Hospitality industry in Budapest has to face dire times. Traditional pubs only struggle in their quest to come up with novel ideas and try to be ever cheaper to come to grips with the depression caused by the recession. All the while the good ideas are there for the taking.
Skanzenclub in Köztelek Street opened at the same place where once Zacc was, a place popular for its prices determined by the willingness of visitors to pay. On paper it's still not a pub as it occupies a private apartment facing the street. Thus, the prohibition of smoking doesn't apply to it, giving the other reason for its existence: Social Smoking Area. The walls are decorated with the collection of Dohánymúzeum, posters and packets.
The counter has beer taps turned outside on it, so that the guests can fill up their glasses. The money for the drink is collected in a box for the person who had the barrel opened up, there’s no cashier, cassa or counter in the traditional sense. Beer and other things can be ordered from only one delivery service but you don’t have to worry, the delivery people are very very fast.
The concept seems quite original and it’s surprising that Skanzen is the first pub in Budapest to serve exclusively Hungarian home-made beers (well, this is false in more ways: first, sometimes they serve the instant radler mixed from Soproni Démon and second, in the neighboring Kaltenberg only Kaltenberg is offered).
The silky, coal black Fekete Bárány from Csobánka with a flavor reminiscent of chocolate can always be drunk, not unlike Keserű Méz from Fót. The secret of this 6.2% lager found only at a couple of places in Budapest is that it contains hop cones as they grow in nature. And isn’t nature generous? So much, in fact, that it jumps out from Keserű Méz right into the face of the consumer biting it all over. Other taps have changing varieties. A frequent visitor is the semi-dark Dupla Köleses and other beers from Csobánka, such as Bitter, which is a classic, light, fruity English ale that can be drunk for eternity. We want more pubs to serve home-made beers in Budapest!
Skanzenklub1092 Budapest, Köztelek utca 4/a
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