Wroclaw – Day 2 – A City Explored

There was little choice but to stay put, a thunderstorm was forecast for around 11.00. This was not a good time to leave the Ibis Centrum, time instead to Blog making full use of the courtesy wi-fi.

Wroclaw is famous for its Dwarves which have been placed sporadically around the City, let’s not forget the longer established sculptures.

In preparation for the Big Hector Trip in October 2016, it was good to establish that it is little more from the Ibis to the Rynek. En route one passes a Scottish Bar, heaven forbid. I tried the door just to see. The door opened but Doris informed me quickly they were not open. One can only imagine the horrors that are purveyed here.

Brunch was the first requirement of the day. A possible venue was closed already, The Hector chose a Vegetarian/Vegan Café – Najadacze.pl. Fear not, I have not lost the plot.

Thereafter it was north-west to the Oder/Odra which skirts the edge of Stare Miasto, the attraction here was the Hala Targova (Market Hall) which houses the only known Multi-Tap House open at Lunchtime – Targova Craft Beer and Food. It was here that Hector made a very poor choice.

The hoped for Hoppy Piwa did not shout off the Board, Old Lager (Dr. Brew, Polska) at a mere 7.9% somehow seemed to be a good idea for the first Bier of the day. Dr. Brew is one of my Favourite Polish Breweries, what could go wrong? What was served, and yes I chose the half-litre, was a Dark, Muddy, and Stronger version of the Ale served at U Fleku in Praha. Taking a seat at a bench at the far side of the serving area, I realised that it is a Saturday Lunchtime, well almost, and half of Wroclaw is here. How can we arrive Mob-handed in the Autumn?

The Old Lager was too much, the glass was abandoned half full, or was it half empty. There were other places to see.

A bit of Kultur, I wandered through the Hala Targova, this should keep Marg amused whilst the rest of us claim seats in October.

The only venue resembling a Milk Bar which revealed itself was also a few metres south towards the Stare Miasto. Bar Jacek i Agatka is one for the future.

Back at Rynek I had an hour to pass before the Best Piwa Houses would open at 16.00. There was nothing for it, the Bierhalle it had to be. Ten years ago this would have been Bier Makka, a German-style Microbrewery in Polska. A Bar at the door was where I stopped first. The range of Piwa was shown by a cooperative Waitress. It was suggested I go upstairs to the larger room, meanwhile it was too cold and wet to consider the extensive outdoor seating area on the Square. Marcowe (Browarmia Royal, Polska) at 5.8% is an Oktoberfest-style, semi-filtered, Deutsche Bier. Unfortunately, it was everything that The Company has moved on from. The Homemade Taste was there, the Old World Hops. Drinkable, yes, but slowly. One or two Chaps sat alone at adjacent tables, were they also waiting for better times?

The Upstairs Waitress provided the wi-fi code, nay luck, still didn’t work. Still, the Replacement Samsung provided a decent enough signal. At 15.55 it was time to leave, if Robin from last night was to be believed, 4 Hops would be a highlight. Turning east on to Oswiecimskich, 4 Hops was a few minutes off the main stretch.

As one has come to accept in Polska, the new premises which are springing up around the country are Drinking Rooms, in time they may develop atmosphere. With Sixteen Taps to choose from one is virtually guaranteed to find Piwa in-the-style at 4Hops.

Ogrodnik (Profesja, Polska) at 6.0% is an IPA from another highly regarded Polska Browar. Full of the required New World Hops, this was Excellent. One could easily have settled down to a Session on this, however, there was another Piwa which had to be sampled. Papryk Swayze (Hopium, Polska) again at 6.0% is an APA. The drinking belied the abv, more quaffable than the Ogrodnik, there was a Hop-Hit but nowhere near as intense. Papryk Swayze, Browar Hopium are into this, I had their Moralyn Monroe in Bydgoszcz last year, which is probably Hoppier then this one.

Whilst I sat with the Netbook, others played Board Games, Children were even allowed on the premises, time to leave.

Prohibicja is along the same street, west of Rynek and next door to Kontynuacja. This basement venue was discovered last night searching for the latter. Once again it had a Board worthy of consideration, however as before the place was stowed, not welcoming to The Lone Supper. If I was thirty years younger, a different story.

I took the same stool in Kontynuacja as last evening but this time would sit alone. The Bar Staff acknowledged me, I was recognised by at least three Staff, welcoming. The Board had minor changes. Krakow’s very own would be the first Bier here, been to the Brewery have the t-shirt. Big Schmielowski (Browar Pracownia Piwa, Krakow, Polska) was a mere 4.4%. They brew Piwa at this strength? The Bier name may imply – Big Hops – alas the low abv meant the Bier was too thin, The Taste was therefore not forthcoming. Desperate measures called for, The Hector was studying a Pils!

There are few Pils I can drink, especially the Deutsche versions, far too perfumed for my Palate. It may well be this style of Bier which first registered the current disappointment, which could develop in time to an intolerance of Deutsche Bier. Hopefully not.

Zloty Pisiont (Browar Artezan, Polska) at 5.0% still felt a bit on the Thin side. With Amarillo and Simcoe Hops this had to be taken seriously, there was no perfume here. It would have been good to compare with this with the Pacific Pale Ale, same Pub, same Brewery, last night. Browar Artezan make some impressive Piwa.

I had one more InnerCity venue yet to explore – Academus. This was relatively easy to find, signage always helps. Accommodation too, maybe next time. The choice of Piwa was decidedly Mainstream, a range, if it can be called this, or Czech and Polish Standard Piwa. I asked the barman for something Hoppy, he was no help whatsoever. Small Bier, who knows what? This was Sweet and pretty horrible, as I feared the previous Pils may have been. Despite my cellar locus Marg was able to communicate, Hector was not alone.

It may have been a long day, I had to return to ZUP. The place was quieter than last night, some of the Staff maintained, new Peeps too. The final Bier of the day was Pan IPani (Trzech Kumpli, Polska) at 6.0%. This is a Wheat IPA, interesting. Imagine Andechs Weizen meets IPA, with that description maybe there had to be another.