitchen, but the process has always seem so crafted and personal I was excited to learn all the more about it in such an historic factory.
We learned all about the intricate steps that comes with brewing the Czech Republic’s famous Pilsner, including the history of how the factory came to be in the mid 1800’s. Pilsner beer has become such a staple to the Czech Republic’s culture, apart of its history. We saw the large bottling system, the fermentation process, and a room filled with hops to try (which were not as bad as I thought!). Near the end of the tour, we even went down to the beer cellar and tasting room for a try of the famous beer. I loved it! Although I don’t really like beer, I would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to try the most authentic taste of a Pilsner and a huge part of the Czech Republic’s food and drink staples.
Similarly, the next day we went on our very own food tour around Prague to get a taste of authentic Czech cuisine from our guide, Veronica. We traveled to four different restaurants/bars, all offering a different taste. The first place we traveled offered a more modern take on the cuizine, providing excellent wine, a delicious lentil hummus, and fried mushroom dish. Although it was the first place we visited, I could tell this was definitely my favorite! Next, we went to a traditional style pub, drinking beer and eating more traditional foods like sausage, carp, bread, and a dish similar to a large mozzarella stick filled with fried cheese. Next we went to a yummy restaurant for tea and dessert, finishing the night off with amazing cocktails used with famous Czech liquor! It was so interesting learning about the flexibility of the cuisine, experiencing the mixing modern tastes with traditional dishes. I would definitely recommend taking part in a food tour when traveling in a big group because it was also such a good activity to experience with others. I loved the feeling trying new things with new people, learning and enjoying new things together as we learn more about ourselves.
This was definitely one of my favorite days and nights of the trip, later spending time with the friends I made so far on the trip and going out to experience the nightlife once more!