I'll be in Prague for a few days and then Paris. I know this is a loaded questions because everyone will just say search the forum, but are there are any must see breweries, tank bars, brewpubs etc? And more importantly, is there beer that I should be grabbing to bring back to the states with me?
Regarding Paris, you can use this map to find you way round : http://happygohoppy.fr/carteparis/ I would suggest you visit the following places : Shops : La Cave à Bulles, Brewberry, A la bière comme a la bière, Bierocrartie Bars : La Fine Mousse, Supercoin, L'Express de Lyon If you want to bring back some french beers, Simon from La Cave à Bulles will guide you. Have fun
This place is great. In addition, be sure to check out Pivovarsky Klub and U Rudolfina (great tankova pub). Alternatively, just go buy some pilsner, go up to Petrin Hill and enjoy the day looking out over Prague. Doesn't get much better.
I was in Prague for a month several years ago. Great city, but not much variety on beer. Pilsners take the cake (or crepe), but are delicious. U Fleku http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2805/ has a dark beer on tap that's a nice change of pace, plus the atmosphere is great. With the others places mentioned above, you should have a great time. Add to that the various random haunts in town, like Kozicka http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/11152/
Prague has changed immensely in the past few years, especially in beer terms. When my guidebook came out, we had 9 breweries and brewpubs in Prague. Currently we have 21 or 22 breweries and there will be 25 by the end of this year, plus 3 excellent brewers (including Únětice) just outside Prague's city limits. Variety is going through the roof. Klášterní Pivovar Strahov (mentioned above) is fine, though I rarely go there myself. This pub, Zlý Časy, http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/23568/ now has 48 rare beers on tap — mostly from small, regional Czech breweries — including a few Franconian producers that would be impossible to find in a lot of big cities in Germany. The bottle shop next door (same owner) is fun. Pivovarský Klub is great (six rotating taps of micros, good food). Nota Bene is excellent for good beer with good food. Zubatý Pes is good for unusual imports. Kulový Blesk is another winner. Beergeek.cz is a cute little bottle shop not far from U Vodoucha (8 or 9 taps from small regional producers in Bohemia and Moravia). If you stay out of the tourist traps, you'll have a great time here.
I would say for anyone visiting Prague, U Fleku - Excellent dark beer brewed on site Klasterni Pivovary - Several superb beers U Tri Ruzi - Another microbrewery with several excellent beers U Medvidku - Draught Budvar, Gott Beer & X-Beer U Sadu in Zizkov Pivovarsky Dum - another Microbrewery, Go and enjoy the beer (Pivo)
