Franconian Beer Message Board

Stärk' Antrinken zu Dreikönig

Posted by Nick B. on 2012-01-06 03:16:39

Heilige Drei Könige is today, the last holiday of the Xmas season. And who knew there was a Franconian beer tradition associated with it? I guess I remember hearing something about this before, but yesterday's paper has a very informative article on the background and some useful current details. [ http://tinyurl.com/staerk-antrinken ] The pre-Christian Celts believed that the nights around the new year were especially full of evil spirits wandering around causing trouble, and so they "drank up strength" to scare them off. Thus arose the tradition of drinking a special strong beer on 6 January, which was New Year's Day here up until 1691. To this end, Mönchshof in Kulmbach brew 7 hl of a 14 Plato beer, Weißenohe brew "Bonator" with over 8% abv, Buttenheimer Löwenbräu brew a smooth 17 Plato Bock (and give 2 Mass to Stammgästen), Drei Kronen in Memmelsdorf (named after the three kings' crowns) brew 10 hl of Schwazbier called "Caspar" (the "black one" of the three kings), and the Kellerberg Society in Höchstadt an der Aisch have a light Bock brewed and lagered/tapped in their own Felsenkeller at the Petersbeckshäusla, wherever that might be. Supplies supposedly last days or weeks, so it's not necessarily too late to try them if you don't make it today. (The things you learn about oberfränkisches Bier whilst living in Mittelfranken!)

Höchstadt an der Aisch by Nick B. on 2012-01-06 03:35:14

Fränkischer Tag vs. Erlanger Nachrichten by Nick B. on 2012-01-08 06:13:28

Höchstadt an der Aisch by mike004 on 2012-01-08 08:55:19

Fränkischer Tag vs. Erlanger Nachrichten by Jürgen Wening on 2012-01-08 23:31:46

Fränkischer Tag vs. Erlanger Nachrichten by Nick B. on 2012-01-09 02:18:38

Fränkischer Tag vs. Erlanger Nachrichten by Jürgen Wening on 2012-01-09 04:06:29

Fränkischer Tag vs. Erlanger Nachrichten by Nick B. on 2012-01-10 02:08:20