Chastnaya Pivovarnya Erstes

Opened in 2003, the brewpub sits on the main drag through town, but well after the street has gotten out of the center, in a poor area with little development. Cement and glass form the facade. The name is nowhere to be seen on the outside, but the brew kettles are clearly visible from the road. Inside, the bathrooms are to the left, the cloak room straight ahead, and the seating area to the left. That one room is ballroom large, with high ceiling and three circular columns supporting the roof. The small bar is immediately to the left as you enter - dark wood with five modern stools. To the right, one wall is nothing but windows, half of which open a view of the brew kettles. The rest of the place is pink. Carpet on the floor, painted walls, stucco ceilings with large chandeliers clinging close to the ceiling. A large stage sits against the wall opposite the brew kettles. There are 150 seats here at heavy wooden tables with heavy wooden chairs. Every table is covered with white tableclothes and full, fairly fancy place settings. Not too loud muzak wafts forth from the speakers. The atmosphere is very definitely Soviet - trying desperately to be formal while the cheapness seeps through at every corner.

Five varieties of their own brew are available. A sixth is on the menu, but they are out. The beers are served at the right temperature, in the same unmarked stemware regardless of the style. The service was quite good - but it should be, given that we were the only people in the place on a Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. The food menu was uninspired, and what we ordered was pretty awful, bringing back more Soviet memories. Go for the beer, but eat somewhere else first. Overall, this is a nice place. Somehow, I doubt it will survive.