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Fragen: Scheubel Sternbrau. by Mads K on 2018-07-05 11:33:05 Hi guys.
Been trying to come in contact in order to know what their opening hours are? Planning, hopefully an early visit on a wednesday.
Cheers.
My summer-trip visits:
Eichhorn Dorfleins (Only had bottled beers from them and they were really nice)
Fischer Freudeneck (New)
Zum Goldenen Adler(New)
Landbrauerei Geyer (New)
Brauerei Goldener Lowe (Forst)(New)
Zwanzger (New)
and hopefully Scheubel Sternbrau if I can figure out their opening hours. Cheers.
Mads
Fragen: Scheubel Sternbrau. by Rainer on 2018-07-06 04:18:48 Scheubel Keller Schluesselfeld:
Friday and Saturday from 5pm, Sunday and holidays from 2pm
Scheubel Wirtschaft, Kirchplatz 12, Schluesselfeld:
daily, except Monday, phone: +49 9552 320
Fragen: Scheubel Sternbrau. by Mads K on 2018-07-07 06:32:51 yes I see that om the website. But when do the wirtsshaft open?
Fragen: Scheubel Sternbrau. by Rainer on 2018-07-10 00:36:18 I have never been there in the morning. But here: http://www.bier.by/gastro-guide/stern-braeu-1624-1.58727 it was written that the Wirtschaft is open from 9 o'clock.
Spezial Weizen by Jason on 2018-07-02 03:26:42 ... is now brewed at the brewery rather than elsewhere. I was reliably informed by an old sage (Frank).
I will double check with Florian next time I see him. It's still bottled and I tried a little and it's not that smoky.
But it may be of interest to some.
Spezial Weizen by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-07-02 04:52:54 The story was told in 2008
http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2008/04/josef-schneider-essing.html
Spezial Weizen by jason on 2018-07-02 05:24:18 No - I wrote that the beer is now brewed by Spezial in the Koenigstrasse. It is no longer brewed in Essing.
Spezial Weizen by Andrew H on 2018-07-04 06:41:30 I got the jist of that! It would be interesting (well,to me it would) to know the backstory why, cost? transport? or ??.
Thinking of how I would formulate such a beer, and of course not having the technical info re malt,yeast,etc.I would imagine it is case of trying to balance the two very assertive flavour profiles of the Weiss yeast and the smoked malt.whithout producing a lopsided flavour.
I am assuming you found it bland jason?? or?
OT: Rom by Jason on 2018-06-28 05:22:18 Those of you familiar with the world of craft beer will know that Rome has developed a small obsession with Franconian beer. Largely thanks to a personal friend of mine and occasional poster on this forum Manuelle of Ma Che siete Venturi a da in trastevere. He always has a couple of Franconian beers on draft, brought fresh from around Bamberg, tapped quickly and emptied quicker. The other day was Elch bräu Pils and knoblach U, both tasted great, even though knoblach isn’t a favorite (but it doesn’t mean I don’t like it).
When i first came here in 2009, I don’t think anywhere else apart from manuelle had Franconian draft beer. Now it’s quite common, even if not on draft there are Krugs on display in a number of places and even Keller beers brewed in Italy. Down solely to 1 pub, a book on Franconia in Italian and a great Franconian beer fest in March - all thanks to 1 guy in Rome and his Italian delivery man who resides in monchsambach for half the year. Quite a story.
Consequently rome is one of Europe’s best bier scenes. It’s not easy, it’s hot, it’s big and full of cars and people plus the prices are high for everything. There are a lot of hoppy beers, sours and funky stuff - I enjoy those styles in small doses nowadays. But there are a lot of small breweries in the country now and the quality is very high.
When in Rome... drink beer.
OT: Rom by Jason on 2018-06-28 05:23:28 Sorry I should have read back - manuelle’s bar is call ‘ma Che siete venuti a fa’.
OT: Rom by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-28 06:04:48 Dorothy and I visited in 2010 and stayed in Trastevere just a short walk from that pub (no accident btw). They had a couple of Gaenstaller beers on tap then plus some other good stuff. I didn't get a chance to meet Manuelle then but did run into him at a bar in Bamberg last year and went over and said hello. Seems like a friendly guy.
OT: Rom by Gunnar H on 2018-06-28 07:30:40 Macchesiete, as it is known locally, is a great little place, and I make an effort to visit Rome whenever I am in the vicinity, which means within a day's train ride. Manuele is often in Franconia, though. I've only met him once in Rome (Italy's Bamberg - or was it the other way round?), but then also at our Franconian "home away from home" in Stockholm, the Zum Franziskaner.
Manuele's bar in Berlin, aptly named Birra, carries excellent Italian beer, mostly from Lambrate of Milan, but also Knoblach Kellerbier.
OT: Rom by Jason on 2018-06-28 08:03:09 I’m currently in les vignerons, A very good beer/wine shop in trastevere (one of the great beer districts of the world) and there are bottles from lieberth, Gradl (!?), Spezial (rarely seen outside Bamberg), knoblach and others. You wouldn’t get that selection in a Franconian shop. But then that’s the tradition, beer is brewed for the locals, not to be sent to far flung cities like Bamberg or elsewhere.
I’ve nothing against other places doing it, but if I could just go to the shop in Bamberg and buy Gradl or lieberth or whatever bottle I wanted it would take the fun out of taking trips out and earning your beer, whether with bike, public transport or generous drivers. The history, personalities and nuances that all these breweries/villages have are something that craft beer can never capture, for all its qualities.
Thats ts why we love Franken.
OT: Rom by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-28 10:19:17 Hear what youre saying Jason but having put the miles in to visit Gradl last week, Id be rather pleased if I could find it in Newcastle.
Currently in Bologna, which has a good beer scene, but all the craft beer pubs look similar. Beer is decent enough, I even saw a kellerbier(bottle) from Hallerndorf on sale the other day.
OT: Rom by Andrew H on 2018-06-28 13:58:19 Don't take this as an old fart having a moan,because that is not what I intend. But I just struggle with the concept of drinking Franken bier in Rome?I am really chuffed you are enjoying the experience, just can't get my head round the idea.
OT: Rom by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-28 21:53:52 You'll be okay Barry ....... errr I mean Andy. Just take a deep breath. hahahhaha
OT: Rom by Barry on 2018-06-29 01:59:44 I resent that - or should it be represent that! Seriously, is it because we're old farts? It is entirely up to Jason to spend his holidays as he will (and it sounds like he's having a good time; mind you, his life sounds like he's always on holiday!). I loved Rome when we were there and wouldn't mind going again (memo to self). But I doubt whether I would spend much time looking for Frankische beer or Sam Smith's or Timmy Taylor's or Joseph Holt's.
Off to Dublin shortly (possibly very little beer), followed by a few days iin Sheffield (probably a lot of beer!).
OT: Rom by Gunnar H on 2018-06-30 05:11:32 Of course we lot don't go to Rome to drink Franconian beer, but spare a sympathetic thought for the poor Romans who have had to make do with the likes of Peroni. They clearly deserve to get acquainted with the stuff we like, and I salute Gabriele for introducing Franconia to his countrypersons.
OT: Rom by FredW on 2018-06-30 21:58:39 I've had Gänstaller in London, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Prague, Berlin and Bodegraven (and maybe Amsterdam but not sure on that)
And my brother has had it in Orlando, Florida
Sometimes it seams easier to get outside than inside Bamberg
OT: Rom by on 2018-07-01 05:01:39 OT: Rom by Nick Cowley on 2018-07-01 07:43:30 Fred - when Andreas was brewing at Beck in Trabelsdorf around 2009 or 2010 ( think I've got the years roughly right), Kees Filius of beer importers Bier & Co Nijmegen used to occasionally pick up a barrel or keg from him on his regular trips to Franconia, so there's a good chance that you had his beer on draft in Amsterdam at In de Wildeman, albeit under the Beck name rather than his own!
OT: Rom by barry on 2018-07-02 04:16:28 We met Andi at Beck's in September 2010, introduced to him by Don Scheidt.
OT: Rom by Andrew H on 2018-06-29 05:57:15 You cheeky pup!
OT: Rom by Mike on 2018-06-29 00:39:11 Rome in the summer is hot and quite uncomfortable (I'm speaking from personal experience). I'd much rather be sitting in a biergarten somewhere in Franconia drinking under the trees.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Kevin Holsapple on 2018-06-23 11:14:33 I visited Kulmbach a few years ago and I was intrigued to come back during Bierwoche. I will be in the area this summer and will come to Kulmbach on the weekend of August 4. I am traveling solo so it would be very nice to meet people who I might enjoy a beer with at the festival. My German is very weak so some English language would be important. I write a blog about beer culture, hiking, and travel ( www.primepassages.com ) and this will be part of my five weeks this summer in Bavaria collecting material for future stories. Let me know if you would be interested in meeting or have ideas for me during my visit.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-06-24 02:20:31 I am one of the owners of the Café Abseits in Bamberg.
www.abseits-bamherg.de
and have asked You now for a Facebook-friendship to connect You with some interesting brewmasters and beerlovers in the area around Bamberg.
I do not know the days of Your visit, but maybe some events are interesting for You:
Annafest in Forchheim from 20 to 30 July
Sommerbierfest Hopfengarten Bamherg. from 27 to 29 July
Bllues- und Jazzfestival in Bamberg.from 3 to 12 August (free, open air, the beer is not interesting, but to hear music between some visits in Bamberg brewpubs can be nice.
I can complete the urls of this events and the Facebook-Pages, if the days are in question.
The Kulmbacher Bierwoche is for me and other beerlovers too similiar to the Oktoberfest in Munich. All beers are different brands of the Kulmbacher Brauerei, a minority holding of Heineken. The most of us prefer the Annafest in Forchheim. But You can comhine the visit of the Kulmbacher Bierwoche with a visit of the nice Bier- und Gewürzmuseum (beer museum, spieces museum) and the
Kommunbräu Kulmbach Home
https://www.kommunbraeu.de/
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-24 03:46:33 I was looking over your blog and can see you like combining hiking and beer drinking (as do I) so I'd just point, as you may already be aware, that Franconia is arguably the best place in the world to combine both activiities. There are numerous trails (mostly well marked) that will bring you around multiple breweries and bier kellers. So that would be one idea that I'd suggest for while your in the region. Also as Gerhard suggested and I agree you'd probably find Annafest more interesting than Kulmbach Bierwoche (although in fairness I've never been to the latter) but your dates may not work out for that.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Kevin Holsapple on 2018-06-24 09:46:19 Thank you for replying Gerhard and Mark and for your insights. I will be staying at Bamberg from July 25 until July 31 and I will go to Annafest on one of the days during that time. On other days I plan to explore around breweries in Bamberg and do some new (to me) beer hikes off of the train line between Bamberg and Nuremberg (I am travelling by public transport). I didn't know about the Sommerbierfest and that sounds like good luck for me.
After Bamberg, I am spending time in the Kulmbach area for hiking and looking around when I am off-duty from some volunteering work. I have been up there before (I greatly enjoyed Kommunbrau and the brewing/baking museum) so I know that the beer is not as diverse as other places, but I am interested in Bierwoche as a cultural event. Would be more fun I think if I can connect with other beer lovers.
On August 12 I am going over to Windischeschenbach for several days for hiking and learning about Zoigl culture. The rest of the time (about two more weeks) I will probably spend farther south - some of it in the Hallertau region.
Hopefully that gives you a better idea of my itinerary -- all ideas/connections are most welcome. I did connect with you on FB Gerhard - thanks!.
A filtered view of just my articles about experiences in Germany is at http://primepassages.com/tag/germany
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Jason on 2018-06-24 10:54:53 Happy to meet if it suits our timetables.
I read your blog about sandkerwa- I understand you were a visitor, but believe me it is a real cultural and iconic weekend when you live in Bamberg. Oktoberfest is for tourists. Sandkerwa is for Bambergers to get together and have fun. Just FYI.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Kevin Holsapple on 2018-06-24 12:00:22 I understand, Jason ... and I know that I only experienced a slice from a visitor's perspective. It's one of the reasons to come back and spend more time learning about Bamberg.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-24 23:20:43 Couple of suggestions. Bus to Tiefenellern, walk from there to Strullendorf, train back to Bamberg. Easy walking, signposted, around 12k and 5 breweries and the keller in Strullendorf.
Good walking around Bad Staffelstein, eg Vierzeinheiligen, Staffelberg and 10 breweries to go at.
Bus to Aufsess, then a circular walk again signed, taking in 4 breweries.
Have a look at the Freizeitlinien on thethe VGN website for some tips also.
Enjoy
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Kevin Holsapple on 2018-06-25 12:41:58 Thank you for the suggestions, John.
I plan the Tiefnellen to Strullendorf walk for sure. I also found a Tiefneilen to Memmelsdorf suggested route that looks promising.
Thanks for the suggestion about Bad Staffelstein area - I found four suggested routes there at https://goo.gl/zNTTTu -- would you recommend one route over another for either the beer or the scenery?
I enjoyed the Aufsess loop on a prior visit so probably won't do that one again this time.
Thanks for the Freizeitlinien-VGN tip.
An area that looks interesting is between Eggolsheim and Zentbechhofen, but I can't figure out how to make the public transit availabilities work with a day hike.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-25 13:01:39 The Tiefellenern to Memmelsdorf hike is decent. You hit Brauerei Knoblach along the way. I prefer the one to Strullendorf though. More scenic hike with more brewery and bier keller options.
Several good hikes around Bad Staffelstein area but one I really liked was to start at Brauerei Trunk in Vierzingheiligen then hike over Staffelberg onto Loffeld. From there to Brauerei Leicht in Pferdsfeld. Brauerei Martin in Unterneuses and finally end in Ebensfeld where you can catch the train after stopping at the brewery there. Lots of great scenery and beer along this route.
Also think about Recekendorf to Hoefen to Freudeneck and finally through Rattelsdorf onto Ebing. Train stations at both ends of that one.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-25 13:25:05 Would agree with Mark on all options there. The walk from Bad Staff to Ebensfeld via Nedensforf and Wiesen gives you 4 breweries and some great views. Ive done a similar walk to Mark via Vierzeinheiligen but we managed to take in Metzgerbrau which was brilliant. Really, it all depends on how far you can walk in a day and how much you can drink!
Re Eggolsheim and Zentbechofen, bus 265 goes from Forchheim station to Stiebarlimbach which puts you maybe 5km from Zentbechofen?
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-26 10:31:55 Out of curiosity, when you went to Metzgerbrau did you go onto Loffeld from there or somewhere else? Where did that hike end? I remember seeing the sign to head to Uetzing on the way to Staffelberg and I was curious what that route was like.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-26 13:24:19 IIRC its a nice walk through the country then down into Uetzing(from Vierzeinheiligen). We then went on to Stublang and Loffeld. Start and finish was Bad Staffelstein. It was a fairly long day!!
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Barry on 2018-06-27 01:34:21 Andy and me did the walk from 14heiligen to Uetzing, even got a little lost and walked further than we should have done. Mind you, we took the bus up to 14h from Staffelstein and back from Metzgerei, but can easily imagine that slightly younger, and even slightly fitter, people could easily do the round trip.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-27 01:52:38 The walk I'm doing from time to time: Start at Stublang (Dinkel), leaving out bloody Hennemann -> Loffeld (Staffelbergbräu) -> Staffelberg summit (having a St. Georgen and not liking it) -> Vierzehnheiligen (Trunk) -> Uetzing (Metzgerbräu) -> Stublang (Dinkel) for staying overnight. Makes approx. 20 km. Perfect.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-27 06:03:04 Our plan is the week from Friday (July 6th) we're going to do the walk we had done with Juergen and Elmar before and that is the one I described above. This time though hopefully we'll get to drink the beer of Martin in Unterneuses. Nice thing about ending in Ebensfeld is the train connection back to Bamberg (after a stop the brewery pub there first of course - and maybe even the keller if there's time).
Juergen you're welcome to join us on that one and either of the ones we're doing that weekend. On Sunday the 8th the plan is to start in Reckendorf then over to Hoefen (probably detour for a bit to Freudeneck) then on to Ebing (probably stop at beer garden in Rattlesdorf on the way). I haven't decided for sure what we're going to do on Saturday the 7th but it will be another hike somewhere.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-27 07:15:59 Although now I am contemplating skipping hiking over Staffelberg and instead go to Uetzing then Stubland then Loffeld. We'll see.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-27 07:16:19 *Stublang
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Andrew H on 2018-06-28 13:50:06 Have you been to metzgerbrau uetzing Mark?
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-28 21:50:06 Yes once before. By car thanks to Juergen. Enjoyed the beer and had a good laugh
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Andrew H on 2018-06-29 05:55:45 Yea,Its one of my favourites. I like the beer a lot, and love the quirky layout with the metzgerei downstairs.
Kulmbach Bierwoche by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-29 06:20:03 Yeah and the people are really nice there too.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-20 12:49:25 I can't beleive I'm posting about this place for any reason however I saw the following comment in the news section over at the www.German.Breweries.com website. Not sure if I'm horrified or intrigued. I hope somebody is not investing money in refurbishing a brewery only to continue brewing horrible beer. Maybe new owners (hopefully)?
More on Wagner in Oberhaid. Apparently, the brewery is currently undergoing renovation and the beers are being made elsewhere until work is complete.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Jason on 2018-06-21 03:40:14 Quick, go before they finish!
I now know why keesmann was bad for a while - they replaced a lot of equipment and the beer was brewed at Göller in Zeil. Not a bad brewery but clearly they screwed it up somewhere.
Seems to have passed through.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Andrew H on 2018-06-21 05:15:13 Damn! one of my favourite beers may well be spoilt by the installation of new equipment.
Interesting about Keesman, I wonder why Goller? It will be interesting to see what you think of the flavour when the new kit is in use Jason.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-21 05:59:49 Yes you liked it so much you drank mine down before I had a chance to protest!
Wagner - Oberhaid by Andrew H on 2018-06-21 23:23:19 I seem to recall yours ending up in the dishwashing sink!
Wagner - Oberhaid by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-06-21 06:08:43 Göller offers contract brewing and filling (in competition with Rittmayer in Hallerndorf, Binkert in Breitengüßbach - filling at Wagner/Kemmern, Kesselring in Marktstedt and others
At Ratebeer you can find many contract brewed beers, brewed in/by the Brewery Göller. Many others exist.
https://www.ratebeer.com/brewers/brauerei-goeller/2943/
Wagner - Oberhaid by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-21 08:30:06 Speaking of Goeller, i just noticed something very strange looking at google map. On Obere Sandstrasse there is now a marker for Brewery Goeller (of Zeil) with a link to their website. Maybe it's just a google map glitch. But I found it odd that they would be linked on google map to Obere Sandstrasse. Are they opening a pub there or are they contract brewing for one of them (such as Ahornla)? The address is listed as Obere Sandstrasse 13.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Fred Waltman on 2018-06-21 09:05:43 Obere Sandstraße 13 is Göller Orthopädie, so that is the confusion, I guess.
Wagner - Oberhaid by TomM on 2018-06-21 13:32:51 Even if Goeller brewed the beer for Keesmann, it is up to Keesmann to make sure the beer is okay, and if it is not right then not to release it, or at least recall the beer that is substandard.
Wagner - Oberhaid by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-21 14:40:24 Thought Keesmann Pils was excellent this week in Stohrenkeller and the tap.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Jason on 2018-06-22 01:40:49 As I said, it's passed through, it was over a month ago.
It wasn't subtle, believe me.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Jason on 2018-06-22 01:39:41 This is Franconia. They can get away with selling the occasional sub standard beer because generally people are not beer connoisseurs, they just drink the stuff, and money talks. If they can get away with it they do - of course a brewery outside of Bamberg may not have that luxury, without the constant flow of tourists that allow the Bamberg breweries to get away with things like this. Klosterbraeu and Faessla have also had issues with beer quality in the past and they didn't suffer. Mahrs is the current consistent perpetrator - most people don't even notice that the beer is poorer now; the brewery lives off the brand and good marketing. And as I've said before, people I know and trust here agree, unamimously, and actually don't even go to Mahrs anymore, where it was a favourite.
Some people noticed Keesmann for sure, but not many. I even asked at the brewery if anyone had complained - of course the waitress gave me a sweet 'butter wouldn't melt' smile and said no. Contrast at Torschuster where, after I mentioned it, Thomas later sent 6 barrels back. Different mentalities.
Wagner - Oberhaid by barry on 2018-06-22 04:24:09 Interesting observation, I notice that you exempt Spezial from the criticism, which I suppose is fair. But, I've never had a bad beer in Faessla either, though I know that it is not universally popular.
Of course, totally agree with the comments about Mahrs - AFAIK, I was the first to raise questions on this Forum, after discussiing with much the same 'people I know and trust'!
I suppose that it's the reason why so many of us spend so much time wandering the highways and byways of Franken - even that part in B-W, thanks to Juergen.
Goeller in Zeil and Goeller in Drosendorf are, of course, family related. I wonder if there is any connection between Goeller/Drosendorf and Keesmann that led to them choosing Goeller rather than, say, Ritmann, which is nearer? For example, Goeller/Drosendorf buy their malt from Bamberger (old Herr Goeller trained there) - where do Keesmann buy their malt, anybody know? Broadening that question, is it generally known where the Bamberg (and wider Franken) breweries buy their malt? I suppose Grigor would know the answer.
Wagner - Oberhaid by Jason on 2018-06-22 05:19:51 Re Spezial, actually the U sometimes has some diacytel in and Gregor sometimes mumbles about some off flavours in the lager but we are really being picky here. I never used to bother with diacytel but that Keesmann batch was just awful.
Re Faessla, just like John, as long term but occasional visitors it could be that you never taste it. But they had a period where they increased capacity and needed new fermentors - in the interim the beers were lagered insufficiently. Faessla is not so popular because the beers are average and give a hangover (apparently). I had the misfortune of meeting a friend in the Faessla Stub'n a few weeks ago, God awful place, and the beer was dire. Almost certainly dirty lines and glasses, but still. Had a pils in the brewery last week; uninspiring but no faults. That was my opinion and doesn't detract from yours btw.
OT: September Sorted Out! by barry on 2018-06-12 14:45:08 Instant decision: just booked for 11 days in Eschawo, first week in September, followed by a quick train to Praha for 8 days of beer relaxation!
OT: September Sorted Out! by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-13 11:33:23 Nice! I see you've taken a liking to Prague. It's hard not to with such a great variety of beer and pubs to enjoy. I'll be drinking beer in the west of Ireland while you're there. No Roadside Tavern/Burren Brewery this time though.
OT: September Sorted Out! by barry on 2018-06-13 12:47:55 Shame! Have you/will you sample the beers from Western Herd, Kilmaley?
OT: September Sorted Out! by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-13 12:58:40 I will if I find it in a pub in Galway City. Not stopping in Co. Clare though on this trip
OT: September Sorted Out! by barry on 2018-06-13 13:07:22 Sacrilege! But I take it as a compliment to my absence fom the county. Not sure where you can get Western Herd, as it's a pretty small outift on a farm.
OT: September Sorted Out! by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-13 14:08:27 Well if you were still there then yup we'd probably be making a visit to the Roadside. Doesn't look like you can get Herd outside of Co. Clare just yet (according to their website). Oh well, next time.
OT: September Sorted Out! by Jason on 2018-06-14 11:13:42 Lot of time in Prague... just saying.
OT: September Sorted Out! by TomM on 2018-06-14 15:57:15 Wish someone would sentence me to eight days in Prague.
OT: September Sorted Out! by Andrew H on 2018-06-15 00:06:07 I have to agree Jason,but the old fella does tend to get lost.so he needs that long for let's say 10? Pubs.
OT: September Sorted Out! by barry on 2018-06-15 02:38:34 1. Jason, in part, it's your fault but I'm pleased that it was!
2. Sorry that you can't Tom, it's a good place to spend 8 days.
3. The Russian language has no word for 'lost'; the nearest is to be temporarily misplaced (don't really know if this is true, is there a Russian speaker out there who can enlighten us?). I don't believe that I've ever been lost in my life, only temporarily misplaced. But, then, I don't spend a lot of time preparing notebooks full of directions, etc., I'm very happy to leave that to others. Nor do I mind asking directions or following those who prepare the notebooks - providing that I think it will be to my advantage.
4. If I can find ten pubs that I like, I'll happily spend 8 days in them. I/we owe a debt of gratitude to people like Fred who wander the mean streets of our cities to reveal hidden gems.
Slainte!
OT: September Sorted Out! by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-15 17:59:08 Yes indeed. For example leading us onto the last bus to Dudley. Only problem is that it was heading to Wolverhampton not Dudley!! Haha. Good times.
OT: September Sorted Out! by jason on 2018-06-16 03:31:48 Nothing like having a 'local' to guide you around :)
OT: September Sorted Out! by Barry on 2018-06-16 14:41:33 Only temporarily misplaced! Don't think that I'd be accepted as a local!
OT: Batham's Brewery, Brierley Hill by barry on 2018-06-07 08:18:41 I found a history of Batham's while I was 'surfing' for something else!
Maybe of interest to the recent expedition..
http://www.bathams.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/bathams-history-small.pdf
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by moleha4 on 2018-06-05 08:33:31 Having deliberately planned my visit to coincide with Nürnberg's Franconian Beer Festival, it was a bonus that the first full day of my holiday was Sunday 27 May, and I was able to visit the Schmankerlmarkt held in Nürnberg's Hauptplatz (10,00-18,00 hrs). 46 stalls of which 10 are from local brewers, the others being bakers, butchers, chocolatiers etc. I drank beers from Gundel (2), Altenberger (2) & Schober(1) my personal favourite being the Gundel - Helles. With the weather being so hot, my plans to undertake lengthy hikes to 1 "brewpub" each lunchtime, and a second early evening went by the board, so Monday I visited Mainlust in Viereth whose Vollbier I thoroughly enjoyed. Tuesday's excursion was to Kulmbach - I walked up to the castle (Plassenburg) which built up a thirst before visiting Kommunbrau Kulmbach for a couple of their Bernstein beers with my lunch. Wednesday was a full day, firstly walking from Bad Staffelstein to the top of the Staffelberg, then taking the train to Reckendorf to visit Schroll for lunch, washed down with 2 seidlas of their Helles. Good to find this place busy with locals at midday. On to N for the beer festival, stopping firstly, since the festival was not yet open, at the Balkon for a couple of beers from Nikl. Festival late afternoon / early evening was less busy than I expected and I was able to get a seat at each of the stands. My favourite festival beer on this first visit was the Held - Dunkles Bauernbier. Thursday being a Holiday / Feiertag I thought that I would take in 2 new (for me) "brewpubs". However Leicht in Pferdsfeld had Betriebsurlaub of about 2 weeks ending yesterday, and Martin in Unterneuses had their Betriebsurlaub starting on 31 May through to 17 June. So lunch was instead at an Italian restaurant in Bad Staffelstein with a glass of Püls - Weismainer Kellertrunk (vom Fass). Friday, my last full day was spent at the beer festival, having picked up a blister on my heel in the hot weather, I did not want to risk a walk in the countryside - 7 beers enjoyed - my favourites being Meister - Vollbier (thanks for the Tipp, Jason) and Hembacher - Stöffla. Hope to be back sometime next year...
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by barry on 2018-06-06 03:08:47 Thanks for the report, nice mixture of the familiar and unknown (to me, anyway).
I'm full of awe that you could walk to the top of Staffelberg and be in Schroll for lunch. I had lunch this year in Schroll and it was the same - great place, lovely people and super beer. Right near the top for me.
Sorry about Martin and Leicht but glad that it will be all over before I contemplate a visit!
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-06-06 03:35:39 Yes, the Staffelberg thing is extremely impressive. Wondering why OP didnt stick around and try some of the breweries around Bad Staffelstein. Havent been to Schroll for years, might have a look in a couple of weeks.
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by Barry on 2018-06-06 10:44:41 Please do John, itsi a really lovely place!
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-06 11:10:12 I'm planning on visiting Schroll on our upcoming visit. We'll do the hike we did last time in reverse. Schroll first then Hoefen and Ebing with possible detours/stops in Freudeneck and the beer garden in Rattelsdorf on the way. I really liked Schroll but will get there a lot earlier to avoid missing a train. Good breweries sometimes lead to missed trains.
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-06 15:23:34 Mark, how's the walk from Schroll to Hofen? Looks reasonable on the map, but nice to hear from someone who nas done it.
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by jason on 2018-06-06 15:31:23 Easy, small hill, up and down. And the beer garden in Rattlesdorf is one of the best (weekends and holidays only, May-August or so).
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-06 19:05:26 .... and nice views on both sides of the hills. A nice hike from one valley to another with excellent breweries on both sides and a train station on both sides.
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-06-07 01:37:20 Sounds great thanks for the info. BTW Jason, are you around 15-22 June? Be good to share a beer or two sometime.
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by Jason on 2018-06-07 05:32:18 Hi John, yes I am, I have some friends here visiting so I'll be out and about. How do we contact each other on the move?
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by barry on 2018-06-07 08:21:47 Just to intercede in this tete-a-tete, I can confirm that it is a lovely walk and even possible for old codgers, so eminently suitable for young, fit things. I wasn't that impressed with my only visit to Freudeneck but worth trying of you are so near. There's also the Schloss Brauerei in Reckendorf but it doesn't compare with Schroll. Finally, after, Ratteldorf, you can meander down the road (couple of miles) to the lovely Schwann at Ebing. Wish I was going with you!
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by Carl on 2018-06-08 05:22:05 You guys must be in a lot better shape than me!
Our group of five from USA walked from Reckendorf to Ebing in April.
I'm from the flat frozen Northland, and we had a real cold and windy early Spring, so I was not able to get out and walk and bike (I hate gyms) in preparation for the trip to Bamberg.
I looked the hill up online, and think it rises about 400 feet.
The rest of our group was either younger or from warmer places, and didn't have as much of a workout!
We really enjoyed Schroll and the pub in Hofen. Schwann wasn't great, in our opinion.
I think the pub in Hofen had an afternoon opening time of 3 PM. (Also open for lunch, I think.)
Enjoyable visit last week - mini report by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-06-07 09:07:11 Jason, my email is johnratcliffe 'at' hotmail.com. Drop me a mail and Ill send you my mobile number.
See you in July... by FredW on 2018-06-02 15:35:31 Looks like I'm overlapping with Mr Anderson for a few days. I arrive laste afternoon on July 4 and leave early afternoon on July 23. I'll be staying at Judestrasse 11. Hopefully I can meet up with some regulars...
No plans except ride out to some of my favorite kellers...
See you in July... by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-06-03 02:03:39 On the 4th of July is the Weyermann oldtimer festival (I believe also in this year). They tap Weyermann beers.
A video about the last year
https://www.facebook.com/weyermannspecialtymalts/videos/10154858692967055/?hc_ref=ARSrBoVy35SOCA9eQnqGkN8Qw-tUfAZxmc1YkpY6_HPFnT8N4mvh0ZHtwdM8iTLlK8U
See you in July... by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-03 04:17:35 We'll see you there Fred. I've got a couple of first time visitors to Franconia coming with me. Ingmar also meeting us. Arrive late afternoon on the 4th also. We're going to do some hiking of course. But first full day (5th) will be a visit to Merkendorf for starters. So feel free to join us if you want.
See you in July... by FredW on 2018-06-03 22:35:59 I may. My traditional "shakedown ride" (to make sure they bike is all back together) is usually down to Hirschaid (or Buttenheim) then back up the other side of the Regnitz with a stop in Pettstadt for refreshment. But Wagner/Hummel works as well :)
I'll most likely be recovering from jet lag at Schlenkerla the afternoon/evening of July 4 -- we can discuss then if you are about.
Gerhardt, I get in too late to do anything at Weyermann that day.
See you in July... by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-04 04:27:26 Schlenkerla most likely will be our first stop on the 4th as well. I'll shoot you a message.
Keesmann & melkendorf by jason on 2018-06-02 02:19:38 Keesmann have had some serious diacytel in their Herren Pils the last month. I pointed it out to Thomas (owner) at Torschuster some weeks ago and he sent a number of kegs back. The lastest batch is back to normal (at Torschuster) but a friend ordered a Pils in Stilbruch last night and it was the same. And I'm not overly senstive to diacytel; the beer was a mess. For a city that should know a lot about beer, Bambergers are really very ignorent. And it allows the brewers to make mistakes and 'get away with it'. I asked in the brewery (after mistakenly ordering one) if anyone had complained and the waitress of course said no. I can actually believe that. Be more like Thomas.
I am shortly driving out to Melkendorf to try the new Brauhaus Melkendorf brown beer. Then to the beer fest in Nuremberg. Will update later.
Keesmann & melkendorf by Mark Andersen on 2018-06-02 03:40:11 For those on Facebook I found that there is a page for the new Brauhaus Melkendorf.
https://www.facebook.com/brauhausmelkendorf/
Keesmann & melkendorf by Andrew H on 2018-06-02 06:07:25 First I have heard of this place,got any background info Jason?
Keesmann & melkendorf by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-04 06:14:18 If you scroll down a wee bit - there's a whole thread about this subject. ;-)
Keesmann & melkendorf by Andrew H on 2018-06-04 08:18:50 Oh!thanks,I must have missed it.
Keesmann & melkendorf by TomM on 2018-06-08 04:47:06 Interesting article from The Morning Advertiser came my way yesterday concerning off- flavours in beer:
https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2018/06/07/What-are-the-main-off-flavours-in-beer?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=07-Jun-2018&c=olD8t2N7tEMNL2OmM3frxyH5UTx%2BPQVd&p2=
The article is from UK (and so has some content about cask beer) and is aimed at publicans. I was going to cut and paste the section on diacetyl but it is copywrite protected.
Hey Jürgen by johnratcliffe on 2018-05-30 08:25:01 Jürgen,
Mike and I are in Bamberg from 15 to 22 June. We would be keen to meet up if you are around. Assume Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday would be best.
Cheers
John
Hey Jürgen by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-04 00:33:32 Hi John,
no problem. Tuesday's not the best day for me though because I'm working until 5.00. The other days until half three only.
Hey Jürgen by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-04 07:41:07 Great! Wednesday 20th works best for us I think. Happy for any suggestions, we can come out to Wicklesgreuth or meet you somewhere else. Cheers.
Hey Jürgen by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-05 04:27:24 What do you think about a small Aischgrund tour, covering two great Bierkellers at Uehlfeld and Neuhaus?
Hey Jürgen by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-05 05:26:02 Never been there so sounds great! Where would we meet?
Hey Jürgen by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-05 06:39:25 On the ledge.;-)
Hey Jürgen by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-06 00:14:00 At Forchheim station would be the best, I think.
Hey Jürgen by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-06-06 01:29:34 Was listening to a bit of Fairport at the weekend! Forchheim is easy for us. Is 4pm OK?
Hey Jürgen by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-06 05:35:22 4.30. Need minimum an hour from Ansbach to Forchheim when quitting work at 3.30.
Hey Jürgen by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-06-06 07:28:36 OK, 430 it is. See you in 2 weeks.
Hey John by Jürgen Wening on 2018-06-18 03:43:48 How can I reach you on Wednesday? Might get a little later because I've to attend a meeting that starts at 2.00.
Hey John by johnratcliffe on 2018-06-18 14:04:49 My email is johnratcliffe 'at' hotmail.com. You can use this or email me and Ill send you my phone number.
Cheers
Bockbieranstich by Bill Baburek on 2018-05-29 19:03:38 A group of me and 34 of my closest friends will be back in Bamberg on October 4th and 5th. We plan to hit up Schenkerla for the tapping and on Friday take our bus to the three village brewery bockbier tappings in Bischberg, Buttenhiem and Wurgau. Are these pretty good size parties? Are we able to just roll up and get some beers or do we need to contact them ahead of time and tell them we are coming? We have done this in the past and advised of our arrival, but not during the bockbieranstich. I figured since it was the Anstich that it would be a big party anyway at each place.
Bockbieranstich by Bill Baburek on 2018-05-29 19:05:26 Check that I believe in is not Wurgau but Brauerei Knobloch in Litzendorf
Bockbieranstich by Jason on 2018-05-30 02:14:24 Brauerei Knoblach in Schammelsdorf... (yeah, next to Litzendorf).
For Schlenkerla you are 100% fine. It's busy and assuming you are happy standing around then you're fine. I'm presuming no tables are required. If the weather is bad then that's a different story.
For Bischberg, last year they moved it from the brewery to the keller. I presume this will be the same. For both you will have space but I would be tempted to contact the keller and reserve tables as I'm not sure what capacity there is for standing around.
For Knoblach/Buttenheim it again depends on the weather. If you're outside then generally fine but inside is obviously going to be a problem.
That's a pretty huge group. Sounds like you've done it before but I hope you don't have any plans to visit anywhere in Bamberg apart from BBA...
Bockbieranstich by Jason on 2018-05-30 02:15:37 And 34 of your 'closest' friends?! I don't even have 34 friends, nevermind close friends!
Bockbieranstich by Barry on 2018-05-30 02:44:58 Aah Jason, you have dozens of friends!
Bockbieranstich by Mike on 2018-05-30 04:04:54 I think the inside of Knoblach is large enough unless lots of other people get there first. As far as I recall, the inside has two rooms. I just looked at their site and they have 130 places inside. They open at 15.00 during the week and they are one of the best breweries in Franconia. I would try to get there at 15.00 or not long after. OTOH, if it's warm and sunny, you could arrive later.
Bockbieranstich by Jason on 2018-05-30 05:19:35 Would dispute the one of the 'best breweries in Franconia' tag. Before anyone gets upset, their beers are fine, good even, but it is certainly not in my top 10. Might not even scrape into my top 20.
And again, before anyone gets upset; yes it's all down to personal taste and opinion, hence why I'm giving mine. And I know others like it, and I haven't a problem with that. At all.
But the fact that I rarely visit is pretty big indicator.
ps. I would ring ahead.
Bockbieranstich by Mike on 2018-05-30 05:59:16 Well, FWIW, I was in a pub in Litzendorf and there was a table of 10-12 local guys. They left before me. I then went to Knoblach and there they were. One of them came over to where I was sitting and we had a brief but pleasant conversation. The staff at Knoblach have always been very nice, helpful and flexible. I try to stop there whenever I'm in Franconia. Sadly, I've never been there during Bockbier season, but I certainly wouldn't mind going there then.
Bockbieranstich by Jason on 2018-05-30 07:44:01 (facepalm) I never said anything negative... the staff are great, the locals are fine, the beer is good. But that doesn't make it one of the best breweries in Franconia. It's not a discussion starter tbh, because I know people like it and I know why. I've just never had the same feeling.
Bockbieranstich by Mike on 2018-05-30 13:06:44 To each his own: for me a really good brewery is not limited to the quality of their beer. Atmosphere, service, additional drinks or edibles - all add to the experience of a place, which is what makes a place good.
Bockbieranstich by Jason on 2018-05-30 14:39:53 Huh? A brewery is judged on the quality of its beer. Nothing else really. A pub/outlet is judged on other things in addition to the quality of the beer they pour. But still, the atmosphere, service, additional drinks or edibles does not (in my opinion) make Knoblach any better than tens of breweries in the area. It’s solid. If you visit once or twice a year you might get lucky and think it’s exceptional. If you live here you experience that all over, if you know where to go.
Its fine. I’m writing this at Hummel in merkendorf. They’re throwing a party. 5 beers all bayerischer Anstich. 4 more on draft. Brass band playing. Great beer. Great service. Good food. One of the best breweries in Franconia. But yeah, to each his or her own.
Bockbieranstich by Mike on 2018-05-30 22:44:58 I suppose if you're reviewing a place from Ratebeer or Beeradvocate, then, " A brewery is judged on the quality of its beer. " would be justified. I do agree with you, however, that there is a substantial difference between living there and visiting there occasionally and that your attitude is probably quite well justified.
IAC, as an occasional visitor, I much prefer a gaststätte or brewery that provides more than just good beer. Over the years that I've come to Bavaria, there are probably 10 or 20 places that I've visited and where I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being there. In fact, the first time I went to a Zoigl pub in Mitterteich it was almost like a dream becoming real. Something I still remember. Some years ago, I brought an old American friend of mine to another Zoigl pub (in Neuhaus) and he didn't like the beer or the experience.
As my father used to say: "De gustibus non disputandum est."
Reinheitgebot et al by Mike on 2018-05-25 01:19:47 During the middle ages in Germany, there was no Germany, rather just towns, bishoprics and other areas were a prince or duke or king ruled. IAC, during this time, many of these places establish Brauordnungen (or brewing rules). Many of these rules involved the ingredients of beer, ie, what was allowed and what was not. But there were exceptions.
For example, on 21 June 1156 the town of Augberg passed a rule that anyone serving beer that is bad or less than the required Maß could be punished by the town. Punishing during the middle ages, could be pretty cruel, so this was not likely a small fine.
My personal favourite (sorry its in one of the books I've downloaded and can't locate at the moment) is that dancing is forbidden in a brewery. The rule does say that women are allowed in a brewery, but don't dance with them.
When I find the book again, I'll try to post more.
Manufacturers of Holzdeckel? by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-05-20 08:39:11 Does anyone know companies that make Holzdeckel for German breweries? I have searched with Google, but have not found much. I am interested in getting some made for a US brewery.
Thanks,
Jimbo
Manufacturers of Holzdeckel? by Jason on 2018-05-20 11:00:04 I would imagine you would be better contacting one of the breweries, I would suggest Hummel or Hoelzlein, both because they have their own deckend printed and because they are likely to respond.
Manufacturers of Holzdeckel? by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-05-24 22:31:38 Thanks, Jason. I will see if I can contact a brewery.
Manufacturers of Holzdeckel? by Nick Cowley on 2018-05-25 00:17:40 Have you tried these guys?
https://www.on-werbemittel.com/holzbierdeckel-aus-franken
https://holz-frank.com/haushalt-gastronomie/bierdeckel/335/bierdeckel-buchenholz-roh-und-siebdruck-bedruckt
Manufacturers of Holzdeckel? by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-05-26 10:25:08 Thanks! Those are great links!
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by rkat32 on 2018-05-15 08:23:30 I'll be in Bamberg for a short stay in June and I'm planning a (full) day side trip down to Brauerei Neder in Forcheim and then up to Brauerei Witzgall in Hallerndorf with a stop in Buttenheim to check out St. Georgenbraeu and Loewenbraeu (either the Braeustueberln or the Kellers depending on weather) before returning to Bamberg. Based on my research, getting from Witzgall to Buttenheim requires some time - about an hour either by foot or by public transporation. Has anybody walked from Witzgall to the Buttenheim locations? Is this doable or would you recommend taking the bus?
FYI, I am planning this trip on a Sunday. Furthermore, I understand that this will be a full day trip and the Buttenheim portion may require a second day trip.
I appreciate the suggestions and enjoy reading the posts on this board. Good source of information! Prost.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-05-15 08:39:33 Does the 265 from Forchheim to Kreuzberg kellers go by Witzgall? Runs every 2(?) hours on a Sunday. Buttenheim station to the kellers is 20-30 minutes each way depending on walking speed. Dont think theres a bus. Eggolsheim is the nearest station to Witzgall, maybe 30 mins walk. Hourly trains in each direction.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by barry on 2018-05-15 09:16:58 I've walked from Buttenheim to Witzgall (on a hot day when DB let us down - they were doing the traack for the ICVE and it was chaos!). The walk to Eggolsheim is ok but not so good up to Altendorf, which is where the station for Buttenheim is located. It's a busy main road, with no footpatch or cycle track. John's suggestion is the best.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-05-15 10:29:49 Barry, do you know if the 265 goes past Witzgall?
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by barry on 2018-05-15 11:11:36 Close enough, John, within a couple of hundred yards.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-05-15 11:28:51 Sorted then. Train to Forchheim, quick one in Neder, back to station, catch 265 to Witzgall, walk to Eggolsheim, train to Buttenheim, walk to kellers, back to station, train to Bamberg. Could even stop at Hirschaid on the way back depending on your stamina. Enjoy!
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by rkat32 on 2018-05-15 14:11:48 Appreciate the input. I checked the timing and this tour can be done in a day. Looking forward to it!
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by barry on 2018-05-15 14:48:48 You can make it easier on yourself and have a couple in the great Neder because you don't have to walk back to the station! The 265 wanders through the town and stops at Apothekenstr which is only a couple of streets from Neder, opposite the old Forchheimer Brewery. Saves you probably 15 minures - time for a Schwarze Anna!
Another idea; depending on the times of the train and the weather, it's probably better to get the 265 back to Forchheim, then train to Buttenheim. Don't bother with St Georgen (it was absolutely terrible last time I was in!), visit Loewenbrau Keller, then train to Hirschaid and walk to Hirschaada Keller (opposite side of track to Kraus) and have either Kraus or Huebner in a nice Keller!
Just ideas for you to consider!
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-05-16 00:54:52 Concur with Barry's comments re Georgenbrau and Haschaada
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by Mosquit on 2018-05-16 01:29:34 I have been walking Witzgall -> Eggolsheim train station a week ago. It takes about 30 minutes of a faster walk. (BTW we have started in Forcheim, then 265 to Roppelt, and then through Hallerndorf and Witzgall back to train station)
in past years, we have been walking also Witzgall -> Butenheim. You definitively shoult NOT walk from Eggolsheim to Altendorf; there are two much better ways
1) Witzgall -> Traildorf -> Seussling -> Altendorf -> Buttenheim (nearly not traffic till Altendorf, then footpath)
2) Witzgall -> Eggolsheimer train stop -> Buttenheim's kellers as here: https://goo.gl/maps/bSWbxji9xrT2
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by barry on 2018-05-16 03:18:42 Both look really good ideas for a walk, no hills, flat all the way.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by Andrew H on 2018-05-16 04:08:44 All good advice as would be expected on this forum. Except,I think it would be a trifle odd not to visit the st Georgen Keller which is the nicer of the two just for the sake of not wanting to drink one so so beer.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by rkat32 on 2018-05-16 04:39:56 Thanks again for the excellent recommendations. I plan to take the Witzgall > Eggolsheim transit stop and then the tram to Buttenheim. Time permitting, I'll stop by Hirschaider Keller before heading back to Bamberg. Good info here.
Bamberg > Brauerei Neder > Brauerei Witzgall > Buttenheim > Bamberg by rkat32 on 2018-06-18 04:56:52 Just a quick post to update on the day trip. I really enjoyed Neder - Schwarze Anna and the Export vom Holzfass were wonderful. Very cool, one-room, old-school Franconian vibe at Neder. Definitely, my kind of place. My stay at Neder was longer than expected so I decided to skip the trip to Witzgall and travel straight to Buttenheim where I visited both of the local Kellers. St. Georgen was the more scenic of the two, but both offered an idyllic biergarten refuge with decent, quaffable kellerbier.
Thanks again for the assistance and the excellent travel tips. Looking forward to my next visit where I will most definietly fit Witzgall and the other Forchheim breweries into my plans. Prost!
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by TomM on 2018-05-13 14:21:43 The brewer/owner at Orca Brau, Nuremberg is interviewed for a blog on the Bierfreiheit website:
http://bierfreiheit.com/blackfish-at-the-gates-nurembergs-orca-brau-makes-waves-in-franconia/
Some quotes:
>>>For me, Franconia is one of the most interesting beer regions to watch for the next five years or so. It could go this way or that way but we’ll see more diversity. We’ll see more breweries doing more interesting things but also a lot of closings as well. Not necessarily because the beers are not selling but because of lack of investment. And there are also some cases of the health department going to breweries and saying, “This looks horrible. You have to close down.”.
>>>They say that in Franconia, the world is still normal because beer and food are still cheap, which is totally stupid. People in the beer scene in Nuremberg, almost everyone says that Franconian breweries need to charge more. In a beer garden you’ll pay sometimes only €1.80 or €2.20 for a half-litre.
>>>Some beer gardens are doing well but most of them in my opinion are not doing well financially or in terms of quality of the beer. But Franconians don’t really care about this-they still have this strong connection to the brewery. But we will see a change in the future for sure. More breweries will definitely be closing down, while some will do really well.
Thoughts?
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Jason on 2018-05-14 02:07:07 Nothing really earth shattering. I don't agree with his comment that so much will change in 5 years - it will change, but not in such a short time. He hit the nail on the head though when he said the beer is too cheap.
I find the interviewer somewhat arrogant suggesting that no Franconian brewers reach 'greatness'. Or that you have to brew something totally off the scale to be a 'great' brewery. I wonder if that person (the interviewer) has visited even 10% of the breweries in the region? Or knows that so many people visit Franconia from places with an abundance of these 'off the scale' beers because they want something different. As do the folks in Rome and Stockholm, so he/she is contradicting him/herself.
The Orca guy seems to know his stuff generally though, but I've never had a bottle of his beer, it just doesn't interest me that much. There's a lot more I could say about the article but that;ll do for now.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Gunnar H on 2018-05-14 07:35:05 Off to Stockholm's Zum Franziskaner now for some good old Franconian beer at just 8 euro a Seidla. Same as modern hipster grapefruit beer in other establishments.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Gunnar H on 2018-05-14 08:12:39 Today's keg line-up: Keesmann Herrenpils, Hartmann Erbschänk, Herrmanns Kellerbier, Gänstaller GänsWeiss, Spezial Märzen, Schlenkerla Eiche, Gänstaller Pilsner. Makes it quite bearable to be away from Franconia at times.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Gunnar H on 2018-05-14 08:12:39 Today's keg line-up: Keesmann Herrenpils, Hartmann Erbschänk, Herrmanns Kellerbier, Gänstaller GänsWeiss, Spezial Märzen, Schlenkerla Eiche, Gänstaller Pilsner. Makes it quite bearable to be away from Franconia at times.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by barry on 2018-05-14 08:11:22 Talikng out of his a--e, I would say. I wonder how many Franconian breweries either of these people have visited?
I'm getting the feeling that I'm living in some sort of parallel universe. This chap is probbly in the same universe as the brewers of some of the beers that we sampled over the last few days in North Wales and the Black Country. In my universe, Batham's and Ma Pardoe's, to name but two, are great breweries with lovely pubs and who also manage to charge quite low prices for their excellent beer, in all these respects, they are like the breweries in Franken.
Now, I know that I'm a dinosaur (follows with the age, sadly) and I appreciate that people have to try new things (at one time or other, all the beers that I like were new) but many of the beers that I tried this weekend (during which I had a great time, from what I remember, apart from repeated playing of a certain team's matches - BTW 100 points, 19 ahead of anyone, etc., etc.), tasted to me like some rather mediocre experiments in homebrewing. But, then, I don't know anything about beer and brewing - just like all the happy punters in Brierley Hill and Netherton.
Just stuffing different hops into the brew does not make for a good beer - IMHO, of course.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Jason on 2018-05-14 08:43:52 I mean, to try to zoom out of personal taste a little, people have to remember that the modern 'craft beer' phonomenon is a reaction to decades of average beer. American and British brewing had been decimated at various points in history leaving the consumer with a fairly boring landscape of choice (notable exceptions aside). The same goes for most other modern markets. Therefore there was a vacuum which has been filled. This has happened in Berlin of course, where 10-15 years ago the beer landscape was very different. People's tastes have changed and now they want less quantity and more flavour and variety.
In Franconia this hasn't happened. So where is the need? Where are the protests in the villages and towns around Bamberg calling for more variety and styles? Why are the breweries and beer gardens packed with people?
Why does beer have to be the centre of the conversation? What's is wrong with it being traditional in style in a place where it belongs? And if you'd really earned your stripes in this region like a number of us on this forum you'd know that variety exists. And as for greatness, well i'm a firm believer that the greatest things are also the most simple.
It's not perfect in Franken. But unlike craft beer, a relative speck of dust on the history of this great beverage, Franconian breweries have been doing their thing for centuries. Yes they need to modernise and try to be a little bit innovative to keep up with demand, but bottom line is I'll wager they'll be around long after breweries like Orca have disappeared.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-14 10:19:39 i think your characterization of these beers as mediocre homebrew experiments is a bit unfair and insulting. I think the beers at the Green Duck were well made but I do understand you don’t like them. But that’s just personal taste and should not be a condemnation of the brewery. We talked to the brewer a bit and he seemed like a very nice bloke and very passionate and serious about what he’s doing.
There’s more I’d like to say but hard to type on my iPhone and I’m on holiday and I’m enjoying a very well made, hoppy, cask pale ale from Manchester Brewing co right now.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by barry on 2018-05-14 13:54:39 At the end of the day, as we've said many times before, it's all a matter of personal opinion. Enjoy your holiday and forget the hurlers on the ditch.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by pivnizub on 2018-05-14 22:46:24 The traditional franconian brewers are the genuine "Craft-Bier" brewers, 'cause they do their "Handwerk" (craft) already many centuries and are therefore well skilled. Who really needs very "interesting" and incredibly "creative" brews, that are hardly drinkable...
Beer should be a "social" drink, not a hobby for crazy hipsters.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-15 01:57:44 Whether or not any given beer or beer style is drinkable or not is a matter of personal taste and opinion. For example, on our recent trip to Black Country some preferred the IPA’s brewed at Green Duck over the Bathams Bitter not because they’re hipsters. Just because that is what they preferred after drinking both. Both beers were enjoyed socially. I find some of the comments on this thread a bit sanctimonious.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Jason on 2018-05-15 02:21:50 I'm inclined to agree - let's remember we're all friends of Franconian beer but not at the exclusivity of all else. Certainly, the beers at the Green Duck were very well brewed and I enjoyed them. I wouldn't swap it for what I have here but that's my choice. In the same way that | felt 'some' of the comments in the article were a little elitest and ignorent we should be careful not to be the same in return.
As I've written numerous times, it's about choice and a person's right to decide what they enjoy without disparaging the likes and dislikes of others. Our visit to the Black Country was heavily weighted to traditional pubs and breweries with a couple more modern interpretations thrown in for good measure. Not a bad mix at all, especially when not all our group wanted to drink bitter all day.
To be honest, even if I'm not hugely enjoying a beer but i'm with friends I can still enjoy myself. It's not the beer all and end all ;)
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-15 02:36:10 Couldn’t have put it any better.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by barry on 2018-05-15 09:33:05 Hold it right there! Whose post was sanctimonius? Hope it wasn't mine, I just tried to give my honest opinion!
I compared the Orca chap with some of the brewers of beer that I had over the last few days because it seemed to me that they have traits in common - very new, maybe experimental. I've embraced a lot of different beers since I ventured out of my comfort zone into Franken, the Oberpfalz and now Prague. All these places brew completely differently to my old-fashioned English taste. It took me some time to get used to them but, when I've had a good, well-made beer, I've said it.
One of the things that I think we like about Franken is the tradition but it's not just tradition for its own sake, it's because, by and large, the brewers have perfected their craft over a long period. Ok, some of them have started trying out new things but they still brew the old, successful stuff, as well.
I appreciate that many of my beer friends (like those of last weekend) are of a different generation and often want to try something new but the Green Duck, for example, had nothing but 'new generation' beers, none of which I liked or even thought were that good (it didn't stop me enjoying the time with friends, though).
Sanctimonious means 'holier than thou' - I hate to think that I adopt that attituide, I just know what I like - sorry!
P.s. And I did end by saying that it's all in IMHO!
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-16 01:20:59 Barry my sanctimonious comment was not in reply to your post. I had already replied to yours previously. I’m just going to leave it at that.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by barry on 2018-05-16 03:20:01 Thank you, you are a gentleman of the first water (or should I say beer).
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-16 02:44:13 Sorry, but I find this document highly suspicious. For one thing,why is Gose mispelled? It's only four letters and a real German can't even get those four right? Secondly, he uses the American expression "resume", while a German would use CV. And the writer's attitude seems more American than German. I don't know who wrote it, but I really wonder whether the author added his own opinions to the brewer's statements.
Having drunk German beer for many years, I don't agree that "craft beer" would improve it. Or that the author seems to understand the German beer scene very well.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Jason on 2018-05-16 14:34:22 I wouldn’t say it’s suspicious. It’s author is from Seattle (German name though) and yes i noticed the misspelling of Gose. However Germans could spell that wrong unless they know about beer. Anyway she’s American so resume is perfectly acceptable. In fact in German it’s Lebenslauf before CV. But if you’re translating both work.
I very much doubt the brewers words were doctored. But agree that she (like most Germans, nevermind Americans/ROW) don’t understand Franconia. Why would she, there’s no modern craft.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-16 23:51:58 OK, so an article written about beer by someone who knows very little about it. To me it was suspicious as it was supposedly an interview with a German brewer and there were numerous errors in it that a brewer from Germany would not make.
I was in Leipzig a couple of years ago and to my great disappointment I wasn't able to find Gose that was made in the traditional manner. At the Bayrische Bahnhof, I complained to the waiter and he brought a brewer to my table. The brewer began with words that quite shocked me: Die Amerikanen sagen... (the Americans say....).
If Michael Jackson (not the singer) contributed anything to the world of beer it was that there were many local and/or traditional beers that could be enjoyed around the world. If everything turns to craft, that diversity will disappear and we'll all be drinking the same or similar beer regardless of where we are. Real Gose is already gone (although, hopefully, some small brewery will bring it back). Real Berliner Weisse is almost gone. These are real losses and a shame.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by jason on 2018-05-17 01:06:04 We have no idea if the interview was conducted in German or English. The translator (if the case) could be at fault. If it was the brewer who made these mistakes, that means just that, it doesn't mean he's not a good brewer or knowledgeable. You can ask brewmasters in Bamberg about Gose or Berliner Weisse and I wouldn't be confident they would know A-Z about the syle - why would they?
'A brewer from Germany' is just the same as 'a drinker from Germany' - they know about the beers around them and their region, but not necessarily from the other end of the country, especially obscure and very local styles.
I've drunk Gose in Leipzig and elsewhere and it's not something I find very drinkable, though I respect the style and history. That brewer had a point though, craft breweries around the world (led by the US I'm afraid) are proliferating all sorts of rubbish about European historic styles. Sorry but I know who I'm going to believe more, even if 'real Gose' has died out.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-17 02:04:34 Visited a modern brewery last night in York. They have a bunch of beers on tap. One labeled a Gose and one a Berliner Weisse. We’re they true to the original style? No idea. But they were enjoyable. Shame on these UK brewers for proliferating this rubbish. I’m going back tonight to dispose of more and save the world from this nonsense.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-17 02:06:45 Sorry meant to say: shame on these UK Brewers (no doubt coerced by the US) for proliferating this rubbish
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by jason on 2018-05-17 06:45:42 Point taken - you know I respect what's going on across the pond, but you should also know that (compared with Brits for example) very few Americans can try the original beers in the original country therefore some breweries take advantage of that or are just as ignorent. Regardless, I know Ronald Pattinson bangs on about nonsense peddled by brewers globally to try and sell a product.
Like you say, does it matter? If it's good? Yes and no. Mainly no, but it's a pet hate of mine - if you're going to replicate a style, do it properly, get the spelling right, get the context right and educate the consumer. maybe in a small way, it'll help the survival of that beer in it's own country as popularity rises - Berliner Weisse and Gose are way more popular than they used to be (last 15 years I'm talking). But if the consumer visits the original producer (or modern local brewer) and finds the product is totally different they are going to be p***** off. And if they don't, a false perception of this beer becomes 'factual' and breweries start replicating the replica.
Then the world will end.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-17 03:16:06 I'm friendly with a German (in the Rheinland area) who is both brewing and drinking. I've known him since he was a teen (he's now about 30). IAC, his experience in Leipzig mirrors mine. I asked him about Goselaar and he said it was even worse there. My parents are from Berlin and I went there many years ago with my father when we had Berliner Weisse. I remember how it tasted (although I did partake of a Schuss fruit syrup). I was in Berlin about a year ago and nothing I drank came close to what I had drunk with my father. Although there is a homebrewer in Berlin who is making the traditional Berliner Weisse. It is available commercially if you know where to go and what to ask for. You need to go here: http://wbb-pamkow.de, unfortunately I don't remember the name of the beer.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-17 03:18:23 German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-17 03:37:03 I’m curious what you think is the cause of the dissapearance of authentic Gose?
It seems like it was already well in decline before modern craft brewing would have had influence and it seems odd that Brewers in Leipzig or Goslar would be that affected by American new age brewing at any rate
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-17 04:44:05 Sorry, I can't really say. I would guess that perhaps some local (German) customers found the tastes too strong, so the brewers watered it down. Or as the one brewer told me "the Americans say..." Meaning that some brewers do read RateBeer and Beer Advocate. Many years ago when I tasted the "authentic Gose" at the Berlin Beer Festival, some American friends of mine were there and really disliked it.
There are loads of old German beer styles that have disappeared over the years and RateBeer and Beer Advocate didn't exist at that time.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by jason on 2018-05-17 07:22:02 In all fairness, you've given 1 example. And he's young. What's the average age of the Franconian brewer? Between 50-60 I would guess (and I live here btw). Most of them wouldn't have been able to travel to the East since birth to 1991.
Regards to Berliner Weisse, it's an interesting discussion, but with respect, as soon as you say you had Schuss then you lost me - nothing wrong with that but combined with 'many years ago' it would almost be impossible to find the same taste even if it was still brewed. The Schuss has probably changed as well, nevermind your taste buds. Maybe it was better, but perhaps some beers are better now with modern equipment and access to information etc.
I know I'm partial to complain every now and again but we really have to take a step back and see what we have. For me in Bamberg, I can visit 1 different brewery every other day for a year. Next month I'll be in Rome, Berlin and Barcelona trying beers from all corners of the spectrum I'm sure. I'm 3 hours from Prague, one of the greatest beer cities in the world, and I can drink Pilsner Urquell exclusively for a few days or mix it up with something more edgy in over 100 pubs, bars, breweries and shops. Last weekend I was in the Black Country drinking bitter.
When that Berliner Weisse you had was brewed I can guarentee that places like Berlin, Rome, Barcelona and pretty much most cities without an ingrained beer culture would have been beer deserts. All i'm saying is let's not be too nostalgic - a number of people on this forum will remember the dark days, and they aren't now :)
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-19 02:11:27 I'm generally quite happy with the beer I can drink in Franconia. I'm quite disappointed that Reidel closed as their beer was one of the best in Franconia. I used to go there regularly especially as there was a good train connection to get there.
Anyhow, when good places with good products close down, it is always disappointing. The same goes for good food stores or restaurants.
What is to me interesting is that while there are some negative changes in German beer, Belgian beer seems to be much more stable. The odd Belgian beers like Lambiek or Gueze have not changed or been influenced by modern brewing techniques (AFAIK) or information. There is something to be said for consistency. Some of my favourite breweries in Franconia make the same beer consistently and I really appreciate that, and when I'm in Franconia, I make an effort to visit them.
One of the best things about Franconia is the idiosyncrasy of the brewers. Sure, not all of them make excellent beer, but enough do that they keep drawing people to their Gaststätten, which, in turn, keeps them making beer. Why the brewers of Gose or Berliner Weisse have decided to drastically change their beers, is something I don't know the answer to. Alll I know is that I'm very disappointed that I can't get a "correct" Gose and that a genuine Berliner Weisse is not that easy to get.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by TomM on 2018-05-23 09:54:03 One thing that has intrigued me is the subject of closures. I understand that, as the blog states, that many happen because there is no one in the family who wants to carry on the tradition of brewing. I would imagine that the lower birth rate has something to do with that. When families were having 6-8 children it was more likely that one or two of the offspring would want to go into brewing, or running the brewery tap. Now that many couples only have 1-3 children, the chances are less.
There also apparently seems to be a plain shortage of workers, as the blog states and is also touched upon in the recent thread on this site about Spezial Keller opening times. My question would be, is this because of low wages or no one wants to do the jobs? Would an increase in the price of beer help the situation?
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-23 23:32:09 I've been reading old books about beer in Germany. Before the industrial revolution in the 19th century, most towns in Germany had a communal brewery and individual houses in the towns had "brewing rights". This is similar to Zoigl today. IAC, I've seen a painting of a town where it was distribution day and the towns people were queing to get their beer. It turned out that so many people were so eager to get their allottment, that the milita had to be brought in to restore order. I've been in several towns (non-Zoigl) were there is still a communal brewery and the towns people (when there's a festival) will quite happily attend, drink the beer, eat food, etc. But no police are necessary to restore order. I suspect that in the pre-Industrial age, it was more dangerous to drink water because of the danger of infection. This was also the time before milk pasteurisation which could make drinking milk dangerous. Beer, OTOH, was safe. There were also stronger drinks like wine and distillates available, but beer was less intoxicating and cheaper, so more popular.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mosquit on 2018-05-24 01:43:27 > My question would be, is this because of low wages or no one wants to do the jobs?
In general, there is a lack of working people. Unemployment rate in Upper Franconia is around 3,5%, somewhere else it is even "worse", below 3%
Many of unemployed people are actually not willing to work anyway...
It is even lower here in Czech (2,2% in whole country; 1,7% in area of Prague) - http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics
very hard to find a new workers...
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-24 08:12:27 Once the method of production changed from communal breweries to industrial breweries, the total number of pubs and breweries plummeted all over Europe. In Belgium, for example, in 1900, there were 3,223 brewries that produced 14,617,000 hectoliters of beer. In 2003, the number of breweries was reduced to 115, yet they produced 15,650,000 hectoliters of beer. In 1900, Belgians drank 221 liters of beer per person. In 2003, that fell to 96 liters. By contrast, the amount of beer exported increased by over 1,000 percent.
Likeswise in Bavaria, in 1960 there were 1566 pubs. By 2005, there were only 623. That number has stayed fairly stable and by 2014, there were 616 pubs. So, for the last 10 or 15 years or so, the number of pubs has gone up and down by only a few per year. There is, to put it mildly, no great loss of pubs in Bavaria since 2005. In fact, in 2010 and 2011, the number of pubs went up to 637. There is no great mystery here.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-26 01:03:37 Well before industrial brewing took hold, in 1831 in all of the German areas, there were 16027 breweries (7428 in cities and 5463 in the countryside) and, of which 12894 were "commercial". The rest of the breweries (2679) were home breweries supplying households of 10 persons or more. These figures are based on taxes that were paid. The document also has quantities, but they are not modern. If anyone knows what "Rehl." is or a "Prussian quart", I'd appreciate an explanation.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-27 07:12:00 According to statistics from the Brewers of Europe, German brewers produce about 95,000,000 liters of beer, breweries which makes it the European country with more beer production than anywhere else. The UK, which, is number two, produces almost 44,000,000 liters which is less than half of what Germany produces. Germany is also number one in Europe in beer consumption: over 85,000,000 liters. In 2010, it was almost 88,000,000 liters. However, a similar decline can be seen in the UK.
In Bavaria, in 1880, when industrial brewing started gaining a foothold, 210.7 liter of beer was drunk by Bavarians per year. Somewhat ironically, beer consumption increased over the next 14 years to 237.6 liters in 1914. Then came the wars. In 1960, beer consumption was presumably still affected by the war as it was only about 95 liters per person. It reached a peak of a little over 150 liters in 1977 and then started declining again. In 2016 it reached 104 liters.
As I wrote previously, industrial brewing saw old breweries die off in the thousands. With consumption also declining, pubs closed as well.
In summary, that article posted was full of nonesense. A German brewer who apparently knows nearly nothing about beer in Germany. The figures I've posted are easy to find if you speak some German, which that brewer presumably speaks.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by TomM on 2018-05-27 08:23:35 "According to statistics from the Brewers of Europe, German brewers produce about 95,000,000 liters of beer, breweries which makes it the European country with more beer production than anywhere else... etc, etc."
I don't see how what you posted proves that this German craft brewer's opinions are "full of nonsense." Where does he say anything that contradicts your statistics? He is not commenting on overall decline in beer consumption in Germany and elsewhere but what he sees as the situation in Franken with some brewers producing less than great beer on antiquated equipment with no one to carry on brewing when they become too old.
As Jason said in the second post of this thread:
"The Orca guy seems to know his stuff generally though."
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Nick Cowley on 2018-05-28 00:45:05 Whenever anyone starts waving statistics around like Harry Potter's wand, it's worth doing some quick mental arithmetic as their “argument” develops. So it is when one reads that “German brewers produce about 95,000,000 liters of beer”, which doesn't sit so well with a German population of eighty million or so. Sure enough, annual production is actually in the order of 95 million hectolitres a year – a hundred times greater.
As the closing line of Some Like It Hot points out, “Nobody's perfect!”
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-27 09:34:07 Some beer gardens are doing well but most of them in my opinion are not doing well financially or in terms of quality of the beer. But Franconians don’t really care about this-they still have this strong connection to the brewery. But we will see a change in the future for sure. More breweries will definitely be closing down, while some will do really well.
We’ll see more breweries doing more interesting things but also a lot of closings as well. Not necessarily because the beers are not selling but because of lack of investment. And there are also some cases of the health department going to breweries and saying, “This looks horrible. You have to close down.”
I don't see any evidence for either of these two quotes from the article. It is the switch to industrial brewing that caused breweries to close en masse. The article seems self-serving to me.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by TomM on 2018-05-27 14:51:17 I think there is a difference between general long term trends and what's happening in localised markets. This brewer, who is from Bayern and now living and brewing in Franken, has opinions on the reason for recent brewery closings in the area and predicts more in the near future. Hopefully he is not correct.
"I don't see any evidence for either of these two quotes from the article. It is the switch to industrial brewing that caused breweries to close en masse. The article seems self-serving to me."
I find this confusing. When you say "article" the first time do you mean the one on the history of brewing you have been quoting from, and for the second use of "article" to mean the interview with the brewer?
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Mike on 2018-05-27 23:39:46 "I think there is a difference between general long term trends and what's happening in localised markets. This brewer, who is from Bayern and now living and brewing in Franken, has opinions on the reason for recent brewery closings in the area and predicts more in the near future. Hopefully he is not correct."
I agree with your sentiment (he is not correct). I live and travel around Europe a lot. when I visit a foreign country, I don't look for products I could easily get at home - I look for local products. I will guess that you do the same or similar.
There have been for about 5-10 years attempts to bring American style beers to Germany. Some of those attempts are by Americans and some are by Germans.
On his website, the brewer lists his qualities as "traditional, creative" Well, it seems to me that you cannot be both traditional and creative. You can be one or the other.
Take a look here: https://mixology.eu/news/in-beer-there-is-freedom/?lang=en
Unless I am wrong, all the beer cartons in the photo are American and the caption is "in beer there is freedom." I think the caption would make a lot more sense if the photo included beer cartons from several different countries, not only one.
The article I was referring to was the interview with the brewer, who is listed on the mixology site as the PR manager.
I try to keep fairly current on the local beer scene in Franconia. One of my favourite pubs closed this year. It was not for any of the reasons listed by the German brewer. The number of breweries that have closed in Franconia over the last few years are extremely small in number. So small, that it would not constitute a trend.
It seems to me that most German brewers would know the beer history of their country - perhaps not in much detail, but at least the general trends. This brewer does not seem to know it, which is why I called the interview with him nonesense.
Here is another German brewer who previously made only American-style beers, but now seems to have included some German beers, including some rare ones, (although I haven't tasted any of those beers): https://www.hopfenhelden.de/ale-mania/
I would not say that Germans are particularly chauvinistic about their country, but most Germans grow up drinking their local beer and many of them would probably continue drinking it for much of their lives. With these isolated breweries trying to introduce Germans to American-style beers, I would imagine it is a pretty difficult task. I assume that is why the ale-mania brewer is now brewing German style beers in addition to the American.
Several years ago I got interested in communal breweries and have about 50 books downloaded from Google books about it. The oldest book I have is from 1722, however most are from the 19th century. All of them are in German. I haven't read all of them, but have looked through their index to see what subjects they cover. The Reinheitsgebot post is from one of them.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by TomM on 2018-06-01 15:55:03 >>>On his website, the brewer lists his qualities as "traditional, creative" Well, it seems to me that you cannot be both traditional and creative. You can be one or the other.
This may be the most silly statement I have ever seen regarding the subject of beer.
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-06-02 01:53:41 Felix vom Endt / Orca Brau offers traditional, franconian/German l beerstyles p.e. Kellerbier and a Maibock, collab brews with Sebastian Sauer, brewed at the Brauhaus Binkert in Breitengüßbach. He brews at the Orca Brau in Nuremberg tradional, international beer styles p.e. differnt versions of ipas.
But he also brews "creative" beers, p.e a "Juicy Grape Ale" saison mit sylvaner traubensaft, collab mit olingerwein 6,2%. This is a modern beerstyle from Italy.
http://www.gamberorosso.it/en/food-news/1024576-beer-stories-italian-grape-ale-a-unique-style-for-a-bel-paese-beer
Or "lotusland", a hibiscus ale mit sumach.
In the first 17 months he has brewed 42 different beers, a coloruful bouquet of beerstyles trditional as well as "creative".
German craft brewer's opinions on Franconian beer scene by jason on 2018-06-02 02:23:25 When he can brew a great beer and keep brewing that beer exactly the same for 20 years I would be impressed. This craze of brewing every style under the sun is becoming tiresome.
I did enjoy the pale ale and IPA at Binkert last week. Subtle and very German but somehow perfect on a hot day. Not overloaded with hops or alcohol. Worth a stop.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by barry on 2018-05-07 08:15:56 After a great three weeks in Franken (what else?), it was on to Prague. Sorry if this is a bit OT but contributions to the forum have been a bit sparse recently and the progression from Franken to Czechia seems to have become fairly regular for forumites recently, so please forgive this intrusion and move on if you're not interested in Czech beer!
I chose to forgo the pleasure of a coach trip from Nurnberg (the direct rail line was under repair) and went via Cheb - €14! Saturday, made first visit to U Tunelu, which I think is great (thanks for encouraging me, Jason). Very unspoiled, lovely Konrad beer, unhurried atmosphere, very friendly. In complete contrast, met Aaron and Liz, Don's friends, in Zly Casy. Lovely people and a nice night but it's not really my kind of place. Beer and service is ok but its a bit pricey and sort of trendy. Sunday was walkabout in Stromovska park: where I witnessed a bit of folk dancing (!). There is a pub/restaurant (Valcha) serving Urquell near the entrance. Called into Cafe Lajka, pleasant cafe/bar with a variety of beer. I had Pazdrat 11 from Pivovar Chric - quite nice. Later, met Aaron and Liz in Pivovarsky Klub; wide range of beer but just not my kind of place, too restrauranty!
The weekend weather was fabulous, so went for a walk around Vinohrady, then first visit to Napalme's new location. Initially looks a bit uninviting but is ok. Lots of new beers but stuck to excelent Uneticke 10 and 12. Then back to U Tunelu before finishing with a Matuska Apollo Galaxy at 5,3% in my 'home' bar - too citrusy and strong for me! Tuesday was culture day. Visited Museum of Technology (v. interesting, I want a 1931 Aero 10 hp sport!) before Pivonice Klasterni near Namesti Lasterni. Tried a Chotobr Svetly Lezak 11, which was fine, before moving onto Klaterni svelty 11, which was good. This comes from the Strahov Monastery brewery. Big tip: drink it in the pub at Kro 26/0,5l, rather than the brewery tap at Kro 76/0,4l! I love Pivonice Klasterni, my kind of place, bit like a Prague version of Neder!
More culture and walking on Wednesday, with a visit to Brevnovsky Klasterni Pivovarsky. It takes a bit of finding but its a lovely place; the beer is excellent and very reasonably priced. Later, an Urquell in the excellent Hrocha before back to Pivovar Klasterni. Final day, visited Pivovar Nalervarna: another lovely place, with really nice beers from Hostomice, including Fabian 10 and 12, which are excellent well-balanced beers at a very good price for the location. Then walked across Letna park to Hradcanska (hard slog up the steps), where Trutnova 12 was tried: quite nice but rather gassy, before moving on to Bubencsky. Beers still contract brewed, the Lezak 11, unfiltered was pretty bitter and interesting but wasn't keen on the 'Ale 11,5' - just a modern US-style, very citrussy. In the evening, a farewll visit to Napalme.
Sorry for the long splurge but I am really beginning to warm to Prague, now that I know my way about better.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Mosquit on 2018-05-07 11:41:24 Not sure which brewery are you talking about, when talking about "Klasterni", since that means that "Kloster" and there are many breweries with that name, naming beers according to it.
Anyway, if you ment Strahov Klasterni pivovar (Strahov Monastery brewery), then you definitively could NOT get it anywhere for 26,-/0,5
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by FredW on 2018-05-08 00:34:02 I'm following in Barry's footsteps this week. The beer he is talking about is from Pivovar Klášter. When I was there yesterday I took a picture of the taps
And my listing for the place is here.
If you do twitter, follow my twitter feed for updates for my visit to Prague and Berlin. I beleive you don't actually have to sign up to read them, only to reply.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Jason on 2018-05-08 02:19:13 If the Krakanos was fresh you defintely should have tried it Barry (was it because it was 11Kr more)? Klaster beers are meh (for me), but then in the Czech Republic they can turn the average into the sublime.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by barry on 2018-05-08 02:35:25 Yes, I got that completely wrong! The Klaster Lezak at Klasterni was from Pivovar Klášter,Klášter, Hradišt 283; nad Jizerou, , Czech Republic, 29415 (according to my quick googling). Sorry, chaps, if you want to sample the Strahov Beers, you've just got to pay the price (not me though, nuch prefer the Brezenovsky Klaster). But the Klaster beer was ok, if not the best in Prague, and I still loved the ambience of the place but, as Andy would say, I do like to get down and dirty.
Hope there's plenty of that this week!
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Jason on 2018-05-08 04:10:07 I'm not quite sure exactly what Andy means by 'down and dirty' but all of a sudden the coming weekend is looking a little different than i imagined.
Not for me though, Bathams Bitter is calling!!
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-08 06:50:30 Wait, will I not be able to get a nice murky New England IPA in Black Country?
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by barry on 2018-05-08 07:31:36 To clarify the Honourable Andrew's comments (before we meet at the weekend): during last year's visit to Czechia, we discovered that we had a slightly different taste in pubs/bars/Gestatte etc. Shall we say that, I quite like 'ordinary', no frills places, where food is not necessarily an option (apart from plain crisps and peanuts); as a lifetime observer of humanity in all its manifold forms, places that might be honoured with the epiphet that used to adorn a certain Sunday newspaper: All human life is there'!
Examples, for Franken, of course, Neder; for Prague, the newly discovered Pivo Klasterni; for the UK: The Bull and Bladder - you can rest easy Jason!
The description has nothing to do with the quality of the beer, which, of course, must be of the highest standard, such as found, mostly, in the above places. Rest easy, chaps!
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by barry on 2018-05-08 07:32:30 Er, yes, but I hope not in any place that we might go.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-08 07:55:39 No worries Barry. Tongue was firmly planted in cheek there.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Jason on 2018-05-08 09:11:05 My mind was on something slightly more sordid, especially as Andy was being quoted.
For me our digs (the lamp) is more of an example of neder than the bull and bladder from a customer point of view but happy to reflect on the comparisons.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by barry on 2018-05-08 12:37:55 Looking forward to visiting the Lamp for the first time. 'Down and dirty' might be interpreted as 'grotty' but I really just like pubs where the emphasis is on beer and person to person communication. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I would never to chose to go to a pub where I don't like the atmosphere but I might go to a pub where the beer was so-so but the atmosphere was great! The Bull and Bladder used to meet both criteria, I hope that it has not changed.
OT: End of Franken, on to Prague! by Andrew H on 2018-05-09 08:28:46 Moi! I am not the one talking of tongues in Cheek's. Or the strange uses that beer is put to in the CHANNEL isles.
Lovely Keller day in Hohenlohe by Jürgen Wening on 2018-05-07 04:07:51 Visited the terrific Hohenloher Freilandmuseum at Wackershofen near Schwäbisch Hall yesterday, which was their cheese market day. They've many different possibilities to purchase Faßbier and wine. We decided to stay at the Keller, formerly the Bierkeller of Weipertshofen village. Up there in the hills they serve fresh Haller Löwenbräu Kellerbier, which is quite good. Later we also found a small Wirtschaft that served bottled Gaildorfer Spezialbier and I really hated to be the driver once more... I really can recommend a visit but you'll need to spend a whole day there to see all of the museum.
http://www.wackershofen.de/
Lovely Keller day in Hohenlohe by barry on 2018-05-07 07:21:15 One fir the diary! Maybe I should schedule a visit to Hohenloher.
Spezial Keller opening times by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-05-05 09:54:56 The Spezial Keller has today publlished (Facebokk), that they will close on Sundays at 3 pm - for the time being
Reason: missing kitchen staff.
Spezial Keller opening times by Mark Andersen on 2018-05-05 11:49:26 This appears to be a chronic problem in Franconia. Is this a case of national labor laws making it too difficult to employ people the extra hours or lack of available workforce or pay is too low or all of the above. It seems very sad that these small business cannot be open on a Sunday which seems to be their busiest day in an all too short of a season.
Spezial Keller opening times by FredW on 2018-05-05 12:54:17 I'm surprised too that there aren't special provisions for seasonal workers. One of my clients has a farming operation and (at least in California) there is a whole different set of labor rules that apply. Mark, you must have similar issues on the Cape -- I spent Thanksgiving in Orleans once and boy was it dead (this was mid 80's)
Spezial Keller opening times by Mosquit on 2018-05-05 14:56:40 Also Roppelt Keller (Stieberlimbach) is now closed on Sundays, they have reduced opening times.
Spezial Keller opening times by johnratcliffe on 2018-05-06 01:14:56 Was going to set off for Stiebarlimbach in a couple of hours. Will change plans now, thanks
Spezial Keller opening times by Jason on 2018-05-06 03:36:34 I don't understand why they don't just shut the kitchen after lunch if the reason really is kitchen staff. Not everyone has to eat every time they go out for a beer. Or revive an almost lost tradition of allowing people to bring their own food.
Clearly they earn so much money on the other days that they don't need to worry about it.
Spezial Keller opening times by Andrew H on 2018-05-06 05:47:23 Totally agree Jason. I am presuming that an increased wage rate on Sundays may also figure.
Spezial Keller opening times by Jason on 2018-05-07 00:11:41 I mean, I'm getting a bit cynical I admit, but my recent experiences at the Keller have not been great; poor quality beer (it has improved), surly customer service and a general feeling that I have no recourse given the floods of people descending on spring/summer evenings.
However, I understand that they have to pay rent (they don't own the keller itself) and that food contributes a lot to the business etc. But they have to hold some responsibility for keeping tradition alive - a Sunday visit to the keller is almost a way of summer life here. I'm sure they could offset any small losses across the rest of the week I guess without all the facts I shouldn't be too critical. But they also close all day on Monday and take all manner of private holidays throughout the year so I'm struggling to reconcile their apparent sadness (having read their 'press release') at having to close Sunday afternooons with these other elements.
On a brighter note, I enjoyed a couple of very enjoyable beers at the Mühlenbräu Keller yesterday. Excellent beer and a lovely keller. Thoroughly recommended.
Spezial Keller opening times by barry on 2018-05-07 07:28:01 I made one visit to Spezi keller during my visit, with Don, Cherie and Johnny. It was late afternoon, after sampling a couple of Zwickel beers in Greifenklau. We sat in the 'serviced' area because it was nice sunny spot. But the service was atrocious, we virtually had to beg for the bill. Beer was ok-ish but not a patch on the real Spezi stuff. There were no crowds descending on the Keller, in fact, it was nearly deserted.
Ok, the view is great but there are loads of better kellers, including one of my favourites, Hirschaada.
Ot: hi Fred by Barry on 2018-05-01 09:24:43 Hi Fred meandering around Prague, couple of questions to ask you - are you on What's app?
Ot: hi Fred by FredW on 2018-05-01 09:29:56 No, Facebook and Twitter (and email) are the limits of my socialability...
Ot: hi Fred by Barry on 2018-05-01 09:48:13 Ok email will do, be in touch.
Next Weekend by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-04-28 06:11:26 Will be in Bamberg next weekend, Friday to Monday with a small group from Brockley brewery. One or two first timers so we wont be doing anything to radical. If Jason or anyone else is around, would be good to catch up with a few beers.
Next Weekend by Barry on 2018-04-28 13:45:21 We miss each other again, as usual!
Next Weekend by JohnRatcliffe on 2018-04-29 04:22:55 One day, Barry Im sure well raise a glass together in Bamberg!
Might well have a look up in Memmelsdorf, thanks Gerhard. Will probably pop into Abseits at some stage of the weekend as well
Next Weekend by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-29 03:25:55 On Saturday (May 5) and if the weather is good, I recommend the Bierkulturfest in Memmelsdorf
https://www.facebook.com/events/165381607521192/
26 beers from 7 breweries, beer is available in 0.5 and 0.2 l
also with some food stalls.
Memmelsdorf has 2 breweries, which partizipate.
A video about this festival last year;
https://vimeo.com/216681902?ref=fb-share&1
Next Weekend by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-29 03:56:22 Yes I recommend Bierkulturfest as well. That was a good time last year.
Next Weekend ( Bierkulturfest in Memmelsdorf ) by B on 2018-05-06 09:04:57 Did anyone attend?
And if so, how was it?
Next Weekend ( Bierkulturfest in Memmelsdorf ) by Jason on 2018-05-07 02:42:42 I had other things on this past weekend but if you like beer and sunshine I can't imagine you would have left disappointed.
Schmankerlmarkt, Nuernberg 2018 by moleha4 on 2018-04-26 06:00:31 Info regarding this year's Schmankerlmarkt now on-line.
Place : Hauptmarkt, NÜERNBERG.
Date : Sunday 27 May (10,00-18,00).
Currently 46 stalls listed of which 10 are local brewers as follows : Wiethaler, Altenberger Brauhaus, Zwanzger, Gundel, Schober, Windsheimer, Kanone, Eppelein & Friends, Dreykorn,
Ammerndorfer. Other stalls include Bakers, Butchers etc so no need to drink on an empty stomach...
Schmankerlmarkt, Nuernberg 2018 by Jürgen Wening on 2018-04-27 02:59:56 Wow - very very nice lineup!
Hope Zwanzger has finally gotten rid of those diacetyl loaded beers. Friends told me, the beers are as good as they were before they brought the mistake in.
Still in Franken by Barry on 2018-04-24 07:41:18 Not been such a good correspondent on this visit but mainly I've been doing the same as on previous trips, so you've heard it all before - endlessly!
Visited all the places as before but one new one was Huebner in Stettfeld, courtesy of a nice little ttrip with Juergen, which iincluded Sonne at Muersbach and the Metzgerei brewery at Uetzing, where we ffinally met up with the Scheidts and their friend Johnny. Lovely beer all round and a very pleasant day in excellent company. Thank you to my two chauffeurs!
I'd forgotten that yesterday was Tag des Bieres in Bamberg but was reminded by Frank and Jason. Of course, it was a great day - i drank Herrenpils all afternoon before we all (too numerous to name) decamped to Spezial before making the long trip to the Western Bar aka Faessla cubby hole. Don't remember a whole lot about the evening other than watching an entertaining game of Scharpkopf and Jason sitting sort of indoors with an umbrella while it bucketed down! I hadn't realised that this part of ththe pub was outdoors.
Oh well, only a few more days, then it's off to Prague.
Still in Franken by Jürgen Wening on 2018-04-25 02:05:59 Hübner in Steinfeld. ;-)
Meant Greif forcheim by Andrew H on 2018-04-16 21:22:26 Oops! Typo.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Andrew H on 2018-04-16 15:32:22 Just a thought, perhaps it would be good to mention that Greiss in Forcheim has a Gaststatte behind the brauerei which is open fairly reasonable hours and accessible by city bus lines.
And to clear up if possible whether Barnikel at Hernsdorf are truly still brewing on site, or having the beer brewed elsewhere. A recent conversation with Jason and Barry suggested that the beer is contract brewed,but their website seems to state that the beer is brewed onsite?
opinions please.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-16 23:10:22 update and discrepancies needed poss? by Andrew H on 2018-04-17 00:51:51 Yes, thats pretty much what Jason and Barry said. I assume advertising laws are less restrictive in Germany,as the Barnikel website seems to strongly suggest they brew thier own beer.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-17 02:54:13 The romantic story is that they brew themselves their beers in the brewery in Aufsess (gipsy brewing).
You are right. In Germany beer bottles labels must not declare the place where the beer was brewed. Necessary is only the name of the enterprise which put the beer into circulation.
To use the name brewery pub or brewery for a location of an enterprise which don't brew is borderline. Maybe it's a case of illegal unfair competition. But You need a competitor who complains.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Barry on 2018-04-17 09:30:22 Strange that there is no no EU legislation on this matter. But copyright etc is just a total mess.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Carl on 2018-04-17 22:38:12 Our USA group stopped at Barnikel a couple days ago, but failed to ask specifically if they made their own.
The place needs some updating, probably not doing too well.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by jason on 2018-04-17 23:22:23 They definitely do not brew any more and haven't since 2013 or so. Even when it brewed the beer was very inconsistent (at least the couple of times i visited before 2013). But it's a famous pub in the area so i don't think there's any danger.
These gypsy breweries are getting more common and without proper regulation it will encourage even more. I'm not sure how many brands Brauerei Reckendorf brew but I recently learned Brauerei Fischer in Greuth no longer brews and their beers are brewed elsewhere.
Personally I would 'ban' it as it's an easy solution for a brewery that doesn't have the motivation to brew any more. Normal people don't ask or really care where the beer is brewed (or even who brews it). Beer is beer in Franconia.
Unfortunately that complacency will be a cause of it's long term demise.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Barry on 2018-04-18 00:49:27 Happens all the time in the UK. Classic case is Courage. I've lost track of ownership - at least 3 changes - and brewery moves. Now brewed in Bedford! Tetley's in Wolverhampton, etc.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-18 04:00:48 Oddly enough and thankfully the practice has become less common in the US. Not sure why this is other than the explosion in actually breweries has made it very hard for gypsy breweries to compete. A brewery can compete because in many states here (like Massachusetts) a real brewery can get a license to open it's own taproom and sell it's beer directly to the consumers (i.e much better profit margin) whereas the gypsy brewers have to compete for increasingly crowded space on the shelf of a store or a tap at a bar they don't own. The last gypsy brewery near me on Cape Cod (Naukabout brewery) finally opened it's own brewery and taproom a few weeks ago and gladly for me very close to my house. I literally can kayak across a lake to get there which I have every intention of doing this summer (and yes I will drink moderately and wear a life vest - for those of you shaking your heads right now).
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Jason on 2018-04-18 06:18:33 I was more concerned about the kayak Mark!!!
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Andrew H on 2018-04-19 02:03:22 Whale ahoy! Capn Ahab.
update and discrepancies needed poss? by Barry on 2018-04-19 02:37:41 Very apt so near to Nantucket!
Trip report Franken April by Sol on 2018-04-14 17:05:45 Thank you to all at the forum for tips. We were a gang of Norwegians who traveled to Bamberg. We came Thursday last week to Bamberg from Nuremberg. We came by plane via Amsterdam. Here is our report.
Day one: First we checked in at the fantastic brewery Fassla. The environment here is amazing. The rooms are simple, but just what we need. The beer was good after a long journey from the north. The reception was efficient and solid.
We went then over to Spezial for lunch. The beer and food here exceeded everything. Both Marzen and U were among several in the group mentioned as the best beer they had ever tasted of beer. Afterwards we went to Wunderburg, both Mahrs and Keesman's beers fall in taste, especially the Bock at Keesman. Wunderburg is a residential area. We all want to buy us a flat there. Lucky residents who live here.
Then we went to the city centre. Bamberg is a city totally different from the cities we are familiar with. When we came to the Town hall ee all starting gasping. We know understand its a Unesco site. When we came to Schenkerla we werw a extremely happy and grateful bunch of of those beer tourists many people despise, but we were welcomed at this beer cathedral and shown a big table. After all the previous beers many if us remembered the german we learned we went to school, so I think that helped us when we got service. Both food/beer and ambience were fantastic. We had a excellent evening before we stumbled back to Fassla.
Day 2: We divided us this Friday morning. Some of started with coffee and sightseeing in Bamberg.
One group went to Andreas Ganstaller in Schnaid. They met both extremely hospitality and interesting insights in the art of brewing from Andy. What a guy and his beers were described as incredible!
We all gathered later at Brauerei Zehender for lunch after recommendation from Jason at this forum. The Lager Bier from wooden barrel was like heaven. Suddenly the sun came and we could sit outside in the patio. Once a again we were feeling blessed. Finally we returned to Bamberg. We visited Greifenklau and Spezial Kellers. Both were a overwhelming experience with good views and beers in nice weather. At the end we finished the evening with burgers at Zapfhenhahn and boozing in Sandstrasse.
Day 3: We checked out and took the train to Forchheim. We went to the Kellers here just to realize that almost all still were closed. That was a mistake, but we tried two of the kellers in the kellerwald and had fun. Afterward we headed for Nürnberg for some sightseeing, Beautiful and very interesting city. We finished the last day at hütt’n. The service and food were extremely good.
Thanks Franken and we will come back!
Trip report Franken April by John Conen on 2018-04-15 05:13:24 Great to see the positives and enthusiasm after all the negatives and cynicism all too often seen on these pages.
Trip report Franken April by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-15 07:57:03 Yeah this trip report is a nice reminder of how lucky we are to be able to visit that beautiful city and Franconia overall
Trip report Franken April by johnratcliffe on 2018-04-15 09:10:53 Great report, glad you enjoyed it. As a Norwegian, I bet you found the beer nicely prived in Franconia!
Trip report Franken April by Sol on 2018-04-15 09:38:36 Beer prices are terrible high in Norway. Franconia had good prices on high quality beer. Glad you like the report.
Trip report Franken April by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-04-15 14:13:52 Nice to read your report. It sounds like you enjoyed Mahrs, which is nice to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Weber Röbersdorf by pivnizub on 2018-04-13 10:07:17 Sad news: The www.german-breweries.com website reports, that after the death of the owner Friedrich Weber last year brewing on the premises ceased. Does anybody know any further details?
Weber Röbersdorf by TomM on 2018-04-13 11:10:21 I don't know about the Weber situation, but I am glad to see german-breweries.com back up and running. There had been no updates there in something like a year and a half.
Weber Röbersdorf by pivnizub on 2018-04-13 11:23:39 I totally agree. After a break of nearly 18 months Steve Thomas is "on air" again!
Weber Röbersdorf by Carl Eidbo on 2018-04-16 00:11:34 I can report that Weber is open.
Visited yesterday with a group from USA; very good beer, VERY nice place.
Stephan gave us a nice tour of the place. He said he saw us from his bike earlier in the day in Bamberg. We rememered him as the rider who had some unintelligible words for some Americans walking in the bike zone!
Someone said they had hired a new brewer, who would be starting in some time in the near future.
I'm afraid after four days of Scientific Brewery Research, my details are fuzzy!
Plus, their English and my German aren't great.
Also visited Hennemann, Barnikel, Kraus, and Sauer on that journey.
Had a nice visit with Jason at Spezial, too!
Brauerei Stöckel, Hintergereuth by Jürgen Wening on 2018-04-13 01:36:57 Visited yesterday and it was a really nice warm evening with really nice beer and local company: Pils and Lager as it would have tasted in the seventies, I guess, and a darkish Landbier.
Jason at Doerfleins by Barry on 2018-04-11 07:01:35 Lovely relaxed meeting with Jason in Eichorn last night, where he demonstrated his knowledge of Schafkopf (impressive) and became an object of some fascination to a group of local ladies of a certain age (but nearer mine than his!), with whom we shared a table! Oh yes, and the beer was pretty good - excellent Keller and a very pleasant Dunkel. Nice evening, I can report that walking from Hallstadt bhf to Eichorn took me 25 minutes.
New Hotel in Bamberg - 2020 by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-11 03:58:09 South-East of the Bamberg railway station - directly adjacent- is a largely empty shopping mall (Atrium).
Until 2020 a part of this mall should be rebuild in a hotel with 150 rooms and a boarding house with 50 aparments.
Source (in German):
https://www.infranken.de/regional/bamberg/hoffnung-fuer-ein-geisterkaufhaus-atrium-in-bamberg-soll-wiederbelebt-werden;art212,3314860
New Hotel in Bamberg - 2020 by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-04-12 23:57:00 The Atrium went out of business? I guess it has been some years since I was in there.
New Hotel in Bamberg - 2020 by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-13 01:46:13 Yes. The last big shiop Wöhrl has moved to the Maxplatz before 5 years.
The new plan is to have new shops and restaurants at the ground floor and a hotel about that. The cinema and the parking house should stay.
New Hotel in Bamberg - 2020 by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-04-14 00:38:36 The Supermarket in the Atrium was where I bought some bottles of Absinthe years ago. I remember the name of the store.
New Hotel in Bamberg - 2020 by Barry on 2018-04-13 01:57:35 Years ago! Talking to Jason last night who didn't remember it!
Btw, Neder as good as ever. Usual crew of strange customers but they were joined by a party (10?) of respectable looking ladies and gents who brought in baskets of grub and settled down to a feast! Never seen anything like it.
Fassbier excellent (as always) and several bottles of lovely Schwarzer Anna, in memory of Jacqueline - it was her favourite
In Ebensfeld by Barry on 2018-04-10 00:36:46 Arrived last night, after a longish and rather tiring journey but managed a Dunkel and a Landbier (with a bottle of Pilsner mitnehmen). All excellent! Such a quiet place, no one around after early evening!
In Ebensfeld by Gunnar H on 2018-04-10 01:50:12 How did you travel? By Eurostar and DB?
In Ebensfeld by Barry on 2018-04-20 03:00:51 Sorry, didn't notice this before Gunnar. No, flew Manchester to Nurnburg, then dB/Re to Ebensfeld. Leaving by train to Prague (via Cheb because no through trains during this period and want to avoid coach). Then flying back Prague to Liverpool.
One month 9-uhr mobicard now over 100 euro but I'll still get my money's worth!
In Ebensfeld by Gunnar H on 2018-04-20 03:16:21 Via Cheb is always the smart route. Your Mobicard should take you part of the way, for others, this (edited) quote from seat61.com may be useful:
Go the the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz, change the Czech flag to the UK flag for English at top right, enter Bamberg to Prague and - this is the important bit - click More options then Travel via and enter Cheb in the via box.
In the search results, you should see journeys taking around 6 hours with lower fares than those offered by bahn.de. They all involve taking a German train from Bamberg to Nuremberg, a fast regional train to Cheb, then a swish air-conditioned Czech regional express to Prague Hlavni.
You print your own ticket. Simples! And so much nicer than enduring a bus. Booking opens 90 days ahead.
Cheers
Gunnar
In Ebensfeld by Barry on 2018-04-21 02:16:55 Already booked and ticket printed, cost me all of £12! Seat 61 is great. What's more, as an over 70, local travel is free. Good to get something for our aged bones!
OT: Prague and Berlin by FredW on 2018-04-06 16:07:49 I'll be headed to both next month: Prague May 7-14 & May 19 & 20 with Berlin in between (it was way cheaper to fly home from Prague so I had to go back)
If I should cross paths with anybody, lets have a beer or three (or six)
OT: Prague and Berlin by Barry on 2018-04-07 02:08:20 Sorry Fred, just miss you in Prague by a couple of days! Have fun!
OT: Prague and Berlin by Joe S. on 2018-05-07 13:54:26 Hi Fred! Looking forward to seeing you in Berlin.
OT: Prague and Berlin by FredW on 2018-05-08 00:35:29 Looking forward to it. May 16 at Foesters, right?
Fraenkisches Bierfest, Nuernberg / (new brewery?) by moleha4 on 2018-04-05 05:46:44 Have just checked the website for this annual Bier Festival (30 May-03 June). 2018 Line up of local brewers very similar to previous years, and international guest brewery represented is Belhaven from Scotland - part of Greene King IIRC. I don't see Scotland being overun with Franconian visitors as a result.
I also found (to me) a new brewery Waldschatz, based at Hausen bei Wuerzburg, who appear to be related to Ines' Beerstore. From much of their website I was expecting a "craft" operation, which may in time be the case, although their one bottled beer currently shown in photos is their Helles. Photos certainly give the impression that they have their own brewing kit on site.
Fraenkisches Bierfest, Nuernberg / (new brewery?) by Jason on 2018-04-05 06:05:19 That's indeed a new one. I will be in the Wuerzburg are in a couple of weeks and will check out the shop. Your assumptions are the same as mine from reading the website.
I agree re Belhaven but you may also know that Franconians (and Germans) have a strong love of Scotland and Ireland and actually I imagine this is why they are serving Scottish 'beer'. Of course it's a very average product so I won't be bothering. If it was handpulled I might be tempted but that's not going to happen.
Definitely a chance to drink Meister while it's tap remains closed #geheimtipp
Helga Spotted by Jason on 2018-04-05 05:28:08 On Tuesday I spotted Helga daintily pouring beers in Spezial - she's back!
On the same night I managed to lock myself out of my apartment, went back to see if I'd left my keys in Spezial (shut, 11.03pm), asked Helga (standing outside) for help which she flatly refused and had to call Florian Merz to get Julia Merz's number to cycle back and let me in. I'm in the dog house with her as she had to get up at 5am. But then they shut too early, so my sympathy is limited.
My keys weren't there so I ended up staying the night in Spezi. I'd only drunk 2 beers. Cost me €20 (Frau Merz certainly had sympathy). Sure, Helga didn't have a key but she couldn't give a s***.
She's back.
Helga Spotted by barry on 2018-04-05 06:16:50 So, why do they emply here, I wonder? Surely other people must have similar problems and there must be other people looking for jobs, even in Bamberg.
Helga Spotted by Jason on 2018-04-05 06:40:02 Well there is nothing in my message that suggested she wasn't good at her job (that's another opinion). She probably couldn't do much but it's not like i'm a stranger, she could have at least called Julia.
I have started to be a lot more critical with my tip giving. Good service, good tip etc. Ironically I like the servers in Schlenkerla the best (front room).
Helga Spotted by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-05 07:12:31 Oh come on Jason!!. We're not this naive, Admit it, you locked yourself out intentionally in hopes that Helga would invite you back to her place. Sorry it didn't work out as you hoped.
Helga Spotted by Jeff on 2018-04-05 07:48:26 Now that's some funny sh*t right there! I hope to spot Helga next week when I am in town to truely understand how funny this post actually is.
Helga Spotted by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-05 08:43:51 You'll have no trouble spotting her. That much I can assure you.
Helga Spotted by Andrew H on 2018-04-05 11:39:51 Nail on head Mark. "Please Helgy baby I have no where to lay my head, except your ample bosom"
Helga Spotted by Andrew H on 2018-04-05 12:05:32 All joshing aside hope you found your keys ok Jason?
Helga Spotted by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-04-06 19:25:04 When Helga is on Spezial property, she is all business.
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Jason on 2018-04-01 06:46:33 During an impromptu ‘lock in’ at Spezial on Friday I heard that Brauerei winkler in merkendorf is brewing again, or at least will be in a few weeks. The details are hazy, on account of said lock in, but it is being reopened as a not for profit enterprise. I am not sure if the brewery tap will reopen or not. The recipe is new so anyone familiar can breath a sigh of relief.
If this happens it will be a Phoenix from the ashes; and not something I expected. Not many, if any, breweries I know have closed and reopened excepting Martin in unterneuses and Hausen.
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-01 07:02:15 Interesting Hopefully the Tap reopens. It will be nice to have that back on the hiking route.
Oh and very nice job not misspelling anything in this post. I can see from recent posts that this has become a HUGE pet peeve of Fred’s. Well except when Gerhard does it of course
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Andrew H on 2018-04-01 07:34:02 wel sed marrk!
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by barry on 2018-04-01 07:46:03 It would be great to have them back on the scene, specially the tap. Arrived there once to find them 'am Urlaub' but at least got to see the outside of this 'spectular' Gestatte. I thought that it was operating as some kind of hostel?
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-01 08:07:47 Your killing me!
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-01 08:13:11 Sorry. It’s “you’re”. not your. Just wanted to sort that out before Fred arrives.
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by M.Colonna on 2018-04-01 17:31:47 I've been in Winkler last week. Yes, they are brewing again, just one beer and the first batch will be ready in June. The brewer is Christian Grasser, brother of the Huppendorfer brewer. The old taproom will be probably shot down, but they are working to rebuild an old room as a new taproom next to the brewery. I was impressed by them, it seems to be a great project. The name of the brewery should be simply Brauerei Melkendorf.
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Barry on 2018-04-02 01:50:19 Well done everyone!
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by Jason on 2018-04-02 05:49:20 That’s right - I got the information from the daughter of Grasser in Spezial (she’s dating Florian merz) and this other guy who was at the brewery when you were - he mentioned a group of Italians - i guesses it would be you.
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by pivnizub on 2018-04-02 13:01:25 Let's hope that the quality of the "new" beer will be better. Winkler was not a very attractive place, neither the beer nor the ugly - concrete dominated - taproom were really worth a visit...
Winkler, Melkendorf - brewing again by M.Colonna on 2018-04-02 16:39:43 I agree Pivnizpub...my last visit there was 3 years ago, the mood was glum, beer was literally undrinkable, but the new guys are full of passion and knowledge, i'm sure to find a very good beer there in my next visit
Bock Bier by Euromannn on 2018-03-31 07:12:52 Bock Bier
Confused by the overlapping usage of the term Bock beer. Urbock, Dopplebock, Maibock, Hellesbock, Hellerbock, Weizenbock.
There are so many beers looped into the category of Bock it's difficult to know what style of bock your really drinking.
1. Maibock (may bock)- spring beer 6-7% ABV
(Helles Bock and Heller bock - maibock beers)
Ayinger Maibock, Mahr’s Bock, Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock, Capital Maibock, Einbecker Mai-Urbock, Hofbräu Maibock, Victory St. Boisterous, Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock, Smuttynose Maibock, Old Dominion Brewing Company Big Thaw Bock, [Brewery 85's Quittin' Time], Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Franconia Brewing Company Maibock Ale, Church Street maibock, and Tröegs Cultivator.
2. Urbock(original bock) - Schlenkerla rauch urbock beer in October 6.5%. Schlenkerla Oak Smoke is a Christmas bock beer 8.0%.
3. Dopplebock - year round beer 6-7%
Predator, Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel, Spaten Optimator, Augustiner Maximator, Tucher Bajuvator, Weltenburger Kloster Asam-Bock, Capital Autumnal Fire, EKU 28, Eggenberg Urbock 23º.
4. Eisbock - 9-14%
Kulmbacher Reichelbräu Eisbock, Eggenberg, Schneider Aventinus Eisbock, Urbock Dunkel Eisbock(Combo style term), Franconia Brewing Company Ice Bock 17%.
The strongest ice-beer is produced by a Franconian company and is called Schorschbräu and is 57% ABV, a former world record for beer ABV.
5. Dunklebock and Weizenbock(Munich Region)
Starkbierfest is a dopplebock festival in March.
Dopple Bock beer from Schneider Weisse
Schneider Weisse - TAP6 Aventinus - 8,2% ABV
Schneider Weisse - TAP5 Mein Hopfenweisse - 8,2% ABV
Weihenstephaner - Vitus Wheatbuck - 7,7% ABV
Bocks are also brewed in Poland, where they are known as "Koźlak" and available during the whole year. Notable examples include Koźlak Amber, Miłosław Koźlak, Cornelius Kożlak, Perła Kożlak.
Czech Republic
Once a year Budweiser Budvar brew the 7.5% Imperial with Saaz wet/green hops fresh from the farm and matured for 200 days for release in late spring.
Bamberg tends to brew a special BOCK from October to December. Schlenkerla Oak Smoke is a Christmas beer 8.0%.
Bock Bier by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-03-31 08:25:32 Bocks and Doppelbocks are different, but it is not the alcohol content, it is the Stammwürzegehalt wort):
- Bocks have more than 16° Plato
- Doppelbocks havwe more than 18° Plato.
Weizenbocks and Weizendoppelbocks are strong wheatbeers. Bocks and Doppelbocks are strong lager.
Foreigners believe, that spring bocks are pale and automn bocks are dark. But the most automn bocks are also pale.
If a bock will be dark or pale depends on the brewery. In many cases Bocks are only strong versions of their normal beer. If their normal beer is pale, they brew a pale bock. They like to use the same ingredients.
Few breweries offer their Maibock only in the month May, starting the 1st May (p.e. Mönchsambacher). Bigger breweries who sell their beers in markets, like to offer their Maibocks earlier. They wish to sell their Maihocks out before the hot months.
Urbock is only a brand, marketing name. Ursprünglich = Originally, in an old style.. You can also find an Ur-Lager and a Ur-Märzen (Brewery Knoblach in Schammelsdorf) or an Urstoff (Brewery Sauer in Rossdorf).
Eisbocks are Bocks without extracted water.
Traditionally bocks are seasonal brewed beers for the time before christams and the lent time in spring. But some breweries, have seen that there is a demand during the whole year (especially in foreign countries) and so they have decided to offer their bocks all year.
The ending -ator for Doppelbocks was introduced because the brewerey Paulaner has proteced the name Salvator for her Doppelbock. So other breweries has used the ruse to substitue the first part of the word (Salv-) in combination with the ending -avator. An example. Bambergator (from the brewery Fässla).
Bock Bier by Euromannn on 2018-03-31 08:38:44 Gerhard
Your comments clarify some but add more mystery.
"Bocks have more than 16° Plato
Doppelbocks have more than 18° Plato."
Do you mean bock beeers are greater than 16° Plato but less than 18° Plato?
Could you identify a few "bock" beers with greater than 16° Plato but not in dopplebock category?
I don't think I've ever hd a real bock beer by your definition just variuos maibock, dopplebock, dunkelbock, and weizenbock beer.
Bock Bier by Gerhard Schoolmann on 2018-04-01 07:46:35 Yes,
Bocks have more than 16% original wort and until 18% original wort.
Doppelbocks have more than 18% original wort.
All together are called Starkbiere (stong beers).
Colloquial and legal You can use the word Bock for Bock beers and Doppelbock beers.
You talk about the Bockbieranstich of the Fässla Bambergator. Nobody talk about a Doppelbockbieranstich. And if You order a bock you will get the Doppelbock Bambergator.
An example of an incoherent use of these names is the Huppendorfer-Josefibock. It's a Doppelbock, but labeled Bock. But It is legal to sell a Doppelbock under the name Bock.
One problem is that no law exists to publish the original wort on the label. This information is not a required entry. Some breweries hesitate to publish the original wort because some silly customers confused with the alcohol content. And they don't want to cram their labels with not required entries.
Under the stroke it is a lifted discussion.
Bock Bier by Euromannn on 2018-03-31 17:49:22 Gerhard,
" Bocks have more than 16° Plato
- Doppelbocks havwe more than 18° Plato."
Plato is just an alternative method to calculate alcohol percentage. Brewers prefer Plato but the packaing shows ABV.
Czech beer Plato 10°= 3.97%; Plato 12°= 5.07%
Plato of 16° is 7.3% ABV
Plato of 18° is 8.45% ABV
Spaten Optimator which is 7.5% ABV = Plato of 16.34°.
Spaten Optimator is a Doppleboch beer and has a Plato grater than 16°.
So defintion of boch beer still seems confusing.
Bock Bier by Euromann on 2018-03-31 18:57:50 Correction:
Spaten Optimator is ABV=7.60 which is Plato 16.51.
Optimator is a Doppleboch greater than Plato 16 but is "supposedly" not a boch beer.
Bock Bier by FredW on 2018-03-31 19:07:16 Gil,
Plato does not directly correspond to alcohol percentages. Plato (== Brix == Balling up to 5 or 6 decimal places) is just a measure of sugars in the initial wort. Most of those sugars will be converted to alcohol but not all -- depends on the yeast used and the specific sugars in the wort and stronger wort usually doesn't ferment as completely as a weaker wort (so the scale is not linear)
Historically, this was often used in taxation as calculating the alcohol percent is tricky and not really possible in the good old days. But weigh a volume of water, then the same volumn of wort and you have the Plato.
Spaten says that Optimator is 18.2º Plato so it is in the Doppelbock range.
Bock Bier by Euromann on 2018-03-31 21:24:28 Plato is not a linear conversion but there is a calculator to convert Plato to ABV.
Point I'm trying to make that Gerhard's forecast that Plato 16 is a bock doesn't match up with ABV level as those beers are dopplebach.
Spaten Optimator is one example that is Plato 16.51 but falls in doppleboch category.
Bock Bier by FredW on 2018-03-31 21:54:16 You cannot convert Plato to ABV -- they are measuring different things. How many feet are there in an hour? (It's like making the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs)
Those calculators are doing an approximation -- that a wort of xxº Plato will typically have y.y% abv. Those formulas are less accurate for higher gravity worts.
Spaten Optimator is not 16.5º Plato, it is 18.2º (or at least that is what it was years ago when I was brewing)
And Gil, I know this pissed you off but watch your spelling -- you've spelled "bock" at least three different ways...
Bock Bier by Euromann on 2018-03-31 23:32:23 Calculators may be an approximation but then the mathematical formula you're using RE not shown to determine your ability to calculate witha ccuracy. Clearly other web sites believe their calculators are accurate just as you believe you mathetical formula calculations were accurate.
Gerhard has made a statement that bock beers are greater than 16º.
Then Gerhard states that dopplebock is greater than 18º
However, you don't care to address the ambiguity is his comment. Based on that comment a bock beer can be both conditions:
Greater than 16º AND greater than 18º
Obviosuly it's an inconsitency that I was asking Gerhard to confirm versus having a new issue complaining about spelling. Never do you complain abotu Gerhard's spelling.......jsut saying!
So instead of Gerhard getting a chance to resolve his comment your now criticizing a calculator you haven't evaluated.
If bock beer > 16º and a dopplebock is greater than 18º based on Gerhard's comment then it's possible a bock beer can be greater than 18º becausse Gerhard did not define when a bock is not a dopplebock.
Goal should be to list offical Bock beers. If you believe all the information is inaccurate on the internet then it's hard to qualify any formulas or calculators.
With so much inconsitency on the internet and within the blogs including the Franconian Beer Guide, I would think you should show more patience to identify offical beers verus negating a calulator that you do not have specifications to know the approximation offsets.
So, which beers are officlaly bock beers and what justification or metric do you use to
confirm this?
Bock Bier by Andrew H on 2018-04-01 01:26:33 Gerhard is German.English is not his first language.
Bock Bier by Jason on 2018-04-01 02:59:07 Official bock beers? If it says it’s a Bockbier it’s a Bockbier. Because that’s what the brewer wanted to brew.
This post started out a little odd and has become absurd. I suggest you drink a few bock beers and think about something more meaningful. And a tip on social convention; if you want help from people giving up their free time to answer your (often ignorant) questions then perhaps be a little more gracious.
Dear oh dear.
Bock Bier by euromannn on 2018-05-17 15:26:02 I go out of my to ignore your abussive comments so please try to few post to becoem more knowledgable in Francomian beer. Nice you single me out for a rude comment.
Gerhard was very generous to offer his knowledge and I appreciate thsi very much. Bock beer means more to him in terms of many categories than you can appreciate.
Sad ---- you feel so superior to degarde others just on a simple beer topic.
Hope you and Helga marry since your made for each other eternally.
Bock Bier by Jason on 2018-05-18 04:14:24 I must say this post made me laugh. What's abussive? Actually I have no idea what your first sentance means in English. The way you write to people is rude sometimes, I'm sorry but it is, and clearly I wasn't the only one who thought so. I'm not saying you intend it, just like you don't intend to litter your posts with literary errors, but it doesn't come across very well.
This forum isn't for slagging each other so I suggest we leave it there and go drink a beer.
PS your last sentance was a classic. I don't have words to do it justice. Comedy gold.
Bock Bier by Uncle Jimbo on 2018-04-01 16:36:00 Doppelbocks are in general of higher ABV than the average Bock, but I am sure there are exceptions. Dopplebocks are very often a bit more sweet than Bocks (this would be consistent with the higher Plato, which corresponds to O.G., though not necessarily to F.G.). I am not sure of the "official" or "legal" definitions other than what Gerhard and Fred have offered.
Just my opinion.
Bock Bier by Jürgen Wening on 2018-04-05 05:44:15 Can't stop smiling about the whole thread. Euromann, I'd love to have a Seidla or three with you, just to check out, if you're a kind of Sheldon or something. Honestly. Some things are not defineable by a mere numbers.
missing in lichtenfels by Andrew H on 2018-03-31 04:50:33 Whilst conversing with the venerable Barry recently he mentioned that the brewery guesthouse in Lichtenfels seems to be rarely visited by board memmbers. (Brauerei Wichert and not the home brew shed).
I looked it up in the breweries section on this site and its not mentioned, so perhaps you could put it on the database Fred? It is at Alte Reichstrasse 50 Lichtenfels.
missing in lichtenfels by TreinJan on 2018-03-31 05:13:06 Wichert is in Oberwallenstadt (or Lichtenfels-Oberwallenstadt).
missing in lichtenfels by FredW on 2018-03-31 08:07:14 That is a question that comes up from time to time -- what "Place" name to use, it's "traditional name" or its current political juristiction.
Bad Staffelstein is a good example. Within the municipal limits are such familiar names as Vierzehnheiligen, Uetzing, Stublang, Frauendorf, etc. So some people say there are 8 or so breweries in Bad Staffelstein, while this website says there are none.
My arguement is that if you got off the train at Bad Staffelstein and walked around you wouldn't come across any breweries and might be peeved.
Also, then I would list Brauerei Hummel and Wagner in Memmelsdorf -- which just seems wrong!
missing in lichtenfels by barry on 2018-03-31 12:18:39 All quite true, though it's pretty hard to detect where Lichtenfels ends and Oberwallenstadt begins!
Whatever, I really enjoyed my visit there last year, in spite of a tremendous rainstorm (what is it about Lichtenfels - it either snows or rains!) and falling down a drain in the market square and cutting my leg!
missing in lichtenfels by Andrew H on 2018-04-01 01:10:22 Which district is Brauerei Pedant in?
missing in lichtenfels by barry on 2018-04-01 03:32:17 If you're a good boy, I'll take you there next week!
missing in lichtenfels by Andrew H on 2018-04-01 06:42:43 Yum! A special favourite of yours will be on I hope, the "Schwarzer Hut"
missing in lichtenfels by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-01 06:45:53 wow you’re on a tear today Andy!! It’s as if we’re at the Stammtisch of Brauerei TakngThePiss
missing in lichtenfels by Andrew H on 2018-04-01 07:31:21 And whilst we are here we might as well Rate the beer! ( also the tongue and groove)
missing in lichtenfels by barry on 2018-04-01 07:47:11 A definite sign of Franken fever here and still nearly two weeks to go!
missing in lichtenfels by Mark Andersen on 2018-04-01 08:07:19 Exactly! I’ll have to live vicariously for a few months more yet.
Taxi in Eschawo ATT Barry by Mads on 2018-03-24 01:27:38 we decided to move along to Oberfranken this morning. Gloser and Schafferhof were not
good this time around. The taxi I dont know How to cancel? Dammn. Short notice I know.
Cheers Mads
Taxi in Eschawo ATT Barry by barry on 2018-03-25 13:43:28 Could have phoned him on the number that I sent!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-12 07:50:50 Soon going back to Bamberg for a short trip thursday till saturday. This time I want to take it easier. Off course I will visit Schenkerla and Spezial, but have Greifenklau improved and have the famous U at Mahrs decreased in quality? Any other changes and recommendations worth commenting from your your guys will me much appreciated.
How about Knoblach is it worth a bus trip?
At Saturday 7.4 we’re leaving for Forchheim - is the Kellerwald something we should explore? We will go with train to Nürnberg - is the ticket valid to hop off in Forchheim and continue to Nürnberg some hours later?
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-12 08:52:09 For speed and ease I'll number your questions and answer in turn:
1. Greifenklau has not, to my experience, changed at all in the past years. It's a perfectly acceptable beer, if nothing spectaculor. You can search for Mahrs feedback on this Forum - in my opinion it's not what it was - but best see for yourself.
2. No other real changes that I know of.
3. Knoblach is not somewhere I tend to visit much. I' m not a huge fan of their beer (although nothing wrong with it at all) but it's a popular destination for beer tourists. There are better places though, such as the short bus to Doerfleins and Brauerei Eichhorn.
4. As long as you don't reserve a seat on an ICE you are fine to hop off and continue later. If there are 2 or more of you then buy a Tages Ticket plus (zone 10) for around EUR20 which will cover your group for the whole day. The Kellerwald is worth visiting if the weather is nice. If not then it's a bit of a walk and I can't see it being very pleasant. You might get lucky but early April is touch and go.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-12 10:07:41 Thank you for a helpful answer!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-12 10:17:24 Agree with everything Jason says except Knoblach, which I like. Is it as good as Eichorn. just a question of personal taste.
But another suggestion: Merkendorf, where you can sample, in my view and lots of other people's, some of the best beer in the near proximity of Bamberg, at Wagner and Hummel. If you really want, you can make a complete day and sample Knoblach, Merkendorf and Memmelsdorf - all by local bus. It's a bit complicated but possible, I've done it several times.
As for Forchheim: IMHO, don't bother with the Kellerwald. All the same breweries are in town, including the wonderful Neder.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-12 10:41:26 Thanks. I agree with you on Merkendorf: I have been there three times. In the vicinity of Bamberg I have not been to: Knoblach, Brauerei Hønig, Eichhorn and Rossdorf am Forst so after both what you and Jason said; maybe I should visit both breweries, but It depends on time and weather. I will absolutely follow your advise on Neder when we visit Forcheim. Thanks!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-12 11:02:20 All those breweries are worth visiting, also two in Geisfeld. But they are tricky to manage all together by public transport. Also, when you're in Doerfleins, it is ony a 20 minute walk to the other Wagner in Kemmern, also worth a visit.
So many possibilities!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by TomM on 2018-03-12 11:36:42 Only 20 minutes walking from Doerfleins to Kemmern? Are you sure? I walked there from Hallstadt once and it seemed quite a long way.
Are the kellers open in April? Diller-Keller (Honig beer) is on the way from Dorfleins to Kemmern.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-12 11:49:31 Hallstadt is maybe 10 minutes from Doerfleins and then I'd say 20 minutes to the Kemmern Kellers is about right. To the village it's further of course.
Kellers would only open in April if the weather is cooperating, and even then it's unlikely. It was 18 degrees yesterday but next week it could well be -9 again so I'm not expecting Spring weather just yet.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-12 15:57:52 Ok, maybe half an hour for me but I'm 70 something! Come on.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by TomM on 2018-03-12 16:42:21 I'm 62, but maybe the knee that has been replaced and the one that needs to be replaced is talking!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Johnratcliffe on 2018-03-12 23:14:21 You could get the bus up to Tiefenellern on Friday, then either walk down to Strullendorf via Geasfeld and Rossdorf, or over to Memmelsdorf via Knoblach and Drosendorf. The whole route is called something like the 13 Brauerien Wanderweg and is signed, though we got lost on the way to Knoblach. Obviously weather dependent, but I think they are all open on Friday. Worth checking hours though.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-12 23:51:35 Thanks Tiefenellern is option. Walking from here to Knoblach. Seems scenic through the forrest. Long way though. Hope the path is easy to follow.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-13 01:08:28 You'd also walk past Lohndorf and Brauerei Hoelzlein (either to Geisfeld/Rossdorf or to Knoblach).
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-13 02:51:50 Thanks I did that some years ago. Lovely trip. Maybe I do it again if the weather turns very good.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Gunnar H on 2018-03-13 03:59:13 For a description of the 13-Brauereien-Weg, check
https://www.fraenkische-toskana.com/upload/gestaltung/prospekttitel/FraenkischeToskana_Bierflyer_2017_WEB.pdf
For planning of walks, I use
http://www.wanderreitkarte.de/
The section from Tiefenellern to Strullendorf station, 15 km, seems comfortable and mostly downhill. I think I might try it in October.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Johnratcliffe on 2018-03-13 07:11:40 Im surprised its that far. Its certainly mostly downhill. Lovely in keller season when you can finish off at the keller in Strullendorf.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-13 07:26:07 Sounds about right - it's a good walk, but with plenty of stops en route. The Waldstuebla Keller is also between Geisfeld and Leeston, though this will take you round a little from Rossdorf.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Gunnar H on 2018-03-13 08:22:53 Another problem: the first bus from Bamberg to Tiefenellern arrives 13.39. With a transfer in Schesslitz you can get there six minutes earlier. Too little time to enjoy beer.
Another option: relatively frequent buses to Schammelsdorf, so you can get your IBU kick at Knoblach. Then walk 50 minutes to Lohndorf (Hölzlein and Reh), 40' to Melkendorf (Winkler now only serves Fässla and Mahrs beers), 40' to Geisfeld (Krug and Griess), 30' to Rossdorf am Forst (Sauer). Bus back to Bamberg at 18.00. 13.5 km.
Some hills to pass between Lohndorf and Melkendorf and between Melkendorf and Reisfeld. Not too steep though.
If you miss the Rossdorf bus, then an hour's walk will take you to the station in Strullendorf with hourly train service (6' past the hour) into Bamberg. After all that beer, maybe make it an hour and a half...
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Gunnar H on 2018-03-13 08:55:47 No, I give up...
Knoblach does not open until 15.00, so that walk is not a good option.
I should know the rules for Franconian rural places by now:
1) If there is a good bus service, assume the brewery taps are closed,
2) If the brewery taps are open, there is no bus service (typically weekends)
3) If you find an accessible location with a bus service, that will be a weekly closing day or closure because of the owner's niece's communion or such.
Oy vey.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Carl on 2018-03-13 19:04:01 Don't forget the very nice biergarten at Gasthaus Schiller in Wernsdorf!
I stayed there for a few days; top-notch!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-13 07:32:14 Just looked at the map in the PDF - even blown up, the precise directions are not so clear. Just looking at the Wanderreitkarte, much more informative, must see what it looks like on my smartphone.
The directions Brauereien-Weg might be shaved a little. I'm not sure whether it's any quicker going on the Schotterweg from Schammelsdorf to Tiefernellern than just taking the road and cutting off before you get to Litzendorf. Hard to know without doing it.
I would definitely think of taking the bus to Schammelsdorf, then Tief., Lohndorf, Grisfeld (specially Krug!), Rossdorf and on to Strullendorf. Have to check bus times and opening hours but I think that would be a nice walk - as a compromise, I'd go direct Tief and do Memmelsdorf (Hoenig only), Schammels., and Merkendorf by 907 bus another day. Choices! Choices!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Sol on 2018-03-13 11:34:03 I must combine taxi and bus. A bus to tiefenellern and then walk to Knoblach when it opens at friday. A taxi back to Bamberg from here. The entire route is to far when it comes to time. I have walked Tiefenellern to Geisfeld november 2014. Brauerei hönig was closed, but we managed all the other breweries. Beautiful trip, but I found the beers ok, but not as good as the breweries in Merkendorf.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-13 12:50:11 I would personally not say the beers at Knoblach are worth a taxi of €25. I’m not so mad on tiefenellern either. There are better breweries to plan hikes to, using the train.
Bambergtrip - some questions by Sol on 2018-03-13 13:28:16 appreciate your honest feedback, Jason! Thursday I stay in Bamberg. I have the Friday to explore some breweries around Bamberg, but must be back early evening: We’re would you go if Knoblach and hønig aren’t your choice?I would prefer to visit new breweries, but not if they the beer is mediocre.
( These are the once I have visited: Zur Sonne Bischenberg, Wagner( Kemmern), breweries in Merkendorf, breweries in Memmelsdorf, Göller Drosendorf, Brauerei Reh, Brauerei Hölzlein, Winkler, breweries in Geisfeld, Brauerei Roppelt. )
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jason on 2018-03-14 01:38:17 One suggestion would be to take the bus to Grasmannsdorf (around 12noon, arrives 13.10) for a quick beer in the excellent Brauerei Kaiser, then you can take the 13.50 bus to Moenschsambach (arrives 14.05) then there are regular buses to Burgebrach (direction Bamberg) where you could visit Brauerei Schwann. There are then regular buses back to Bamberg.
Brauerei Kaiser and Zehendner are both excellent. Schwann is fine (nice keller, but early April is a bit early).
If the weather is ok and you would prefer to walk I would say train to Breitengussbach to visit Main Seidla (closes at 12noon), then walk to Kemmern to Wagner and then walk to Doerfleins. Regular trains back from Hallstadt.
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jason on 2018-03-14 01:44:07 Or bus at 11.34 from Bamberg to Oberharnsbach, then it's a short but pleasant walk to Brauerei Kaiser (not all buses go to Grasmannsdorf). You'd arrive at 12.30ish so you'd have 1hr 20 before the bus to Moenschsambach which is a bit longer.
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-14 02:52:46 Mönchsambach. ;-)
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jason on 2018-03-14 03:25:17 Hey come on, Moenschsambach is perfectly acceptable... ;)
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-14 03:27:14 Alright. Will visit Glassgou, Ertinburg, Arberdean and Irverness this year. ;-)
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jason on 2018-03-14 04:23:35 Ah I didn't realise I mis-spelt it... I thought you were referencing the ae instead of ä
Yes Moenchsambach. Ideally Mönchsambach.
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-14 07:13:11 Perfect. Good man. ;-)
Bambergtrip - some questions by Gunnar H on 2018-03-14 14:41:16 I saw a map splitting the name
Mönchs-
ambach (would be pronounced mönx-ambach)
It's really Mönch|sambach (mönch-zambach) which would be clear with the sadly archaic spelling Mönchſambach
Bambergtrip - some questions by Jason on 2018-03-15 04:19:00 Hmmm, I've had this discussion with a number of locals (and a notable pair of Hamburgers) over the years: is it Mönchs-am-bach i.e. Mönchs-an dem-bach loosely translated as 'Monks on the stream' or is it Mönch-sambach which would be 'Monks (of) Sambach. Sambach is a village not too far away near Pommersfelden.
I think the conclusion was in line with Gunnar i.e. Mönch-sambach. What is for certain is that if Mark Anderson reads this he'll be getting cold sweats... his struggle to pronounce one of his favourite breweries in a constant thorn in his side :)
Bambergtrip - some questions by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-15 11:59:52 I'll just have to make many more visits and continue to work on my pronunciation.
Bambergtrip - some questions by Sol on 2018-03-14 08:47:13 Thanks, Jason! I will try to do that trip with bus to those breweries. Looking forward!
Bambergtrip - some questions by barry on 2018-03-14 12:06:35 Really good recommendation - you'll enjoy. Pity it's not a Tuesday then you culd join in with the singing in Zehendner!
Must remember to schedule a Tuesady next month for that trip!
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-15 12:10:03 Personally I think Knoblach is worth the visit if you have the time. As always the question is are there other places that are also easily reachable that are also worth the visit or even better. Of course the answer is yes and therein lies the dilemma of Franconia. So many places and so little time and that is why some of us just keep going back.
Jason and others have mentioned many of the other possibilities. I would like to add one to the list of choices as a really nice beer hike. Reckendorf to Ebing. You can start and end on a rail line and there are at least 3 excellent breweries along the way. Schroll in Reckendorf (I will start here the next time I do this). Then hike over the ridge to the next valley to the east and visit the brewery in Hofen (one of my personal favorites). From there onto Ebing for Schwanen Brau which is also a really nice place and beer. A very doable hike with some nice scenary as well. And if you've got time you could add in a couple of the other breweries within a reasonable detour such as Fischer in Freudeneck and Sonnenbrau in Muersbach for an even longer detour. You may also want to stop in at the other brewery in Reckendorf but it's not great IMO.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-15 15:57:29 Remember the day that we did the Ebing to Reckendorf hike. Lovely. Even the young fella doing the runner for the train!
P.S. Jason - did you get my email re Ebensfeld?
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-15 16:13:43 Yeah the dash to the train and Hofen and Ebing not being open until later is why I think I will start in Reckendorf next time.
Bambergtrip - sone questions by Jason on 2018-03-16 03:38:27 Nope...
Bambergtrip - sone questions by barry on 2018-03-16 10:27:56 Oer ... I wonder why not. I'll send it via Facebook Messenger.
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-12 01:15:46 Visited Brauerei Metzler, Dingsleben and Gasthof Reinwand, Sesslach (Reinwand-Hausbier from Kommunbrauhaus Sesslach) yesterday. Beer at both breweries in perfect shape.
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Jason on 2018-03-12 11:50:30 Dingsleben remains on my list Juergen... I will get out there soon!
Dingsleben/Sesslach by barry on 2018-03-12 15:58:41 Hope that you're working out a good trip for my April visit!
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Jason on 2018-03-13 01:10:06 That's your job Barry... Happy to drive but you'll have to select where to.
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Barry on 2018-03-13 02:23:57 Invitation accepted! Thinking cap on.
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-13 04:31:10 Dingsleben is just beautiful. Situated behind the Kleiner Gleichberg, one of the best preserved celtic oppida in Germany, and the Großer Gleichberg, where Vladimir Putin was stationed as a young soldier, this is the Thuringian part of Franconia. Few villages, lovely scenery, heavily spoken Franconian language, good beer!
Dingsleben/Sesslach by barry on 2018-03-13 07:35:35 When are we going?
Is the Walberla an Oppida?
Dingsleben/Sesslach by Jürgen Wening on 2018-03-13 08:28:46 Soon. The Walberla, or Ehrenbürg used to be an oppidum, yes. The Staffelberg as well. And the Hesselberg. And, and, and...
Hummel Bier Abend by Jason on 2018-03-03 06:24:36 The popular Bier Abend (beer evening) at Hummel will take place this year on Wednesday 30th May. Mark’s admirer will be but one of the sorry people that he won’t be attending this year.
If anyone else is in bamberg I recommend a visit. 11 beers on draft including 1 special, music, food and general beer fest paraphernalia. It may require a taxi back but it’s worth it.
Hummel Bier Abend by Andrew H on 2018-03-03 09:13:37 Merkendorf?
Hummel Bier Abend by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-03 09:36:25 I feel like I have many admirers in Merkendorf but that could be the bock bier talking.
Anyhow, I swear Hummel throws the best shindigs. I def. recommend anyone that is there on May 30th go to that event. I'm basing a trip in the fall around their bockbieranstich and then plan to be back May 2019 as well for either Bierabend or the bier fest in Memmelsdorf again.
Hummel Bier Abend by barry on 2018-03-03 13:11:17 Damn! Another event taking place after I've gone home!
Hummel Bier Abend by David on 2018-03-05 02:48:25 I was in town when they threw there Helles Bock Tapping Fest. I regret not going.
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by barry on 2018-03-01 04:43:33 Mads - can you post your answer under this new heading. The old one has got pushed way down the list where I don't check so often. Oh, and how many people will be involved?
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Mads on 2018-03-01 09:15:03 3 people. From Ferienwohnung Rettinger in Neuhaus to Schwoazhansl in Falkenberg. And perhaps back later in the day.
Cheers
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Jason on 2018-03-01 10:52:15 “Later in the day”
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Mads K (Dollewaitor) on 2018-03-01 11:02:48 Yeah Well... How good is that zoigl ? Pretty sadening sitting 4 hours with an unfit beer. :-) Back 14.00 Would be Nice. Thanks
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Barry on 2018-03-02 01:44:29 When, date?
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Mads on 2018-03-02 03:45:16 saturday 24th March
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by barry on 2018-03-04 07:48:18 Ok Mads, an answer for you! Taxi each way Neuhaus - Falkenburg is €20, so €40 for the round trip. I'll get the phone number for you .
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by Mads on 2018-03-05 08:06:12 Perfect. 60733660
Thanks!
Mads
OT: Taxi in Eschawo by barry on 2018-03-23 05:14:01 I know that it's a bit late but the phone number that I have for Neugirg, Martin (taxi in Eschawo) is 0049 (0) 9681 3915. Hope that everything goes ok and that you enjoy the visit!
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Jason on 2018-03-01 01:46:51 For those with Facebook, tune in to the new video recently posted by Mahrs about their recent Weizenbock Anstich on Ash Wednesday.
It's basically the usual s*** about Herr Michel and his local and international celebrity mates waxing lyrical about Mahrs Brau and the Weizenbock and it sums up what is wrong with the company. It shows very little of the ACTUAL anstich or the real people there, those that ACTUALLY frequent the pub every week, not just on the invitation of the high and mighty. It rreally sums up why I have and will continue to be an extremely rare visitor and will not refrain from telling anyone who wants to listen why.
It's fake, just like the barrels. A load of corporate bull*****. Sorry but it angers me.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-01 03:53:57 Yeah I just watched the video. It really is exactly as you describe. It doesn't take a genius to figure out this is all about building a global brand name (and perhaps selling it at some point for a billion or two dollars). I would not be the slightest bit suprised if in the not too distant future they open a brewery somewhere in North America.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-01 04:11:11 I will say this about Herr Michel though. If I had even half of his charisma and sales and marketing skills my company would probably be 10 times the size it is now and I'd be retired. Then I'd have more time to be in Franconian and on this forum commisserating on how Mahrs has gone to shit. But alas I am who I am and I've got to go to work now. Well after a quick round of golf that is.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by barry on 2018-03-01 04:40:54 Gosh Mark, I feel so sorry for you! Will commiserate during your visit here, where you will be sure of a warm welcome.at all the pubs that I'' recommend!
More to the point, the woes of Mahrs, for its regulars, have been obvious for years. I remember ages ago posting about a conversation I had with a local guy who was saying just that: the management had no interest in their regular customers, shuffling off in favour of corporate table booking, etc.
Maybe one day the business won't be so great and they'll welcome beer drinkers again and serve decent beer. As they say, businesses can go down as well as up. Who'd have thought that Maplins and Toys R Us would go belly up so quickly. It only took a months poor trading.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-01 05:01:01 It’s hard being me Barry but I’ll soldier on. Really looking forward to May and will trust your judgement on local pubs.
Mahrs will always have Bamberg to fall back on. Entering the fickle “craft” beer markets of the US and other places will be tough for Mahrs. A local bartender in Mass told me they had trouble selling out the keg of Mahrs as people seem to all want the latest IPA and such and if one does want lager there ample enough local breweries doing that now too these days. It will be interesting to see how it goes.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by jeff on 2018-03-01 08:25:34 This is my first-time post on this board but I have been lurking for a while. I just spent the weekend visiting about a dozen craft breweries in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota. It seems to me that the craft beer market in the States is definitely changing. No longer is it about the beer but the experience. There is also a huge ignorance among the average beer drinker in the States. They might have heard the terms Ale and Lager but have no idea what they mean. We visited many places where the beer was extremely poor but the establishments were packed with people.
People in the States are shifting to preferring everything local as apposed national or regional. Even the mighty Walmart has been closing stores due to this trend. A couple of the early and competent craft breweries in the area are Summit and Surly and they are losing market share to these awful startup places. I feel the days of craft breweries like Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Boulevard etc being able to expand nationally are over. Mahrs will find it very difficult to crack into this market by any sizable amount.
By the way, I will be in Franconia in mid-April and I am planning to spend some time at Mahrs. I did enjoy the place and the beer last spring.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Jason on 2018-03-01 10:51:27 I can’t comment on your opinion on the US as I don’t live there and haven’t visited for 7 years. But I agree, Mahr will not have success in my opinion.
I don’t discourage anyone from visiting, nor would I argue with someone who has a different opinion (who lives here, and whose opinion i respect). Just please give the other breweries a try outside of bamberg.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-01 11:43:38 Jeff, I agree with you 100% that the trend in the US is towards local in the beer industry and otherwise. It's a good thing IMO and hope the trend continues. You can see evidence in this in even the larger regional breweries suffering because they can't compete in all the local markets in the region they used to have a major footprint in and thus they have to scale back (Smuttynose in New Hampshire is a prime example). People simply enjoy visiting their local brewery because as you said it's not just the beer it's also the experience. Someone I was talking to a couple of years ago wondered when saturation in the beer industry would be reached. My reply was when every decent sized town in the US has it's own brewery or two. And lo and behold this is exactly what is happening.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Doug on 2018-03-01 17:09:55 I concur with both Mark and Jeff concerning localization of brewing in the US. I must note that some brewers of so they say the are want to experiment with locally developed fungus and herbs. The brewery is as noted an experience. I would prefer the quality of beer be the experience but one cannot have everything. Hopefully one day in the near future I will get back to enjoy the beers of the Ebermanstadt area to start.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by barry on 2018-03-02 04:55:02 Hi Jeff Interesting comments about beer situation in the USA.
I will be in Franken (Ebensfeld) from April 9 to 27. If you fancy meeting for a beer, give me a shout. Not Mahrs though, you will see from my various posts that I am allergic to that brewery!
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by jeff on 2018-03-02 09:32:24 Barry, I will be in Prague April 8-12 then off to Bamberg to meet up with a group of 4. We will be staying there 6 days and then off to Windischenbach for a night or 2. meeting up with you for a beer would be great.
Jason, we will have a car so we plan to day trip out of Bamberg to some places that are hard to reach by public transit. We are looking forward to all that Franconia has to offer, beer wise.....
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Jason on 2018-03-03 06:09:15 Nice, if you need any tips just ask, just because they are ‘hard to reach’ doesn’t make them necessarily worth visiting above others in the region. But you can’t go too far wrong.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by barry on 2018-03-03 13:25:04 Ok, that fits fine. I'll be in Ebensfeld from April 9 - 27. If you're looking for an of town trip, you'd do worse than consider coming north, it's not that far and there's a great choice of lovely breweries. In fact, you could do justice to the area in one trip!
You can look them up: there's Schwanen, Ebensfeld; Leicht, Pferdsfeld; Hellmuth, Wiesen; Rebliz, Nedensdorf; and, possibly, Martin, Unterneuses (is it open now?); all within a 10 km radius. Then there's all the Staffelstein breweries, not to mention those on the run up from Ebing. Could go on forever.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by barry on 2018-03-04 03:45:07 Sorry, done rather quickly, hence a couple of amendments!
Should be: 'If you're looking for an out of town trip'
Should be: 'In fact, you could not do justice to this area in one trip!'
Slightly changes the meaning.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Gunnar H on 2018-03-04 03:46:21 Would that be an Ebensfeld Stroll? Only one daily bus Mon-Fri. Looks like 3 hours worth of walking. Or do you have some other smart solution?
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by barry on 2018-03-04 04:30:57 No, more simple, very regualr trains from Bamberg (or elsewhere). Schwan is 5 minutes walk from Bhf Ebensfeld. Then, if Martin is open, 20 minutes walk (at most); Leicht another 20 minutes. From there, you can also walk to Staffelberg at Loffeld, then 4 kms back to Bad Staffelstein and train.
Alternatively, from Ebensfeld, it's about 30 minutes walk to Wiesen (Thomann, if you're a masochist, and Hellmuth, superb) and maybe 30 minutes to Reblitz in Nedensdorf, then 20 minutes back to Staffelstein, etc.
There's loads of variations; also remember that these walking times are for a (fellow) septuagenarian - young chaps will do it much quicker. And, in a car, you coluld include Trunk at Vierzenheiligen (avoiding Kloster unless forced into it), Metzgerei, etc..., etc...
It's a great area for beer travelling, nice scenery and mainly quite flat.
I would also recommend cycling but not if you fall off!
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Gunnar H on 2018-03-04 13:30:02 Great information, thanks, Barry! As (since January) an octogenarian, I will add 10 % to your walking times, but some of it should be doable. I'll add notes to my October planning sheet.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Barry on 2018-03-05 02:33:39 Congratulations Gunnar (or commiserations!). I can give you detailed instructions of where and how, as I've stayed several times in Ebensfeld and know the area pretty well.
Re Martin at Unterneuses, I can't remember now but did someone write that they had been there recently?
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Gunnar H on 2018-03-05 02:49:56 Their website is up and running and they claim selbstgebrautes Bier frisch vom Fass... Fwiw.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by TomM on 2018-03-05 08:24:57 Re: Martin, Unterneuses:
Looks like they had stopped brewing for a few years and took beer from Hummel, Merkendorf, then started up again at the beginning of last year.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Jason on 2018-03-05 09:38:29 I can confirm they were brewing again last year and that the beer is fine.
Unless anything has happened since.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Barry on 2018-03-06 01:54:13 Thanks Jason. Can't beat an eye witness - maybe a mouth witness?
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Jason on 2018-03-01 10:53:51 Hmmm, I think you’ve done ok Mark... but yeah he’s very impressionable. Charisma is one word but I’ve got others.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by Mark Andersen on 2018-03-01 11:48:07 Yeah well I suppose I am being nice about it. Next time we're in Catwheezle late at night I might tell a different story.
Mahrs Brau Facebook Video: Wiezenbock Anstich by TomM on 2018-03-07 14:20:59 I know this thread has gone off into all sorts of unrelated topics, but perhaps getting it to somewhere close to the original post.....
I watched the video. I don't understand German. One thing I found interesting is that I thought Mahrs doesn't brew wheat beers anymore, sourcing them from Gutmann. I noticed that a Herr Gutmann appeared in the video. My question: did the video explain that the weizenbock was brewed at Titting, and is it normal in Germany that a beer brewed in a different brewery should feature in a yearly event taking place at the tap of another brewery?