Three Spring Nights in Poznan

Friday, March 6^th

When the price is right, one has to go. Mr. O’Leary has been offering flights at too tempting a price for over two decades, and as usual, not from Glasgow.

Suits v shell-suits. This weekend, Poznan, out Friday evening, back Monday night.

Marg and Hector schlepped through to Edinburgh Airport this afternoon, it should have been a two bus journey, alas, technology had other ideas. Our newfangled electric bus from Clydebank stopped in Maryhill Road and wouldn’t budge after an alarm conveyed a fault, yet the bus was straight out of the box. The driver on our next bus did not know the route and tried to turn into a side street. The bus to the airport went via Easterhouse, since when?

Steve joined us at the airport, an on-time flight. Three passengers, all sitting apart. Hector found the middle seat remarkably comfortable, for two hours, no physical contact with another person. And season two of Star Trek – Strange New Worlds as amusement.

Three buses met the ‘plane at its remote stand, the three of us were quickly reunited. Guess which one of the three buses broke down?

Brexit/Schengen, a big thanks to all who made this possible. I never see a Boris or a Nigel joining long queues at Passport Control. I never hear of anyone celebrating that they voted for Brexit when they realise they are in a queue of hundreds, and a photo and fingerprints of every traveller, without an EU passport, is going to be processed s-l-o-w-l-y.

An hour’s valuable drinking time was thus needlessly lost.

A 60zl taxi had us at the Ibis Centrum by 22.00. We had a Piwna Stopa rendezvous with Jens at 22.30. Hector was introduced to Jens during the closing night at Bräugier (Berlin) last February. This month, Jens is working from Poznan. Having been to Glasgow in the interim, he has become part of – The Company.

First to arrive at Piwna Stopa, Marg and I were both taken aback to be called by name. Unknown to us, Szymon, Mein Host was working tonight. He admitted to having forgotten that we were coming this weekend, so a surprise for him also. An even bigger surprise, this time, I did not bring him CANs of London Pride, but Bellhaven.

With three Scottish breweries having closed in the last month, who knows what the future holds. Overtone (Glasgow) will be missed.

Szymon suggested I start with #4 then work my way to #5. Danse Macabre (Browar Monsters, Polska) a 7.0% Oat Cream IPA, a NEIPA in effect, was just what The Hector ordered. With a Haze befitting of the style, a body to match the abv and hop flavours to the fore, an excellent start. Strata, Sabro, Riwaka and Galaxy were the hops.

Steve arrived, then Jens in the company of his Russian friend Yuri who was also in Poznan for the weekend. They admitted to having been out much earlier. We had catching up to do.

I introduced Jens to Szymon, in time, Mein Host joined – The Company.

Having had more of the excellent Danse Macabre, it was time to try something different. Sitting with my back to the board and so quoting from memory, following my instruction, Marg returned from the bar with #4, ah well.

Nieocene (Browar Monsters, Polska) a 5.0% Rye Pils, is not what I would normally order. Yet, I always seem to enjoy a Rye IPA, so maybe a subliminal error. Amber, dry, this was not for me. For the record, Steve had missed out on #6 and gone for #7. He got there in the end, before we both moved to #5.

Sitting in Piwna Stopa, there was the realisation that this remains one of the most outstanding venues ever encountered. In addition to the impressive array of taps, a great atmosphere, a warm fire, The Rickmeister was here a few weeks back when it was -15ºC in Poznan. Szymon said they came in and stayed all day. Today, it reached 17ºC, and is likely to hit that each day of our stay.

Tankbusters has become one of my favourite Polish brewers, they do a decent NEIPA, or two. Tonight, a second version of Time To Fly, different hops too from that had previously.

Time To Fly (Tankbusters Brewing Co., Polska) at 7.8%, a DNEIPA. The previous version was only 7.0%. The full haze, dry and juicy, this was heading along the path towards mango juice. Citra, Mosaic, Idaho 7 and Amarillo were the featured hops.

Thereafter it was back to Danse Macabre, I had found what I liked and stuck with this until closing time.

Wodka & Rollmop Herring, is a late night ritual inaugurated by a group of retired Spooks who adopted me back in 2015 when the rest of my company went to a football match. Jens and Yuri had long retired, and so the remaining three headed to Rynek and Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa.

They had no Fish.

Undeterred we went to another branch on nearby Wroclawska. Still no Fish.

Marg, who was certainly having fun tonight went for the Hazelnut Wodka, Steve and Hector stayed – white.

A round, each, we were all having fun.

Steve, who was living nearer Piwna Stopa, headed home. Marg and Hector headed south along Polwiejska.

I have previously stuck my nose into Castacraftowe, a Ukrainian established brewery in Mosina. to the south of Poznan, to inspect the array of taps.

Nothing Hazy, I have never stayed.

Tonight, Marg almost dragged me in.

On spotting the dried Fish, that was it, we were staying. It was approaching 03.00. At this time of night, I had to go dark.

Porter (Castcraftowe, Polska) at 6.8% was thin for the abv. A classic Baltic Porter, this was not. There was not a lot happening here, any chocolate or coffee had been left in the barn. Anyway, the Bier was incidental.

The salted/dried Fish was magnificent. Hard, not quite crispy, it was firm when put in the mouth. It then magically became chewable, and thus the flavours were released. I keep searching for a Fish Curry with this level of – hit. One day. And so it was time to call it a day, or night?