Heading to Germany tomorrow

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Devin

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I am heading to Oberammergau, Germany tomorrow for a business trip. I am also going to be taking a couple of personal days over there. I was wondering if anybody would give me some suggestions on beers to try while over there. I am a huge IPA fan and I also like good ambers and stouts. I really don't care much for the Pilseners (although everyone tells me that I need to try a "real" Pilsener - supposedly they can be found in Germany).

Anyway, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!:mug:
 
Doubt you will find any IPA's. If so they will probably be seriously lacking the hops that you are used to. Try some traditional German beers like Hefe and Dopplebock. Try stuff that you cannot get in the states. Belgium is were the beer is in my opinion.
 
I didn't figure I would find much in the way of hop power. Just looking for any suggestions for stuff that has bold, in your face flavors. I will do my due diligence and try some Hefe's and Pilseners as well.

I went to England earlier this year and didn't really get any suggestions before hand. I tried a LOT of different English beers and thought that they were for the most part.....boring. I wasn't that impressed. But, this is Germany. I am hoping for a different outcome. ;-)
 
Been to Germany a few times (last time at Octoberfest). Bottom line is that if you like IPAs, RIS, etc. you will be disappointed. If you are into pilsners, weissbiers, pale lagers, etc. then getting the real thing is an experience. Head north to Munich and spend an afternoon in a Biergarten or go further north an see the hop harvest in the Hallertau going right about now.
 
I was just in Oberammergau this spring, beautiful place. There is a great little store that it solely just for beer, it is by the 1 euro store. We stayed at the Boeld-ringhotel off of Konig Ludwig strasse.
I didn't try it but I was told I should have had the kola bier while I was there. I did get some great dunkelweizen that you might like. The best part about the beer store is that all the beers are around €1-3. And the Italian food is delicious.
And of you like gelato there is an awesome place near the touristy part of town.


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There is apparently an abbey a few minutes out of town that has been brewing its own beer since the 17th century- Ettal Abbey.

You are probably not going to find American style IPAs in Bavaria, but you wouldn't go to France and order the sushi, right? You are in a legendary beer making region, you should drink what they do well, which is probably wheat beers or malty lagers. Have fun with it. See how many different beers you can try (although beware that that liter goes down a lot faster than you think it will). And under no circumstances are you to miss any opportunity to make us all jealous by posting pictures of the wonderful beers you discover to this thread. :mug:
 
Lots of good breweries in Lower Bavaria around Oberammergau.. König Ludwig Dunkel is a black lager and is highly drinkable and delicious. Zötler Brauerei in the nearby Allgau region makes excellent, fresh hefeweizen and dunkelweizen. Also Nesselwang Brewery, in the tiny community of Nesselwang makes great beers. The Klosterbrauerei is in Ettal, a town adjacent to Oberammergau, but I haven't had their beers. I'm sure they're fresh and masterfully crafted.
 
Try some styles that are hard to find in the US, or not very well done over here: Kellerbier, rauchbier, and definitely helles.
 
Yeah, just drink local stuff and savor the rarity. Shouldn't need to get anything bottled. But attempt to try a good rauchbier like Schlenkerla.
 
Try some styles that are hard to find in the US, or not very well done over here: Kellerbier, rauchbier, and definitely helles.

Seeing that he's 200 miles from Bamberg, no way in hell he's going to find a rauchbier! Rauchbier is virtually unknown outside of Middle-Franconia (Bamberg).

He should be able to find most of the "usual suspects" of Bavaria, chiefly, Hefeweizen, dunkelweizen, helles, dunkel, possibly some alt, possibly some oktoberfest since september is around the corner. If you go to a local brewery, sometimes they will have a specialty.

MC
 
I only have had two beers so far. Both from Hacker-Pschorr in Munich. Their dark lager and regular lager. The dark was quite tasty. I am heading to the maxbrau tonight for dinner. I am told they have good beer. The pic for the dark didn't come through, so here is the regular:

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I was lucky enough to make a trip last Oktoberfest. I usually drink ipa's pales and stouts. First few days my senses were disappointed and had to readjust. Then, the magic happened and I tried everything I could get hold of. I love a lot of different German beers now and styles. None are hoppy but all of them delicious. Just took some time for my taste buds to work. Cheers!
 
Just tried the doppelbock. 8%. It had a slightly medicinal nose and taste, but it was smooth at the same time. I actually liked it quite a bit.

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check out a place called Griesbrau. I was just there a couple weeks ago and got a tour of the place. the brewer there is cool as hell and loves to talk about brewing and loves to show off his beers. If you go there ask him about his snuff machine too. definitely an interesting piece.
 
I tend to find Bavarian beer relatively boring. Very clean, malty, sweet. I have had some nice Alts around Dusseldorf and good fresh small brewery hefes, though. After two weeks in Central Europe my local pint of bitter tasted hop forward!
 
Just tried the doppelbock. 8%. It had a slightly medicinal nose and taste, but it was smooth at the same time. I actually liked it quite a bit.

I love Salvator Doppelbock! the 2nd beer I brewed was a two year old Cooper's OS Lager. The way I brewed & hopped it, it came out like the salvator. so much so that Gary (come back homie!!) at Home Brewer TV gave it the three thumbs up over a commercial ale! He kept sipping on it & commenting on it. Episode #38. I can't find it on youtube. I can only imagine what he'd think of my PM efforts these days?...
 
OK, so as a previous poster predicted, with my hop loving nature, the beers I have had over here haven't really been that "exciting". Like when I was in England, they have been "ok". I tried the Helles last night and didn't really like it.

So, tonight I went out and finally had one that made me say "wow". It was an Oktoberfest from Hacker-Pschorr on draught. It was awesome. Smooth, slightly sweet, powerful, and strong all at the same time. Good stuff!
 
In Munich, try the Weissbier/Weisswurst combo at Weisses Brauhaus. The Schneider Weiss on tap is the bomb, or the Spatenhaus, where the house beer is excellent, as is the food.
 
OK, so as a previous poster predicted, with my hop loving nature, the beers I have had over here haven't really been that "exciting". Like when I was in England, they have been "ok". I tried the Helles last night and didn't really like it.

So, tonight I went out and finally had one that made me say "wow". It was an Oktoberfest from Hacker-Pschorr on draught. It was awesome. Smooth, slightly sweet, powerful, and strong all at the same time. Good stuff!

One thing I'll say for the German beers I experienced: they may not all have been my particular preferred favorite styles, but they were all extremely clean and well made. Something to be said for German efficiency and engineering!
 
I spent a few years in germany. Not sure exactly where that is but if it is.closeto munich, you have to.go.to th hofbrau haus,.the Ayinger plant biergarten and.try.all ofthem at the.tap and.you must go to the weihentstephan biergarten and hear about the monk and the bear. All the weihenstephan beers are great but never had a hefe as good as their vitus and they will tell you it is the best in the world. Kellerbier is okay, their black beer is goood, rauchbier in bamberg is like drinking bacon, eisbier is usually smooth but 9-11% and interesting, mixing kristalweizen with sprite or OJ half and half is excellent. The BEST BREWERYtour i ever went on was the kuchlbauer in kulmbach and i received the nickname aloysius after their aloysius beer. Lastly, plzen czech.republic is where pilsen style beer and pilsener urquell originated from and was first brewed and developed by a.german. good luck friend.
 
If you have any way to make it to Bamberg, it has the highest concentration of breweries on the planet, and the city specializes in Rauchbier (smoked beer). Some of the ones I sampled while there were my favorite drinking experiences of my life.

I also second the König Ludwig Dunkel recommendation. It's pretty tasty stuff and you can find it pretty easily in that area.
 
Thanks for all of the replies. Today is my last day here. I hiked quite a bit near Garmisch. It was spectacular. I will say that I have developed an appreciation for the clean, crisp nature of the beers here. It has been an experience. I ended the hike with a KlosterDunkel. It was pretty good. My favorite is still the Oktoberfest, though.

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