Craft Beers 🍻

I am in the Czech Republic a lot and most of the craft micro-breweries that I go to serve flights , some are 100mls,some 200mls.Also many of the multi tap pubs will do something similar. There has been a huge beer revolution in many parts of Europe and though lagers and Pilsners are still the most popular by far IPA's NEPA 's , APA's, are all becoming very popular as well a some sour style ales (which I cannot drink at all).
If you ask on the Destination forums of the places you are visiting them I am sure you will get loads of information about the beer scene there and if you are going to the Czech Republic I can certainly help you there.

Thank you! We ARE visiting Prague for 4 days❤️ My husband was there for 2 days in 2017, he’s taking me now😍

there are quite a few of my reports about beer and micro-breweries on the Czech Republic forum so look for them, there is a recent one in the last few weeks about some new micro breweries that I visited.I am back in Prague from the 19th-30 August with some friends and will be visiting a few watering holes during that time.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/czech/3-newish-micro-breweries-to-try-in-prgaue

I, too, had several flights in Prague. Some bars may not do ‘flights’, but they offer tasters or short pours. Netherlands has a great craft beer scene and places that pour flights abound. We even found some craft beer places in Paris. I suggest being more specific in advising all on here on where you anticipate you will travel to for more insight. Then, a thorough google search along with hitting Rate Beer or Untappd should give you a good starting point.

Where else other than Prague are you visiting?

Yeah, give a list of cities or regions and I could likely provide some nice options.
Another tact would be the Untapped app, or to look at RateBeer for places you are going.

check out the places that Beercycling visits https://beercycling.com/
We went to Belgium with the group and tasted lots of "craft" beers as in small batch breweries. They have also added Germany and Italy to their hunt for great European craft beers. I am not a fan of the Czech beers I have tasted but I'm sure there are some good ones I missed

Whilst Germany is often highly rated for their beer their purity laws have had the unfortunate effect of stifling progression and experimentation to the point where now I find Germany to offer me some of the blandest choices of beer. I've become very much hooked on the citrusy, hoppy style of the new IPA's, APA's and other hoppy beers. I love a grapefruit wheat beer or a peach and mango pale ale (although I still can't stand a lambic or sour beer). As a result I find a pilsner to be one of the most boring beers to drink although on a hot day there can be nothing more refreshing and fulfilling than the first cold pilsner gulped down after a morning of sightseeing. In Germany I'm more inclined to stick to a dunkel or a wheat beer.

Fortunately the rest of Europe isn't constrained by purity laws as those in Germany and there is a world of craft beer everywhere for your husband (and you) to enjoy. Yes, many places will offer flights or simply ask for a small sample to see if you'd like it (there's a Belgian bar in Portsmouth that I frequent and some of their beers are undrinkable in my opinion, the last one I asked for a sample of had been steeped in oak leaves, I couldn't bear more of a sip of the shot glass he handed to me). However, I often hanker after a more traditonal British ale, I'm currently quaffing a pint of Abbot Ale as I write but tomorrow I might opt for a milk stout or a couple of Punk IPA's.

Northern Europe offers your best bet for craft beer. The warmer southern coutries where wine is king still prefer the lager style of beer although this is slowly changing. The UK is, in my opinion, on a par with the US in terms of exciting craft beer, the Nordic countries are doing very well and I was very surprised to find a pub in Warsaw with over 40 taps of craft beer and countless more refrigerated cans and bottles.

I'm not a great fan of Belgian beer despite their reputation, I recall an occasion when my wife returned from Brussels with a selection of 12 different beers, I didn't like a single one and I'm not a fussy drinker! They have a strong beer tradition but I feel that they've failed to adapt with the times and changes in tastes.

@JC: German beer is pure, and purely boring. Vast regions are one style, and usually one brewer. Geez, what a bore. I can get more good beers in Monk's in Sioux Falls, SD than in all of Munich.

I do enjoy the traditional brewers in some areas, especially if I have never been there. Romania has Timisuara and the local beer is very good. If I lived here, I go mad with boredom. I have seen 1 IPA on the menu.

I read an article that Craft Brewer were popping up in France, but when I visited a couple of weeks ago they must be keeping them well hidden. Most popular brand on tap seemed to be Heineken and your choices were slim.

I do enjoy the traditional brewers in some areas, especially if I have never been there. Romania has Timisuara and the local beer is very good. If I lived here, I go mad with boredom. I have seen 1 IPA on the menu.

When I was in Bucharest recently I popped into the convenience store across the road from the hotel and surprisingly found a few varieties of Romanian IPA, the most expensive being about 25p per bottle. OK, it wasn't going to win any international beer awards but it was better than the average bland lagers found through much of Europe.

Regarding France:

Yes, there are more and more Craft Brewers, but yes, it takes some work to taste their output. I was in Paris last week, and agree that in nearly every restaurant or bar, the selection is limited. There will be the megabrews, then maybe some Belgian beers available, and oddly maybe a stray American Craft beer like Lagunitas, Brooklyn, or Sierra Nevada.

I was not able to visit any micro-breweries, but I did seek out several beer bars and had a dozen or so French micro-brews over the week. My suggestions if in Paris is to hit up:

• On the Left Bank; La Robe et La Mousse and Le Moliere
• Near Each other but out further in the 11th; La Fine Mousse and Les Trois 8

All have a nice selection of French Crafts, plus mix in some Belgians, Czechs, and English Crafts as well. Oddly, a couple also had some American Crafts, and high end stuff like Prairie Artisan Ales, and Hill Farmstead that is hard to get in the US. Le Moliere is the only restaurant of the four, though La Fine Mousse has an upscale sister restaurant that serves a good selection just across the street.

Overall, though the range I had was good, but not "knock your socks off" great...but hopeful.