Beer Vacation in Germany

[Morrey]

Watching an episode of Andrew Zimmern in Munich on the Travel Channel triggered off my desire to plan a beer-centered vacation in Germany.

I have been to Munich one time in college and had a delightful time visiting the Hofbrau Haus and a few other pubs. But our history professor (this was a trip for college credit) had us under pretty tight control and we were held back in some regards. Long story short, I didn't get my quota of premium German lagers.

Has anyone gone to Germany on a beer crawl so to speak? I mean there will be tons of things to do and see other than the bottom of a stein, but beer will certainly be a topic to explore. Are there "tours" or groups that join together to travel safely in numbers? Just kicking tires, but wife and I want to look ahead to next spring and start planning soon. Thanks!

 

[Miraculix]

I honestly do not understand why the world speaks so highly about German beer (I am German Btw.). The Reinheitsgebot made beer boring af as it limited the ingredients choice and there are just about three main beer types available. Pilsener, hefeweizen and Lager. And most of them cannot be distinguished from each other on a blind tasting (did that once with different pilseners... Hard to see that one's favourite was just as good as the rest).

Each pub has at max three beers and most of them are boring mass production Crap.

I live in uk, whole different story here. Each pub has AT LEAST 6beers on tap plus numerous bottled ones. Though I am no fan of British ale, I still find at least two very good ipa / Stout / Cider /whatever else in each pub, if not more.

If you go to Germany, don't do it for the beer, other countries do it better nowadays.

 

[corkybstewart]

http://www.braugasthoefe.de/

This is the way we travel when we go to Germany. My wife and I have made several beer and culture trips to Germany the past few years and will do it again soon. In spite of what Miraculix says, German beer, food and sights are a wonderful way to spend a vacation. We are small town town people, don't like big cities so when we choose places to stay on this website we look for smaller venues away from hordes of American tourists. Staying at these private brewery guesthouses is the way to go-they are cheaper than average German hotels, each room has a private, modern bathroom(something Americans always assume but often not the case in Europe) and by visiting smaller town you get a better feel for the culture. Neither my wife or I speak German but it's never been a problem.
Bamberg is a must if you go to Germany for beer, but we've also stayed in towns with thermal spas, hiking, shooting facilities(strange), whatever you want to do. Our typical day doesn't involve drinking except a little at lunch, we're too busy doing other things. But by dinner time we're ready to settle in and eat/drink well.

 

[Miraculix]

http://www.braugasthoefe.de/

This is the way we travel when we go to Germany. My wife and I have made several beer and culture trips to Germany the past few years and will do it again soon. In spite of what Miraculix says, German beer, food and sights are a wonderful way to spend a vacation. We are small town town people, don't like big cities so when we choose places to stay on this website we look for smaller venues away from hordes of American tourists. Staying at these private brewery guesthouses is the way to go-they are cheaper than average German hotels, each room has a private, modern bathroom(something Americans always assume but often not the case in Europe) and by visiting smaller town you get a better feel for the culture. Neither my wife or I speak German but it's never been a problem.
Bamberg is a must if you go to Germany for beer, but we've also stayed in towns with thermal spas, hiking, shooting facilities(strange), whatever you want to do. Our typical day doesn't involve drinking except a little at lunch, we're too busy doing other things. But by dinner time we're ready to settle in and eat/drink well.

My friend, you are talking about Bavaria, not germany in general. That's as if I would say that whole US is a gambling paradise because of vegas.

Indeed, in Bavaria you can have some of this flavour you described, I pretty much like it there and would second all of the advice you gave regarding small towns and choosing the place to stay, good way to go!

The bavarian kitchen is awesome so eat in the pubs the locals go and drink the beer and the Obstler they drink.

But again, this is not German, this is bavarian, whole different story.

 

[Morrey]

I honestly do not understand why the world speaks so highly about German beer (I am German Btw.). The Reinheitsgebot made beer boring af as it limited the ingredients choice and there are just about three main beer types available. Pilsener, hefeweizen and Lager. And most of them cannot be distinguished from each other on a blind tasting (did that once with different pilseners... Hard to see that one's favourite was just as good as the rest).

Each pub has at max three beers and most of them are boring mass production Crap.

I live in uk, whole different story here. Each pub has AT LEAST 6beers on tap plus numerous bottled ones. Though I am no fan of British ale, I still find at least two very good ipa / Stout / Cider /whatever else in each pub, if not more.

If you go to Germany, don't do it for the beer, other countries do it better nowadays.

I certainly agree. After college I served on US Naval Submarines frequenting seaports worldwide. My sub was stationed in Rota, Spain so I had great eating and drinking experiences there. We frequented Scotland (sub base) plus South Hampton and Liverpool. I never had to look far for outstanding beers.

Once I get to Europe, the travel is easy to visit multiple countries if proper planning is made. Good idea!

 

[Morrey]

http://www.braugasthoefe.de/

This is the way we travel when we go to Germany. My wife and I have made several beer and culture trips to Germany the past few years and will do it again soon. In spite of what Miraculix says, German beer, food and sights are a wonderful way to spend a vacation. We are small town town people, don't like big cities so when we choose places to stay on this website we look for smaller venues away from hordes of American tourists. Staying at these private brewery guesthouses is the way to go-they are cheaper than average German hotels, each room has a private, modern bathroom(something Americans always assume but often not the case in Europe) and by visiting smaller town you get a better feel for the culture. Neither my wife or I speak German but it's never been a problem.
Bamberg is a must if you go to Germany for beer, but we've also stayed in towns with thermal spas, hiking, shooting facilities(strange), whatever you want to do. Our typical day doesn't involve drinking except a little at lunch, we're too busy doing other things. But by dinner time we're ready to settle in and eat/drink well.

This sounds awesome, Corky. Do you use a travel agent or just go based on your past experiences?

 

[corkybstewart]

My friend, you are talking about Bavaria, not germany in general. That's as if I would say that whole US is a gambling paradise because of vegas.

Indeed, in Bavaria you can have some of this flavour you described, I pretty much like it there and would second all of the advice you gave regarding small towns and choosing the place to stay, good way to go!

The bavarian kitchen is awesome so eat in the pubs the locals go and drink the beer and the Obstler they drink.

But again, this is not German, this is bavarian, whole different story.

Not necessarily true. We've used the above mentioned website to book rooms around Koln and in the old East Germany, but we have generally avoided the heavily industrialized north. But when I look at my map of Germany it includes Bavaria, it doesn't show it as a separate country. Bamburg's smoked beers, Koln's kolsch, and Dusseldorf's Alt are ll beers worthy of traveling to Germany for.

 

[corkybstewart]

This sounds awesome, Corky. Do you use a travel agent or just go based on your past experiences?

Travel agents still exist? I don't need no stinking travel agent! I do all the research myself(I have to do something to look busy at work, like right now). We usually pick an area we want to visit and plan at least 2 nights at each motel, 3 for some places like Bamburg.
I have an advantage in that my wife is French and I've been driving in Europe for almost 40 years now, but the train system in Germany is second to none so with little more effort you can map out a great trip with no car. Our favorites were Bamburg,(Fassla), Bad Worishofen, Arnstadt, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, all for different reasons

 

[corkybstewart]

And Morrey, we have never felt the least unsafe traveling by ourselves in Germany. In fact people have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome, especially in the small towns. My French wife was nervous about going to Germany(that WWII thing) but right now we're about to go to France and she's angling for a way that we can spend a few days in Germany while we're there.

 

[Morrey]

This is all interesting and something I have wanted to do for sure. The site you referenced is written in German so I'd have difficulty getting much more from that except looking at the beautiful pictures. I wish I spoke at least some German, but hopefully I can get by w/o that skillset.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

The thing about Germany is they do some things really really well if you look in the right places. The selection can be hit or miss though, and their beer seems to be truly regional. I think the most important thing is just to do your homework ahead of time to know what's where.

I was in the NW part of the country a few years ago and there weren't many great beers. Then I went to Berlin earlier this year and was very happy with the selection there in some of the breweries.

The other thing I'd say is, if you do some checking ahead of time you can find some incredible food there. German food gets a knock for being boring, but if you go to the right restaurants there's some amazing food to eat.

Plus it's a pretty affordable country, if you ask me.

 

[corkybstewart]

This is all interesting and something I have wanted to do for sure. The site you referenced is written in German so I'd have difficulty getting much more from that except looking at the beautiful pictures. I wish I spoke at least some German, but hopefully I can get by w/o that skillset.

At the top right you'll see DE/EN, click EN. I'm also sitting in my office drooling over these places, I'll probably plan a quick trip for early October too.

 

[Morrey]

The thing about Germany is they do some things really really well if you look in the right places. The selection can be hit or miss though, and their beer seems to be truly regional. I think the most important thing is just to do your homework ahead of time to know what's where.

I was in the NW part of the country a few years ago and there weren't many great beers. Then I went to Berlin earlier this year and was very happy with the selection there in some of the breweries.

The other thing I'd say is, if you do some checking ahead of time you can find some incredible food there. German food gets a knock for being boring, but if you go to the right restaurants there's some amazing food to eat.

Plus it's a pretty affordable country, if you ask me.

Albeit I was on a group trip in Munich, I remember the food was served family style on platters in huge portions in the beer halls. I particularly enjoy wild game, and with proper searching may find places that focus on game meats. I like great food, so a culinary adventure is almost as important as a beer quest. I really enjoy Gose styles, so I want that to be part of my research as well.

At the top right you'll see DE/EN, click EN. I'm also sitting in my office drooling over these places, I'll probably plan a quick trip for early October too.

Got it!!

 

[corkybstewart]

It looks like we'll be in Tubingen in a couple of weeks!

 

[corkybstewart]

Albeit I was on a group trip in Munich, I remember the food was served family style on platters in huge portions in the beer halls. I particularly enjoy wild game, and with proper searching may find places that focus on game meats. I like great food, so a culinary adventure is almost as important as a beer quest. I really enjoy Gose styles, so I want that to be part of my research as well.

We ate a lot of delicious venison, quail, and other wild meats, if you like that you'll love the gasthofs.
The setup is always the same: pub and restaurant on the bottom floor, rooms up above. Nothing beats drinking great beer for hours and only having to walk up one flight of stairs to sleep.
That website used to be easier to navigate, the gasthofs were listed by zip code so you could easily see all o them in any particular geographical area.

 

[Miraculix]

The thing about Germany is they do some things really really well if you look in the right places. The selection can be hit or miss though, and their beer seems to be truly regional. I think the most important thing is just to do your homework ahead of time to know what's where.

I was in the NW part of the country a few years ago and there weren't many great beers. Then I went to Berlin earlier this year and was very happy with the selection there in some of the breweries.

The other thing I'd say is, if you do some checking ahead of time you can find some incredible food there. German food gets a knock for being boring, but if you go to the right restaurants there's some amazing food to eat.

Plus it's a pretty affordable country, if you ask me.

Exactly!

There are some small cultural "Islands", small breweries and restaurants that know how to do their thing acceptionally well. If you look for those ahead and only visit those, as you corkybstuart did, then of course you will have a really good time.

But (except for the rural areas in bavaria maybe), this is not the norm in Germany. In fact, it is the exception and believe me I lived over 30 years in multple towns all over Germany... I know a bit about my country, enough to say that the overall picture people have about Germany and it's culture is heavily distorted and when it comes to beer unecessarily glorified.

BUT of course, you can have a really good time in Germany, if you know were to go. But that applies for nearly every civilized country, including finding good and small breweries.

So best make a round trip. If you are into the bavarian culture it might be worth visiting Austria and the Swiss as well as both are close and similar in culture and food. Austrian food is the bomb! Kaiserschmarn and Germknoedel alone are worth going there

If you are into nature and lanscape, visit the "saechsische Schweiz", an exceptional area in eastern Germany not so many people know about.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

So best make a round trip. If you are into the bavarian culture it might be worth visiting Austria and the Swiss as well as both are close and similar in culture and food. Austrian food is the bomb! Kaiserschmarn and Germknoedel alone are worth going there

I'll provide a cautious warning on Switzerland: I absolutely loved it there, but I am pretty positive I'll never go back...which kills me.

It's ridiculously expensive (and I come from an "expensive" city) which makes it tough to eat and drink comfortably without feeling some regret about it. Amazing hiking though, and you'll only have to pay for your transportation. We were in the Geneva/Montreaux area and the average hamburger (for perspective) was about $24+++. Dinner for two would easily run $50 before drinks, and that's for a couple sandwiches.

But the Swiss have some fantastic wine - most of which never leaves the country, and that really upsets me.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

@Miraculix it's funny the way you talk about Germany vs. how people think it's a beer mecca. It reminds me of the Top Gear episode where the guys go through the deep South of the US and they paint the portrait that the middle-of-nowhere South is what the entire country is like. And that's what a lot of Europeans think when I talk to them.

 

[Miraculix]

Yes, exactly that's the case. In germany most people drink cheap beer, nothing cultural about that. The craft brewery trend slowly makes its way from the US to Germany, but it is actually us beer culture that brings some live into germany, at least regarding beer.

I agree with Swiss, it is BLOODY expensive there. Austria is more on a German level. Can be a bit pricey in highly frequented areas, but not as ridiculous as Switzerland.

 

[corkybstewart]

Yes, exactly that's the case. In germany most people drink cheap beer, nothing cultural about that.

The same can be said of any country-90% of Americans drink cheap swill, even in Belgium Jupiler and Stella are probably the biggest brands, both are swill.
But there are more than pilsners, helles and hefe's in Germany. I love the rauchbiers, roggenbiers, the variety of bocks, etc. Does it take some effor to find the best? Of course. But if I were to watch the beer sales at the store across from my office I would have to assume Bud Light is the best beer around, every 2 days a large truck stops and unloads 2 or 3 hundred cases.
Spaten, a ubiquitous brand in Germany, is still better than Budweiser, Coors or Miller.

 

[FelixGER]

I honestly do not understand why the world speaks so highly about German beer (I am German Btw.). The Reinheitsgebot made beer boring af as it limited the ingredients choice and there are just about three main beer types available. Pilsener, hefeweizen and Lager. And most of them cannot be distinguished from each other on a blind tasting (did that once with different pilseners... Hard to see that one's favourite was just as good as the rest).

Each pub has at max three beers and most of them are boring mass production Crap.

I live in uk, whole different story here. Each pub has AT LEAST 6beers on tap plus numerous bottled ones. Though I am no fan of British ale, I still find at least two very good ipa / Stout / Cider /whatever else in each pub, if not more.

If you go to Germany, don't do it for the beer, other countries do it better nowadays.

Yep, you are spot on! I´m German, too and feel the same. Like.... 1600 Pilsner, 1500 of them taste the same.

The real problem though, is not the Reinheitsgebot, but the contracts every bar has with a specific brewery. In Germany the Breweries pay for the bars interior, in return the bar will only pour beers from that brewery.

No taps for craft beer or local brewers, nothing! Yes, there are a couple of "Gasthausbrauereien" aka brewpubs and there are more and more microbreweries (I will open one next year). But most of the bars have nothing but what we call "Fernsehbiere" (TV Beers -> From the commercials). And they are just a little more hopped lagers (25-30 IBU).
Plain boring.

Germany is about 20 years behind the US concerning craft beer.

 

[Miraculix]

Exactly how I see germany as well.

I also agree about the 20 years behind compared to the US and other countries.

 

[Miraculix]

The same can be said of any country-90% of Americans drink cheap swill, even in Belgium Jupiler and Stella are probably the biggest brands, both are swill.
But there are more than pilsners, helles and hefe's in Germany. I love the rauchbiers, roggenbiers, the variety of bocks, etc. Does it take some effor to find the best? Of course. But if I were to watch the beer sales at the store across from my office I would have to assume Bud Light is the best beer around, every 2 days a large truck stops and unloads 2 or 3 hundred cases.
Spaten, a ubiquitous brand in Germany, is still better than Budweiser, Coors or Miller.

Of course, those nice brands and special beers exist, but in comparison, they are such a small small small minor mini percentage of the beers available, that it does not make any sense to identify a whole country with it.

Believe me or not, but you have way more good beers to choose from in a lot of areas in the US than we got in germany. Every micro brewerie that puts it's heart into it contributes with its own beers and this micro brewerie thing is just starting to develop in germany. Of course there are a few acceptions which have been around since ages but again, the number is ridiculously small compared to what the people think about germany.

 

[Morrey]

I absolutely can see the realistic picture being shown that Germany is not all things beer. If someone asked me what "I" considered the country(s) setting the world standard regarding beer, I'd probably pick Germany and the UK. Maybe a safer answer would be Europe but that is quite vague. All of my thinking and mindset was established early in life well before craft breweries in the US were ever heard of.

When I came of drinking age, Coors was very difficult to find on the east coast, and occasionally a 6 pack became available when a long distance trucker bootlegged some back east. The demand was high and the prices followed. Man, we thought this was the best thing ever. Of course Pabst Blue Ribbon was the number one seller here if that told you anything. My how things have changed - I am not sure if the Coors I can buy now is the same I had at 18, but is sure tastes different. Point is, the less attainable some commodity is, the more we want it. And to some consumers, the more it costs, the better it will be.

I have always been enamored with Germany and the beer produced there. Truth be known, some of the beers I make or find at local craft breweries could possibly hold up against some of the beers there. Strict laws have a strangle hold on the creative brewing process, so I guess that factors in to the mix. But the allure of Germany is the way I have always felt about their beers, and honestly still feel. Its more about the scenes, the travel, the culture, the food, and the enjoyment of something different. England holds the same allure for me, so this looks like two trips in the planning stages.

 

[Morrey]

Germany is about 20 years behind the US concerning craft beer.

I understand since I have no first hand experience otherwise. The flip side of the coin is that Germany has hundreds of years of Tradition over and beyond the US. Not that tradition makes better beer, but it does make for a good counter-point at least for nostalgia sake.

 

[Hanglow]

I would go to Franconia in northern Bavaria during spring/summer. Loads of great beers from about 300 or so small breweries. Places like the kellerwald in forchheim (check out Annafest!) and of course bamberg

http://www.franconiabeerguide.com/

 

[MaxStout]

Vienna lager.

 

[beersk]

Of course, those nice brands and special beers exist, but in comparison, they are such a small small small minor mini percentage of the beers available, that it does not make any sense to identify a whole country with it.

Believe me or not, but you have way more good beers to choose from in a lot of areas in the US than we got in germany. Every micro brewerie that puts it's heart into it contributes with its own beers and this micro brewerie thing is just starting to develop in germany. Of course there are a few acceptions which have been around since ages but again, the number is ridiculously small compared to what the people think about germany.

So over 6 years have passed since your stated opinion that the US is at the top of the craft beer world. I think a lot of people would agree but I disagree. The US has really become a top producer of nothing but overly hopped beers or fruited CRAP. In other words, beer that DOES NOT taste like beer. I think your perspective is just the flipside of many other's perspective on German beer. Sure, German beer is a bit narrower focused, but the quality is just SO MUCH HIGHER. I mean, for real dude. You can't sit there and tell me that US beer is higher quality than German beer. Does the US do some things better? Sure, there are more IPAs here. I've had hoppy beers brewed by Weihenstephaner. To my disappointment, they were not good. US probably does barrel aged beers better too. But sours or Belgian styles? No effin way.
And, by the way, pilsners are lagers. Every time I hear someone say "Pilsners and Lagers" it makes me shudder. Same as "Ales and Stouts".

 

[Jeroen79]

For a beer Vacation i would also rather goto Belgium then to gemany, unless you are a fan of weisbeer.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[Miraculix]

So over 6 years have passed since your stated opinion that the US is at the top of the craft beer world. I think a lot of people would agree but I disagree. The US has really become a top producer of nothing but overly hopped beers or fruited CRAP. In other words, beer that DOES NOT taste like beer. I think your perspective is just the flipside of many other's perspective on German beer. Sure, German beer is a bit narrower focused, but the quality is just SO MUCH HIGHER. I mean, for real dude. You can't sit there and tell me that US beer is higher quality than German beer. Does the US do some things better? Sure, there are more IPAs here. I've had hoppy beers brewed by Weihenstephaner. To my disappointment, they were not good. US probably does barrel aged beers better too. But sours or Belgian styles? No effin way.
And, by the way, pilsners are lagers. Every time I hear someone say "Pilsners and Lagers" it makes me shudder. Same as "Ales and Stouts".

Main difference is that today punk brewerie from UK opened breweries in Germany. They make some decent American ales. Otherwise still same boring and same tasting stuff in the supermarkets as usual. They are good beers, but so is Coors.

 

[beersk]

Main difference is that today punk brewerie from UK opened breweries in Germany. They make some decent American ales. Otherwise still same boring and same tasting stuff in the supermarkets as usual. They are good beers, but so is Coors.

I kind of agree that many of the German lagers taste the same. I enjoy the flavor, that intense malt flavor that is supposedly produced from the low o2 brewing process employed by many German breweries, but it also tends to bring out the same flavors from the malts, kind of like biotransformation tends to bring out the same fruity qualities from hops, which makes many NEIPAs all taste the same or thiolized yeast makes beers all taste the same or very very similar. So I understand how that can get old and become boring/stagnated.

 

[Lefou]

And Morrey, we have never felt the least unsafe traveling by ourselves in Germany. In fact people have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome, especially in the small towns. My French wife was nervous about going to Germany(that WWII thing) but right now we're about to go to France and she's angling for a way that we can spend a few days in Germany while we're there.

Spent much of my time in the Bavarian countryside. I used to work for a defense contractor and I'd fly into Munich. I'd drive south on the 8 and stay near the Bad Aibling-Rosenheim area. The owners of Lindl Hof would drag out the homemade schnapps after dinner when they'd see me and I quite enjoyed that.

 

[skunkape]

https://www.firebirdtours.com/tours/most-complete-tour-german-beer

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

The USA has over 4 times as many breweries as Germany, and they are not narrowly focused, so even if a lot of them make dubious beer, the overall picture is pretty good. If I could only drink beer made in one country, it would be America, home of Mickey's Wide Mouth and Budweiser, hands down. Surely there must be some top notch lagers and hefes out there.

Viator has a bunch of Bavarian beer tours you can sign up for. My guess is that they don't require driving. My wife and I have had good experiences with Viator.

 

[1957vhs]

For really good, valid info about a beer vacation in Germany go, on line, to www.braugasthoefe.com - also search, on line, for brew guest houses in Germany, or, elsewhere.
I lived in Stuttgart for a few years & have first hand experience that it works. Especially with Fassla & Spezial Brewries in Bamberg. They were GREAT for my wife & I to stay at.