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Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! In this article we’ll share a recent conversation with Dario Stieren, founder and brewmaster at Munich Brew Mafia. Munich Brew Mafia is part of the rapidly growing craft beer industry in Germany as a younger generation of brewers and beer drinkers look for creative alternatives to traditional German beer styles. In 2020, there were about 900 craft breweries in Germany, a country with a population of about 84 million (about half the number of craft breweries we have in the U.S., per capita). This is impressive in a country where, until recently, all breweries had been restricted to brewing with just four ingredients (water, grain, hops and yeast) for the past 500 years! We first met Dario in April 2017 in our article about The Munich Craft Beer Scene. Our paths crossed again in August 2018 when he led a private beer tasting for one of our tour groups. We missed each other in 2019 (the last year before the pandemic) but when life returns to normal you can join us for a private tasting with Dario on one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. Until then, sit back, crack open one of your favorite beers and read along with us!  Dario and his partners, Niklas and Alex Q1: How and when did you first become interested in brewing? “When I was 16 years old, I was ready to move out and become a brewer but my mother told me to stay in school and go to university. So, I stayed in school and eventually entered a Diplombraumeister (Master Brewer) program at the Technical University München which is closely associated with the Weihenstephan Brewery.” Q2: What is the name of the school and/or program you completed at Technical University München and when did you graduate? “There are actually two programs a person can complete: 1. The “big brewer" course which is a bachelor/master class in Brewing & Beverage Technology. This program teaches you how to brew as well as how to physically set up a brewery including the equipment for brewing all the way through to the bottling and packaging process. 2. The “small brewer" course offers a diploma with the degree Diplombraumeister (Brew Master). Both courses are related in content so you can switch from one to the other until a certain point in the program. However, I found that I was more interested in brewing than focusing on equipment so I graduated as a Braumeister in 2016.” Q3: Did you begin your education at Weihenstephan with the intention of starting your own brewery, or did that idea come later? “Back in 2011 I was still convinced that Munich Lager was the best beer in the world and that craft beer was not a thing in Germany. Luckily, my perspective changed and I became more and more interested in brewing creative beers at home. This is why I entered the program at Weihenstephan.” Q4: What inspired you to start Munich Brew Mafia? “It was a combination of my internship at a small brewery, my homebrewing experience and a side job I took at Tap-House Munich, a brewpub that serves craft beers from around the world. For the second anniversary of the Tap-House in 2015, a colleague and I brewed a small batch of Citra-Pils as a celebration beer. People loved the beer so much they asked us to brew more of it and that was when we decided to start our own brewery.”  The Munich Brew Mafia beer line-up Q5: How did the name Munich Brew Mafia come about? “Niklas, my homebrew buddy and partner in Munich Brew Mafia, and I sat together after a shift at the Tap-House and talked about opening our own brewery. We were convinced that the best ideas come while drinking beer and after a few pints it became clear we would open a brewery! We wanted to be different; underground but still show that we’re from Munich. So, we put the origin of our beers (Munich) and what we do (Brew) in our name. Mafia refers to some kind of underground activities, breaking laws (thinking about brewing techniques that are not written in the Reinheitsgebot) and making fun of the big six breweries that often behave like the Mafia when it comes to not sharing the Munich beer market and Oktoberfest. Put it all together and you get Munich Brew Mafia.” Q6: Do you brew exclusively within the restrictions of the Reinheitsgebot and achieve various flavors mainly from the creative use of yeasts and hops, or do you include other ingredients in some of your beers? “Bavaria is the only state in the world where brewers are forced to comply with the Reinheitsgebot (German Purity Law of 1516). The Reinheitsgebot restricts the ingredients that are allowed in brewing beer to just four - water, grain, yeast and hops. On one hand, this promotes creativity. On the other hand, it restricts you very much as a brewer. Of course, the Mafia interprets laws very generously and for two years now I’ve also brewed some beers with extra ingredients. Fruit beers, sours, vanilla stouts, milkshake IPAs and a gin & tonic inspired bock are some examples. But we can’t write the word “beer” on these bottles. Instead, we must label them as “specialty brews".” Q7: Are you still using other brewing facilities to brew your beer or have you established your own brewing facilities? “We’re still “gypsy brewers” using other companies’ brewing facilities, but I brew every batch myself. I’m also employed as a brew master at the Brauereigasthaus Holzhauser, a small brewery outside of Munich that has a brewpub and beer garden. I have four of my own 10-hectoliter tanks (about 1,000 gallons total) at Holzhauser which I use to brew and release up to three new Munich Brew Mafia brews every month plus one of our classics like Don Limone.”  Working on another batch! Q8: What was your motivation to assume control of Die Bierothek München? “Bierothek Munich is the flagship store of the Munich Brew Mafia brand and the most exclusive beer shop in Munich with a selection of about 450 different beers. Before the pandemic we had a presence at beer festivals such as Braukunst Live!, the most important craft beer festival in Bavaria, every second weekend on average. Since that was no longer possible, we had to think of new avenues for selling our beer. Bierothek is the perfect solution for showcasing our beers, living and promoting beer culture, and having an event location near the city center. You can always find “la familia” in the store, have a little chat and enjoy some cold ones (to go right now, of course).”  Dario in front of Die Bierothek München Q9: Can you describe your various business models for us? “Today we have a three business models: 1. Distribution of our (criminally good) beers in bottle shops, beverage markets, supermarkets and bars. 2. Conducting events like brewing courses and tastings. At the moment we have to do all our events online. 3. Consulting. We offer a range of consulting services including helping small breweries develop new beer styles and recipes, connecting small brewers to larger breweries, facilitating gypsy brewing arrangements, logistics, filling and even some distribution and marketing. In addition, we do some international consulting; our last job was for Red Bull in Arizona!” Q10: How has the pandemic impacted your business and how have you survived while beer sales have dropped in Germany over the past year? “Of course, we were confronted with problems in the beginning. One third of our total sales had been through bars and restaurants which we lost, beer events dropped to zero and a lot of international jobs were cancelled. But the good part about being a small company is the flexibility. We reduced fix costs by firing ourselves and launching an online shop (for the first few months we offered free home delivery). We also developed new online events for companies and staged an online beer festival.”  At Braukunst Live! 2020 in Munich Q11: You sell a variety of beers from different countries at Bierothek. What are a few of your favorites (other than your own) that you sell in your store? What is it about these beers that you enjoy? “I love so many beers but there’s a focus in the store on regional beers, both craft and traditional. We have beautiful Franconian Lagers like Mönchsambacher, Bavarian IPAs like Hoppebräu, Yankee & Kraut and Frau Gruber and new-wave Helles styles like those from Tilmans Biere and Isarkindl. I always enjoy Belgium Lambics like Cantillon and 3 Fonteinen or Trappists beers like La Trappe from Koningshoeven. At Bierothek we also have some exclusive brands from Greece, Netherlands, Lithuania and even Japan! Every now and then we can get our hands on US brews Like Trillium, Other Half and Equilibrium. It’s interesting how different the hop expressions are in those beers. Maybe U.S. breweries can get other hop varieties or lots than we do in Europe. Yeast strains will do their part as well.”  Some of the 450+ beers waiting for you at Die Bierothek München Q12: What are a few of your favorite traditional (not craft) German beers such as those from Weihenstephan or other respected breweries, or even from the “big 6” breweries (Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Höfbräu, Löwenbräu and Paulaner)? “In Germany we already had a lot of good beers before craft beer was a thing. That may be one reason why this market is growing slower than in other countries. I’m a big fan of the larger private brands like Schneider Weisse, Schönramer, Gutmann and Andechser. Also, there are many exceptional breweries in the Franconia region (northern Bavaria). Even if I’m brewing more modern beer styles, I still love the Bavarian beer culture with the beer gardens and Oktoberfest.” Q13: In general, how has the Munich craft beer industry changed during the pandemic? “Looking back at two years of pandemic I think we came through quite OK. People are still drinking beer at home, and maybe even more craft beer. Most bars and restaurants in Munich belong to the big 6 breweries and people are generally forced to drink whatever is offered there. So, the pandemic has mostly impacted the large breweries. But of course, craft beer spots and restaurants that serve craft beer have suffered and we hope most of them will recover.” Q14: Is there anything else about the Munich craft beer scene that’s different from other countries, or even other parts within Germany, that might be of interest to craft and homebrewers here in the U.S.? “Most Munich craft brewers are offering a “Modern Lager". It’s a mixture of traditional and new-wave beers. Our Das Kriminelle Helle is a good example for that - unfiltered, highly drinkable and loaded with a lot of whirlpool hops. We use traditional German hop varieties like Hersbrucker and Hallertau along with newer breeds like Calista and Mistral from France. Other brewers like Tilmans Biere are using US hops for their Lagers.” Q15: What makes your work special for you? “It’s the variety that counts! I like the creative work of brewing and the direct contact with customers. Of course, there’s also some administrative work which is not exciting. But at the end of the day, it’s the enjoyment of participating in trade shows, tastings and joint events and celebrating a common love of beer with our customers.”  Dario leading a private tasting for an Original Gravity Tours group Q16: What is your current favorite of the Munich Brew Mafia beers? “Right now my favorite beer is the Imperial Don Limone. For our fifth anniversary we made an Imperial Pilsner double dry-hopped with Citra hops and packaged in cans. I love New England style IPAs, hazy IPAs, and double and triple IPAs and brew them regularly. But our Imperial Don Limone is so clean, easily drinkable and just pure pleasure. It’s really something special with undetectable 7.5 % ABV.” Q17: What is your passion? “Enjoyment! Good beers and fine food in a cultivated ambience; there couldn't be anything better for me. Even though I like to travel to other countries, the beer garden remains a highlight of my leisure time. A nice snack and, ideally, craft beer make my heart beat faster.” Q18: Finally, what does beer mean to you? “It’s a way of life, a philosophy, a creative craft and a sensory diversity at the same time. And it should also taste good and go down well.”  Yours truly with Dario after a private tasting of his beers (And no, we're not dancing!) Original Gravity Tours!
Join one of our Munich & Bamberg Tours and you’ll get to meet Dario for a private tasting of his award-winning craft beers. You’ll also get to visit several traditional breweries like Andechser (founded 1455), Schlenkerla (founded 1678), Schneider Weisse (founded 1872), Weihenstephan (founded 1040) and Weltenburger (founded 1050)! For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Reviews, Photos & Videos page, and check out What Sets Us Apart from other German beer tour companies. Thank you and Prost!
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Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! In this article we’ll shed light on one of our favorite seasons on the German “Beer Calendar” - Starkbierfest season! What is Lent Anyway? For the uninitiated, Lent is the Christian world’s 40-day season of prayer, fasting and preparation leading up to Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday (February 17th this year) and continues until Good Friday (the last Friday before Easter). Years ago, practicing Christians – in particular monks and people of deep faith – would fast for the entire 40-day period of Lent, drinking only liquids. Since beer was considered essential at the time (the water was too polluted back then) the faithful were allowed to drink it year-round, including throughout Lent. History of Starkbier (Strong Beer) The oldest known evidence of brewing in Germany comes from near the town of Kulmbach (in northern Bavaria) and dates back to around 800 B.C. Sometime in the first millennium, monasteries took up brewing and at least as far back as the 1300s monks in Bavaria were brewing beer for their own consumption and to raise money for their monasteries. The Paulaner monks, whose monastery was located just outside of Munich’s old city walls, began brewing beer sometime before 1634. By the middle of the same century, they came up with the idea of brewing an extra hearty beer to help sustain them during their fast for Lent. They named this beer Salvator from the Latin word for Savior.  Salvator (7.9% ABV) is a Doppelbock style beer (“double bock”) also referred to in Germany as a Starkbier. Doppelbocks are brewed with larger quantities of malted grain than regular beer and that extra grain provides additional nutrition – about 700 calories per liter versus about 400 calories for a “regular” beer. But more grain also produces larger amounts of fermentable sugars which results in a higher alcohol content, generally in the 7.00%-8.00% range. So not only did the monks get the extra sustenance they needed during Lent, Starkbier no doubt kept them in a “spiritual” state of mind! If you ever find yourself in Bavaria during Lent, be sure to ask about which breweries are hosting Starkbierfest events. Most breweries have something going on and they’re a lot of fun! Starkbier Today Today, all Munich breweries have a Doppelbock in their line-up and most market it under a name that ends with “ator”. The short version of the story is that Paulaner Salvator became very popular with the public, so commercial Munich breweries started brewing their own Doppelbocks, which they also called Salvator. This was before trademark laws existed. But the monks at Paulaner got a law passed to prevent other breweries from using their name, so those breweries came up with their own “ator” names. BIG 6 MUNICH BREWERIES Below is a list of Doppelbocks from Munich’s “Big 6” breweries. It’s worth noting that all but two (Augustiner & Hofbräu) are large, multinational companies, some of which are part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev conglomerate. Of the Big 6, only Augustiner makes a Doppelbock that makes it on to our favorites list. 1. Augustiner Maximator (7.5% ABV) - Augustiner was founded in 1328 and is the oldest brewery in Munich proper and brewer of Maximator, one of our favorite Doppelbocks, regardless of brewery location. Maximator is available only during the Starkbierfest season (although you can find it here year-round). Augustiner has several locations in Munich but especially fun to visit are the Augustiner Bräustuben (the original brewery location) and the Augustiner-Keller (the 3rd largest beer garden in Bavaria).  The rest: 2. Hacker-Pschorr Animator (8.1% ABV) 3. Hofbräu Delicator (8.0% ABV) 4. Löwenbräu Triumphator (7.6% ABV) 5. Paulaner Salvator (7.9% ABV) 6. Spaten Optimator (7.6% ABV) BREWERIES OUTSIDE OF MUNICH Below is a list of Doppelbocks from breweries located outside of Munich that are our favorites along with Augustiner Maximator mentioned above. Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel (7.1% ABV) - The Andechs Monastery Brewery was founded in 1455 and is located about 40 minutes outside of Munich by S-Bahn. We highly recommend visiting Andechs if you’re in Munich because it’s an easy day trip and you can enjoy their line-up of beers on the veranda with relaxing views of the surrounding country-side. If you can’t make it out to Andechs, you can find their beers (and good food) at the Andescher am Dom in Munich’s old town center.  Ayinger Celebrator (6.7% ABV) - Located just outside of Munich in the town of Aying, the Ayinger brewery was founded in 1877. All of their beers are excellent but our favorite is their Celebrator Doppelbock. If you’re in Munich but don’t have time to go to Aying, you can find their beers (and good food) at the Ayinger am Platzl in Munich’s old town center.  Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche (8% ABV) - If you want to taste this smoked Doppelbock, you’ll have to visit the town of Bamberg which is about 2 hours north of Munich by train. But the trip is well worth it if you want to try a very unique beer from the Brauerei Heller-Trum, founded in 1678. Most of our customers had never tried a German Rauchbier (smoked beer) before joining one of our tours and most either love it or hate it. But an old local saying goes that the first time you try Rauchbier you need to drink at least three of them, and if you do, you’ll be hooked for life! When in Bamberg seek out the Schlenkerla tavern where the beer is always poured from a gravity keg. Summer evenings are especially fun at the tavern when people spill out into the street to enjoy their beers al fresco!  Schneider Weisse Mein Aventinus (8.2% ABV) - Aventinus is a wheat Doppelbock brewed by the Schneider Weisse Brewery in Kelheim (about an hour north of Munich). Schneider Weisse was founded in Munich in 1872 but is now brewed in Kelheim at a brewery built by Duke Maximilian I in 1607. We have yet to meet anyone - even if they don’t like wheat beers - who doesn’t fall in love with Aventinus after trying it for the first time. If you can’t make it to Kelheim, you can always visit the Schneider Bräuhaus in Munich’s old town center where you’ll find Aventinus, and the entire Schneider Weisse line-up, fresh on the tap.  Weihenstephan Korbinian (7.4% ABV) - Korbinian is one of many exceptional beers brewed by the Weihenstephan Brewery in Freising - “The World’s Oldest Brewery” - founded in the year 1040. The brewery is associated with the Weihenstephan Technical University which boasts one of the most prestigious brewing programs in the world, and with all this experience you can be assured that Korbinian is an exceptional Doppelbock. Freising is located about 30 minutes outside of Munich by S-Bahn making it a great excursion for lunch and a few beers in their beer garden.  Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock (7.3% ABV) - Last but not least, we finish with Asam Bock from the Weltenburger Monastery Brewery in Kelheim (just up the Danube River from Schneider Weisse mentioned above). The monks at Weltenburger began brewing in the year 1050 making it “The Oldest Monastery Brewery in the World”. The monastery is situated on the banks of the Danube River and shouldn’t be missed if you’re ever in or near Kelheim.  Original Gravity Tours! If you join one of our Munich & Bamberg Tours you’ll be able to try most of the Doppelbocks listed above because our tours include visits to Andechs, Schlenkerla, Schneider Weisse, Weihenstephan and Weltenburger! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, explore the Franconian breweries trail, explore the 1,000-year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page. It's also worth noting What Sets Us Apart from other German beer tour companies. Thank you and Prost! "We’ve taken plenty of “beer-cations” over the years (mostly self-led), but this was by far the best!”
Jack & Michele P., Colorado Springs, CO Jack is a Certified Cicerone®, BJCP Beer Judge, and American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2012 "This tour surpassed our highest expectations!” Tom & Debbie F., Pensacola, FL "Original Gravity Tours' Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour was a dream come true for this home-brewer and beer lover!” Frank R., San Juan Bautista, CA Frank has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2006 "Gene is perhaps the best tour guide I have ever met. He knows Munich and Bamberg inside out and will introduce you to the best beers these cities have to offer.” Jonathan R., Huntsville, AL Jonathan has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2017 "Best trip ever. Tasted 73 different German beers over the course of the trip, many of which could only be sampled on a trip like this...” Bob & Lori D., Wamego, KS 2019 “I am an avid homebrewer and although my wife is not a beer drinker, she is a beer culture enthusiast, and this tour was just a phenomenal fit for both of us.” Mark & Kris M., Lake Saint Louis, MO Mark has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 1995! Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! Folks, this is a brief update to our recent email on the status of Original Gravity Tours. We’ll also share a couple more beers for you to consider when looking for the best Bavaria has to offer. Update Due to the overwhelming positive response we received from people on our mailing list (i.e., friends, past customers, customers who's tours we had to cancel in 2020, and people who have yet to sign-up for a tour) we’ve decided to keep our tour operations going and keep our website up through 2021. We’ll then see where things stand towards the end of the year, and if Covid-19 seems to be behind us we'll start planning for tours in 2022. If not, then we'll know we gave it our best shot as far as trying to outlast the virus. Wish us luck! More Best Beers of Bavaria Since we were writing again so soon, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share a couple more beers that we consider to be the best of Bavaria! As with the last time, the two beers below go well beyond the typical German Lager and we recommend you look for them on your next trip to the beer store! Schwaben Bräu Das Keller Pils (In Stuttgart, founded 1878)  A Kellerbier is a beer that has not been filtered, like most beers are, prior to bottling or kegging. This style dates back to the old days when beer was a little “rougher around the edges” than are beers today but perhaps a little tastier. You can find a fair number of Lager Kellerbiers in Bavaria, particularly in the Franconia region, but Keller Pils beers are not so common. This one from Schwaben Bräu is a fine example of a Keller Pils and is definitely worth looking for. Weihenstephan Korbinian "The World's Oldest Brewery", in Kelheim, founded 1040)  Weihenstephan Korbinian is a Doppelbock beer, also referred to in Germany as a Starkbier (strong, dark beer). Doppelbocks are typically brewed for drinking during the Starkbierfest season which coincides with the Catholic observance of Lent. However, Weihenstephan brews their Korbinian year round and is our favorite among all of the Doppelbocks we've tasted! Original Gravity Tours We hope this article inspires you to dream up your next beercation, be it in Germany or elsewhere. We also hope you’ll consider joining one of our future Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, follow the Franconian breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! "We’ve taken plenty of “beer-cations” over the years (mostly self-led), but this was by far the best!”
Jack & Michele P., Colorado Springs, CO Jack is a Certified Cicerone®, BJCP Beer Judge, and American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2012 "This tour surpassed our highest expectations!” Tom & Debbie F., Pensacola, FL "Original Gravity Tours' Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour was a dream come true for this home-brewer and beer lover!” Frank R., San Juan Bautista, CA Frank has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2006 "Gene is perhaps the best tour guide I have ever met. He knows Munich and Bamberg inside out and will introduce you to the best beers these cities have to offer.” Jonathan R., Huntsville, AL Jonathan has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2017 "Best trip ever. Tasted 73 different German beers over the course of the trip, many of which could only be sampled on a trip like this...” Bob & Lori D., Wamego, KS 2019 “I am an avid homebrewer and although my wife is not a beer drinker, she is a beer culture enthusiast, and this tour was just a phenomenal fit for both of us.” Mark & Kris M., Lake Saint Louis, MO Mark has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 1995! Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! In this blog article, we'll share with you a few of the best beers Bavaria has to offer and which we always enjoy on our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. Best Beers of Bavaria Listed below are a few of our favorite German beers (Bavarian actually) that go well beyond the typical German Lager and which you’ll want to try before your beer drinking days are over. We get to sample most of these on our tours, but if you ever make it over there on your own, these are definitely worth seeking out. Of course, there are many other exceptional beers we could have shared with you, but we wanted to offer a variety of different beer styles that are mostly available in the U.S. A few may require a trip to Bavaria to find, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it? Note, these beers are listed in alphabetically order by brewery name and not in order of preference. Prost!  Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche (Oak) Doppelbock
Kloster Andechs Bergbock Hell (Light bock beer, on tap at the Andechser am Dom in Munich) & Doppelbock Dunkel
Augustiner Edelstoff (Lager, on tap at the Hirschgarten in Munich) & Maximator (Doppelbock) Brauerei Hölzlein (In Lohndorf (northern Bavaria), founded in 1781)  Brauerei Hölzlein Kellerbier (Unfiltered Lager)
Schneider Weisse Aventinus (Weizen Doppelbock) and Original Hefe-Weizen
Weihenstephan Korbinian (Doppelbock) & Vitus (Weizenbock) Weltenburger Kloster (The world's oldest monastery brewery, in Kelheim, founded 1050)  Weltenburger Anno 1050 (Märzen) Original Gravity Tours! If you join one of our Munich & Bamberg Tours you’ll be able to try most of the Doppelbocks listed above because our tours include visits to Andechs, Schlenkerla, Schneider Weisse, Weihenstephan and Weltenburger! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, explore the Franconian breweries trail, explore the 1,000-year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page. It's also worth noting What Sets Us Apart from other German beer tour companies. Thank you and Prost! "We’ve taken plenty of “beer-cations” over the years (mostly self-led), but this was by far the best!”
Jack & Michele P., Colorado Springs, CO Jack is a Certified Cicerone®, BJCP Beer Judge, and American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2012 "This tour surpassed our highest expectations!” Tom & Debbie F., Pensacola, FL "Original Gravity Tours' Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour was a dream come true for this home-brewer and beer lover!” Frank R., San Juan Bautista, CA Frank has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2006 "Gene is perhaps the best tour guide I have ever met. He knows Munich and Bamberg inside out and will introduce you to the best beers these cities have to offer.” Jonathan R., Huntsville, AL Jonathan has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2017 "Best trip ever. Tasted 73 different German beers over the course of the trip, many of which could only be sampled on a trip like this...” Bob & Lori D., Wamego, KS 2019 “I am an avid homebrewer and although my wife is not a beer drinker, she is a beer culture enthusiast, and this tour was just a phenomenal fit for both of us.” Mark & Kris M., Lake Saint Louis, MO Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! If it weren’t for the global health crisis, we’d be in Munich right now enjoying the spectacle of Oktoberfest, but alas we’re stuck at home just like you. So, we put on our thinking caps and determined the best way to overcome those old “Missing Oktoberfest Blues” was to conduct an informal taste test of as many Oktoberfest-related beers as we could get our hands on. For our taste test we assembled nine Oktoberfest Biers from Munich and a few other German cities; basically, all we could get our hands on. We didn’t include any American “Oktoberfest” beers because it would be a very different tasting experience due primarily to the American proclivity for hops. But the beers we assembled represent a nice range of breweries from within Munich as well as a few notable German breweries. In this article we’ll share:
 Beer Tasting Lineup. Brief History of Oktoberfest Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival and funfair and is held annually in Munich, Germany. The festival runs for 16 – 18 days from mid-September to the first Sunday in October, and is locally known as the Wiesn (“Veez-in”) after the name of the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese (Therese’s meadow). Oktoberfest kicks off each year in the Schottenhamel tent (total capacity 9,030 people) at exactly noon on the first Saturday of the festival when the mayor of Munich taps the first keg of Spaten and proclaims “O'zapft is!” (It has been tapped!). At that point the beer starts flowing in all of the tents!  Front entrance to the Armbrustschützenzelt tent First held in 1810, Oktoberfest has been held every year since except for twelve years when it was cancelled due to war (Napoleonic, Austro-Prussian, WWI and WWII) or disease (Cholera (twice) and now Coronavirus). We are indeed living through historic times. Had it not been cancelled this year, the festival would have begun on Saturday, Sept. 19th and ended on Sunday, Oct. 4th. In 2019, 6.3 million people visited Oktoberfest and consumed 7.3 million liters of beer. In addition to 17 large tents and 21 small tents the festival also includes numerous amusement rides, side stalls and games, along with a wide variety of traditional foods. According to the official Oktoberfest Tents page the largest tent is the Hacker-Festzelt with a total seating capacity of 9,378 (inside and in the outdoor beer garden). Oktoberfest Bier: Märzen or Festbier... or Both? Only beer conforming to the Reinheitsgebot and brewed within the Munich city limits can be served at Oktoberfest. Beers meeting these criteria are designated “Oktoberfest Bier” although the name also denotes two distinct beer styles: the traditional Märzen style lager and a paler “Festbier” that’s more commonly served at Oktoberfest today. The descriptions of the Märzen and Festbier beer styles presented below in this section are courtesy of the 2015 Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Style Guidelines, © Copyright 1999 – 2020, Beer Judge Certification Program, Inc. MÄRZEN “History: As the name suggests, [it is] brewed as a stronger “March beer” in March and lagered in cold caves over the summer. Modern versions trace back to the lager developed by Spaten in 1841, contemporaneous to the development of Vienna lager. However, the Märzen name is much older than 1841; the early ones were dark brown, and in Austria the name implied a strength band (14 °P) rather than a style. The German amber lager version (in the Viennese style of the time) was first served at Oktoberfest in 1872, a tradition that lasted until 1990 when the golden Festbier was adopted as the standard festival beer. “Overall Impression: An elegant, malty German amber lager with a clean, rich, toasty and bready malt flavor, restrained bitterness, and a dry finish that encourages another drink. The overall malt impression is soft, elegant, and complex, with a rich aftertaste that is never cloying or heavy. “Appearance: Amber-orange to deep reddish-copper color; should not be golden. Bright clarity, with persistent, off-white foam stand.  Typical Oktoberfest Märzen appearance. Image © Copyright Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe GmbH & Co. KGaA. All rights reserved. “Flavor: Initial malt flavor often suggests sweetness, but finish is moderately-dry to dry. Distinctive and complex maltiness often includes a bready, toasty aspect. Hop bitterness is moderate, and the hop flavor is low to none (German types: complex, floral, herbal, or spicy). Hops provide sufficient balance that the malty palate and finish do not seem sweet. The aftertaste is malty, with the same elegant, rich malt flavors lingering. Noticeable caramel, biscuit, or roasted flavors are inappropriate. Clean lager fermentation profile. “Comments: Modern domestic German Oktoberfest versions are golden – see the Festbier style for this version. Export German versions (to the United States, at least) are typically orange-amber in color, have a distinctive toasty malt character, and are most often labeled Oktoberfest. American craft versions of Oktoberfest are generally based on this style, and most Americans will recognize this beer as Oktoberfest. Historic versions of the beer tended to be darker, towards the brown color range, but there have been many ‘shades’ of Märzen (when the name is used as a strength); this style description specifically refers to the stronger amber lager version. The modern Festbier can be thought of as a pale Märzen by these terms.” FESTBIER “History: Since 1990, the majority of beer served at Oktoberfest in Munich has been this style. Export beer specifically made for the United States is still mainly of the traditional amber style, as are US-produced interpretations. Paulaner first created the golden version in the mid-1970s because they thought the traditional Oktoberfest was too filling. So, they developed a lighter, more drinkable but still malty version that they wanted to be “more poundable” (according to the head brewer at Paulaner). But the actual type of beer served at Oktoberfest is set by a Munich city committee. “Overall Impression: A smooth, clean, pale German lager with a moderately strong malty flavor and a light hop character. Deftly balances strength and drinkability, with a palate impression and finish that encourages drinking. Showcases elegant German malt flavors without becoming too heavy or filling. “Appearance: Deep yellow to deep gold color; should not have amber hues. Bright clarity. Persistent white to off-white foam stand. Most commercial examples are medium gold in color.  Typical Festbier appearance. Image © Copyright Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan. All rights reserved. “Flavor: Medium to medium-high malty flavor initially, with a lightly toasty, bread dough quality and an impression of soft sweetness. Medium to medium-low bitterness, definitely malty in the balance. Well-attenuated and crisp, but not dry. Medium-low to medium floral, herbal, or spicy hop flavor. Clean lager fermentation character. The taste is mostly of Pils malt, but with slightly toasty hints. The bitterness is supportive, but still should yield a malty, flavorful finish. “Comments: This style represents the modern German beer served at Oktoberfest (although it is not solely reserved for Oktoberfest; it can be found at many other ‘fests’), and is sometimes called Wiesn (“the meadow” or local name for the Oktoberfest festival). We chose to call this style Festbier since by German and EU regulations, Oktoberfestbier is a protected appellation for beer produced at large breweries within the Munich city limits for consumption at Oktoberfest. Other countries are not bound by these rules, so many craft breweries in the US produce beer called Oktoberfest, but based on the traditional style described in these guidelines as Märzen.” Beer Tasting Lineup & Results As mentioned above, we had the pleasure of tasting nine beers across two similar beer styles – Oktoberfest Märzen and Festbier. These beers are listed below and pictured beneath that in the same order (L-R):
 Our view of the beers prior to tasting. Note the varying colors; our first clue regarding the beer style. This was not a “blind” test in that the tasting cups were not covered to prevent us from seeing each beer, but the bottles were hidden from view. Our methodology - if you want to call it that - was confined to observing the color, the body, the finish and our personal preferences. Not wanting to waste beer (duh!) and unlike in real beer competitions, we drank each beer as we tasted it and didn’t cleanse our palates between beers. Our final ratings (each beer was given a rating from 1 to 10) are therefore likely to be biased and definitely not “expert” opinion, but rating beer (like many things in life) is probably more subjective and less scientific than some BJCP judges would be willing to admit. Finally, all of the beers that are allowed to be served at Oktoberfest München were included in our taste test except for Löwenbräu and Augustiner Bräu because these breweries don’t distribute their Oktoberfest beers to the United States.  * The five beers identified with asterisks in the table above are official “Oktoberfest biers” and thus allowed to be served at Oktoberfest. ** Based on the BJCP style guide, the Bitburger Festbier color - amber orange – doesn’t fall into desired appearance for a Festbier. The Winners Unlike real beer tasting competitions, we wound up with a tie in each category.
That said, the biggest surprise in our tasting was the Dinkelacker which is brewed in Stuttgart, about 140 northwest of Munich, in Bavaria. Dinkelacker is an exceptional brewery and we particularly recommend their Schwaben Bräu Keller Pils which is an uncommon unfiltered pilsner. The other beer worth discussing is the Weihenstephaner Festbier. This beer is brewed by the Bayerische Staatsbrauerei (Bavarian State Brewery) Weihenstephan in Freising which is just outside of Munich proper. Weihenstephan is both the oldest brewery in the world (founded in 1040) and is associated with the Technical University of Munich which has the most prestigious brewing school in the world. So, it should come as no surprise that they brew an exceptional Festbier. Of course, Paulaner (Festbier) and Spaten (Märzen) should be given the respect they deserve. Being 386 years old (Paulaner, founded in 1634) and 126 years old (Spaten, founded 1894) one can assume they’ve figured out how to brew beer by now!  With my better-half inside the Schottenhamel tent. Notice that we’re drinking the Spaten Festbier and not their Märzen which is what we get here in the U.S. Original Gravity Tours We hope this article inspires you to dream up your next beercation, be it in Germany or elsewhere. We also hope you’ll consider joining one of our future Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, follow the Franconian breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! We also offer a Week Before Oktoberfest Tour that allows you to attend the granddaddy of all beer festivals after our tour! AHA Member Discount! AHA members always get a discount on our tours. If you’re an AHA member, Contact Us with us your AHA Membership number, and we’ll send you a special link that allows you to take advantage of this discount. "We’ve taken plenty of “beer-cations” over the years (mostly self-led), but this was by far the best!” Jack & Michele P., Colorado Springs, CO Jack is a Certified Cicerone®, BJCP Beer Judge, and American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2012 "This tour surpassed our highest expectations!” Tom & Debbie F., Pensacola, FL "Original Gravity Tours' Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour was a dream come true for this home-brewer and beer lover!” Frank R., San Juan Bautista, CA Frank has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2006 "Gene is perhaps the best tour guide I have ever met. He knows Munich and Bamberg inside out and will introduce you to the best beers these cities have to offer.” Jonathan R., Huntsville, AL Jonathan has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 2017 "Best trip ever. Tasted 73 different German beers over the course of the trip, many of which could only be sampled on a trip like this...” Bob & Lori D., Wamego, KS 2019 “I am an avid homebrewer and although my wife is not a beer drinker, she is a beer culture enthusiast, and this tour was just a phenomenal fit for both of us.” Mark & Kris M., Lake Saint Louis, MO Mark has been an American Homebrewers Association Member Since 1995! All content © 2020 Original Gravity Tours except as noted.
Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! Visiting 1,000 year-old breweries isn’t something most Americans do often. So if you love travel and you love beer, you might be interested in reading about our Bucket-List Beercation – German Style! What is a Bucket-List Beercation? To us it’s about enjoying the ultimate beer-lover experience by visiting the oldest breweries Germany (and the world!) has to offer, sampling the best beers in Bavaria, and digging into the German craft beer scene. It’s also about experiencing enough cultural/scenic activities to satisfy partners who may not share the same passion for beer. It’s not easy to put together, but we think we do a pretty good job at it... and so do our customers! In this article we’ll walk you through the ultimate Bucket-List Beercation – German Style! "We’ve taken plenty of “beer-cations” over the years (mostly self-led), but this was by far the best!” Jack & Michele P., Colorado Springs, CO  Dinner at Augustiner-Keller - The 3rd largest beer garden in Munich (5,000 seats) DAY 1: The World’s Oldest Brewery & Munich Historical Walking Tour! Our adventures get off to a fast start with a tour of the World’s Oldest Brewery – Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (the Weihenstephan Bavarian State Brewery). The Weihenstephan monastery was founded by St. Korbinian in the year 725 on Nährberg hill overlooking what is now the town of Freising. It’s assumed brewing started about the same time, but in 1040 the brewery was granted an official license from the city of Freising to brew and sell their beer. Lucky for us, several Weihenstephaner beers are available here in the U.S., but if you want to taste it fresh, you need to visit the brewery in Freising! Beer tasting after the tour, and aging tanks on-tour Beer makes people do "interesting" things, and lunch in the beer garden "Original Gravity Tours' Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour was a dream come true for this home-brewer and beer lover!” Frank R., San Juan Bautista, CA We wrap up the afternoon with a historical walking tour of Munich followed by dinner in one of our favorite historic brewery restaurants. Munich was officially founded in the year 1158, however the first human settlements date back to around 100BC. With this kind of history, there’s no shortage of sites to explore and stories to hear. Outside the Hofbräuhaus München, and the Viktualienmarkt farmers market and beer garden   Historical walking tour on the Platzl, and outside the Theatinerkirche (church) DAY 2: Brewery on the “Holy Mountain” and Alpine Craft Brewing! A very scenic and flavorful day is in store for the second day of our tour as we head south into the Bavarian Alps. Our first stop is the town of Andechs where the Kloster Andechs Monastery & Brewery is located at the top of “The Holy Mountain”. Benedictine monks founded the monastery and started brewing back in 1455, and when sipping a beer with a view of the Alps and surrounding hills, you’ll definitely feel a little closer to heaven. It’s worth noting that the beer here is pumped directly from bottling tanks to the taps in the Bräustüberl and then into your glass. Hard to get any fresher than that! Kloster Andechs beer garden/terrace, and view from terrace What one wise local has to say about Kloster Andechs! "This tour surpassed our highest expectations! Tom & Debbie F., Pensacola, FL After that nice warm-up at Kloster Andechs we continue our journey south to the town of Bad Tölz. With a modern day population of about 19,000, Bad Tölz has a brewing tradition dating back to the 15th century. Once it was home to more than 20 breweries that were all connected by underground tunnels that led down to the Isar River. Today, there’s just one remaining – Tölzer Mühlfeldbräu – a craft brewery that was built in 2008 on the foundation of the old Grüner Bräu brewery (founded in 1709). We’ll take an intimate tour of Tölzer Mühlfeldbräu followed by a tasting of their extensive craft beer line-up. Non-beer drinkers have the option to take a stroll through the historic town center instead. Bad Tölz "skyline" from the banks of the Isar River, and open air fermentation tanks on tour 300 year-old lagering cellar, and the Tölzer Mühlfeldbräu tasting line-up DAY 3: Hallertau Hop Heaven, Bavaria’s Oldest Wheat Beer Brewery, Danube River Ferry & The Oldest Monastery Brewery in the World! A very full day awaits us and our first stop is at Hopfenhimmel (Hop Heaven) in the Hallertau hop-growing region north of Munich. Hallertau is the largest hop-growing region in the world and if you’re a homebrewer, you’ve likely brewed with Hallertau hops at some point. The Hopfenhimmel is a platform that sits about 30 feet high and above the surrounding hop fields. It provides a spectacular view of the area.  "Stairway to Heaven"!  View from the top We then continue our way north to the Oldest Wheat Beer Brewery in Bavaria, the Schneider Weisse Brewery in Kelheim. The Schneider Weisse brewery was built by Duke Maximilian I in 1607 when he decided to expand production and brew wheat beer for sale to the general public. Then in 1872, Georg Schneider purchased a license to be the first private brewer of wheat beer along with a brewery located at site of the Schneider Bräuhaus in central Munich. After outgrowing that space, Georg Schneider IV purchased the brewery in Kelheim in 1928 and his family has been brewing here ever since with Georg Schneider VI at the helm today. Note: If you think you don’t like wheat beer, wait until you try Schneider Weisse, especially the “holy grail” of their line up, Aventinus (Tap 6). Aventinus is a wheat doppelbock and we have yet to meet a customer who doesn’t immediately fall in love with it’s smooth, deep flavor! Schneider Original and Aventinus, and two new Aventinus lovers   Guided tasting at Schneider Weisse, and the "hard stuff", Aventinus Eisbock, ABV 12% "Best trip ever. Tasted 73 different German beers over the course of the trip, many of which could only be sampled on a trip like this...” Bob & Lori D., Wamego, KS 2019 Next, we jump on a ferry that takes us up the Danube River to the Oldest Monastery Brewery in the World – Weltenburger Kloster. The monastery dates back to the year 617 and the first record of brewing was in 1050. In addition to brewing exceptional beers, the monastery and brewery are beautifully situated on the banks of the Danube River. For an eye-popping experience, walk into the beautiful Church of St. Georg. This baroque style church was built in 1739 by the Asam brothers, and in gratitude, the monks named one of their beers, Asam Bock (a rich doppelbock) after the brothers. Approaching Kloster Andechs by ferry, and enjoying a hearty Asam Bock  Chillin' in the Weltenburger Kloster beer garden DAY 4: Bamberg Historical Walking Tour & Weyermann Malts Plant Tour! The Franconia region is located in northern-most Bavaria, bordering the Czech Republic to the east. Franconia is actually broken into three “sub-regions” called Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia. Upper Franconia is where we spend our time because it has more breweries per capita than anywhere in the world! In particular, we spend a few days in and around the city of Bamberg. Bamberg is even older than Munich having been founded in the year 1012. Bamberg was the capital city of all of Franconia when the region was an independent German state prior to the Second World War. During the war, Allied bombing thankfully spared the town and today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bamberg is also home to the most famous smoked beer (Rauchbier) in the world, Schlenkerla, brewed by Brauerei Heller-Trum (founded 1405). Not everyone warms up to smoked beer immediately, so we recommend following the advice of locals. They say that when trying smoked beer for the first time, you should drink at least 3 beers and then you’ll fall in love with it forever. Sounds like a good strategy to us, no?  The Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) in Bamberg The Schlenkerla taproom & restaurant (inside & out) in central Bamberg   Old town Bamberg at dusk, and lunch in the Mahrs Bräu beer garden "Gene is perhaps the best tour guide I have ever met. He knows Munich and Bamberg inside out and will introduce you to the best beers these cities have to offer.” Jonathan R., Huntsville, AL After a relaxing lunch over a few beers, we make our way to the Weyermann Malts plant (founded 1879) for a tour of their production facilities. If you’re a homebrewer, you’ve probably used one or more of their malts in your brewing activities. And it’s pretty interesting to see how they source and test the raw grain, convert it into malt, and distribute the finished product worldwide. Weyermann delivery truck, and on tour Tasting in the Weyermann taproom, and post-tour DAY 5: Bamberg Countryside Village Beer Tour! As mentioned above, Upper Franconia has more breweries per capita than anywhere in the world with more than 200 breweries for a population of about one million. For comparison, Delaware has about the same population but has just 27 breweries at last count. Most of the breweries in Upper Franconia are small, family run operations that have been around for 300 years or more and are located in small villages outside of Bamberg. With this many breweries it’s hard to decide which to visit on each tour, but here are a few of our favorites. The specialty of most of these breweries (and the region) is Kellerbier, also sometimes called “Ungespundet”, which is a delicious unfiltered lager. Brauerei Hönig Dating back to the year 1478, Brauerei Hönig is a small, family brewery in Tiefenellern run by Peter Hönig who is also the braumeister. One thing that’s really cool about visiting these breweries, besides the beer, is that the owners are usually pouring the beer, very friendly and happy to talk to you to the extent their command of English allows.  Peter Hönig, owner and braumeister at Brauerei Hönig  View from the Brauerei Hönig beer garden Brauerei Neder Dating back to the year 1554, Brauerei Neder is a small brewery in Forchheim that also brews an excellent Kellerbier. You might wonder why their logo contains a ship since they’re located in the middle of Germany? It’s because the boats that used to cruise up and down the Regnitz River delivering supplies had a regular stop at Forchheim. and stopping for a cold Nederbräu was a regular occurrence.  Nice cold Nederbräu kellerbier Brauerei Grasser Brauerei Grasser dates back to 1516 and is located in the town of Huppendorf. They distribute their beer into Bamberg, so if you come across a “Huppendorfer” tap handle, ask the server for a “Hoopy”. They’ll know exactly what you’re talking about!  Prost from Brauerei Grasser! Griess Keller Griess Keller is a beautiful beer garden located in Strullendorf. It’s part of Brauerei Griess, run by the Griess family since 1872, and today, Peter Griess is the third generation owner and braumeister.  The "taproom" is open at Griess Keller!  Protected from rain in the Griess Keller beer garden Brauerei Hölzlein Last but not least is Brauerei Hölzlein. All of the breweries you’ll find in Upper Franconia are excellent, but Brauerei Hölzlein in Lohndorf is probably our favorite. Founded in 1781, Heinrich Hölzlein and his son are 7th and 8th generation owners/braumeisters and are super friendly! They make the best Kellerbier we’ve ever tasted and it wasn’t “the beer talking”... or maybe it was?  Heinrich (right) and his son are always happy to talk beer What one smart couple has to say about Brauerei Hölzlein! “I am an avid homebrewer and although my wife is not a beer drinker, she is a beer culture enthusiast, and this tour was just a phenomenal fit for both of us.” Mark & Kris M., Lake Saint Louis, MO AHA Member Discount!
AHA members always get a substantial discount on our tours. If you’re an AHA member, Contact Us with us your AHA Membership number, and we’ll send you a special link that allows you to take advantage of this discount. Original Gravity Tours We hope this article inspires you to look for your Bucket-List Beercation, be it in Germany or elsewhere. We also hope you consider joining one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours next summer. For a virtual tour, pop open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, follow the Franconian breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! Prost! Happy New Year Beer & Travel Lovers! In our last blog post – Italian Craft Beer - Now That's Amore! – we introduced the Italian craft brewing scene. This month, we have a few things to share: 1. Beto’s Bavarian Beer Diary – First, we’ll introduce Beto Zuniga who joined us on our August 2018 tour, and we’ll share the journal he kept of all the breweries he visited and beers he tried on our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour. If you’re curious about the brewery/beer experience in Bavaria (and Belgium) you'll like this section. 2. Beer History 101 – Next, we’ll share a brief history of beer from the “beginning of time” to modern day Bavaria, in Southern Germany, including a few surprises. 3. Blue Oak Brewing Company – Finally, we’ll introduce you to our favorite Bay Area craft brewery – Blue Oak Brewing – where founder Alex Porter offers an array of well-crafted beer styles for every taste. BETO’S BAVARIAN BEER DIARY Beto Zuniga is a beer expert, enthusiast and connoisseur, and a pretty interesting guy. He and his wife Anne accompanied us on our August 2018 Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tour and he posted his beer journal from this tour on his website, Secret Biere Society. Beto began brewing after college while working as a research assistant at a biochemistry company in Houston. One of his jobs was to grow yeast, and to extract and purify a particular protein from that yeast. Around this time he started brewing with liquid malt extract. Eventually he joined one of Texas’ largest homebrew clubs (Foam Rangers Homebrew Club) and learned to brew all-grain with a 10-gallon HERMS system (Heat Exchange Recirculating Mash) system that he built himself.  Anne and Beto at Brauerei Grasser in Königsfeld, Germany He eventually moved to Oregon where he joined one of the oldest homebrew clubs in the nation (Heart of the Valley Homebrewers) and at the encouragement of the club, become a BJCP Certified Judge. After leaving Oregon, Beto started a journal to track his beer tasting adventures. Whenever he and Anne travel (including trips to Belgium and Germany) they always visit local brewpubs and breweries, and in 2018 he created a website to make it easier to keep track of all of his beer tasting.  Beto and Anne (right) at the Altes Hackerhaus in Munich Beto now lives in Connecticut and occasionally lectures to an Ethnobotany class at the local college. Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious, and other uses. The focus of his lectures is on the impact beer has had on human civilization. Finally, as an AHA member, each year he sponsors a “Learn to Brew Day” at his house. Learn to Brew Day is an annual AHA national event that takes place on the first Saturday of November. We’re impressed with Beto’s brewing/beer knowledge, and we think you will be as well if you visit the Secret Biere Society! BEER HISTORY 101 In the Beginning... Until recently, historians thought that brewing dated back 5,000-6,000 years to ≈3,000-4,000 B.C., and that brewing originated in the area then known as Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia encompassed an area centered around the Tigris–Euphrates river system in modern day Iraq, and spreading out in all directions into Eastern Syria, Southern Turkey, Northern Kuwait, and Northern Saudi Arabia. The development of brewing was generally equated to agricultural societies that first learned to grow grain, then how to bake bread, and then eventually stumble upon beer. No one knows for certain, but perhaps some grain was left in a vessel, somehow got wet and was inoculated by wild yeast ultimately resulting in the first beer. Archeological findings indicate that beer production and consumption eventually became wide-spread, and that beer was important enough that the Sumerians, who lived in southern Mesopotamia, even had their own patron Goddess of Brewing named Ninkasi. Archeological findings also indicate the presence of an important brewing culture in ancient Egypt, occurring roughly at the same time as in Mesopotamia. In Egypt, beer was important enough that the royal court eventually levied taxes on brewing. Further evidence of beer’s importance to the Egyptians comes from beer containers that were buried with the dead and images of brewing and drinking activities on the walls of ancient tombs. The Egyptians also had a Goddess of Brewing and Beer named Tjenenet. [IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Egyptian servant pouring beer for her master But hold everything! Last year, a research team led by Li Liu, Professor of Chinese Archeology at Stanford, published findings that indicate brewing likely dates back to between 9,000 and 12,000 B.C. or about twice as long as previously thought. Professor Liu’s team analyzed residues from 13,000-year-old stone mortars found in a cave near what is now Haifa, in northern Israel, and discovered evidence of extensive beer brewing. Their findings suggest that beer production actually came before the domestication of grains, and not vice versa as previously believed. No doubt there will be further discoveries about early brewing, but suffice it to say that beer has held an important place in society throughout human history. Fast Forward to Europe During the Roman period, beer consumption became common throughout the empire and is thought to have been introduced to Northern Europe in the first century B.C. Although the Romans conquered most of Northern Europe, the Germans put up a good fight and the Romans were stopped west of the Rhine and south of the Danube River. So they only managed to conquer and inhabit the area roughly equating to modern day Bavaria. The oldest known evidence of brewing in Germany comes from vessels found near the small town of Kulmbach (in northern Bavaria) that date back to around 800 B.C. Like bread baking, brewing in the early centuries was the work of women, and it wasn’t until sometime in the first millennium that monasteries took up the practice. [IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Monk brewer checking the color & clarity of his beer At this point, brewing transitioned from being home-based toward a more organized and commercial activity. The leaders of the pack were the Benedictine Monks for whom beer was an important part of their diet and had great spiritual value (duh!). It also helped them get through Lent (40-days of fasting leading up to Easter) as it was the only “food” they could consume during this period. The Monks also understood that beer was popular outside the monastery and that by selling it, they could help support their monastic activities. This led to the birth of Kloisterschenken (taprooms) where Monks sold beer to go. [IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Monks enjoying the fruit of their favorite “hobby” Eventually the nobility of the day figured out that due to the popularity of beer it could be a lucrative source of tax income. As such, many heads of state banned monasteries from selling beer, and without the income, many monasteries could no longer survive. Our favorite German monasteries (or former monasteries in the case of Weihenstephan) that continue to brew and sell beer are listed below. Please note that we visit, tour, eat and/or drink at all of these on our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. All dates shown are A.D.
BLUE OAK BREWING Blue Oak Brewing is a 7-barrel brewery located in San Carlos, California (a San Francisco suburb). Blue Oak is fairly unique in the craft beer industry in that instead of focusing on high IBUs, they focus on making well-balanced, true-to-style beers including Belgians, lagers and a wide variety of flavorful ales. In our opinion, Blue Oak is a model for other craft breweries in how to brew beers with character and depth that appeal to the broadest set of beer drinkers. We recently had a chance to sit down with Alex Porter, founder and brewmaster at Blue Oak Brewing to ask him a few questions.  Alex Porter, founder and brewmaster at Blue Oak Brewing Company Question: Are you still a "7-barrel" microbrewery as stated on your website? ALEX: “Yes, we are still a 7-barrel brewery as this is dictated by the size of our brew house. However, we’ve added more fermentation tanks, which increased our overall capacity from ~200 barrels up to 400 barrels per year.” Question: What got you into brewing and when did you start? ALEX: “My early experience in fermentation science began while working at a biotechnology company in Palo Alto named Genencor. I first participated in their annual "Brew-Ha-Ha" back in 2001 and I've been hooked ever since. I went on to work at major pharmaceutical companies in process engineering and tech transfer roles, and worked with a variety of fermenters up to 20,000 liters.”  Blue Oak Brewing Company brewery and tasting room Question: When did you open Blue Oak? ALEX: “We started Blue Oak in 2014 after I attended a small business course for entrepreneurs through the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center in San Francisco. They’re a non-profit organization that has helped thousands of small business owners organize and optimize their businesses, and also help them connect with the SBA and other sources of funding. We then ran a successful crowd funding campaign in 2015 that helped us get off the ground (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/blue-oak-brewing-company). Unfortunately, we suffered a setback related to our lease, which caused about a ten-month delay. But we had beers on tap through guest taprooms back in November 2016, and were finally able to open our first tasting room in February 2017.”  Flight Time – IIPA, Belgian Dubbel, Stout, and Porter – Something for everybody! Question: Can we assume that Belgian Ale is your favorite beer style? ALEX: “My personal beer ethos is Belgian style beers. That region has a broad offering from classic old world open fermented clean ales to the lambic-gueze barrel primary fermented wild sour beers. My personal favorite is the Belgian golden strong ale (http://www.bjcp.org/style/2015/25/25C/belgian-golden-strong-ale/) for its classic flavor profile and the broad variety of the style depending on the region.” Question: Which of your currently available beers is your favorite? ALEX: “My favorite beer is always our newest on tap. Unfiltered beers have an amazing ability to change their character over time, from IPAs being the best right out of the carbonation tank, to lagers that have had a couple weeks to lager.” Question: What are your goals for the next 12-24 months? ALEX: “Our primary goal for the next 12-24 months is to reach our production capacity. This means more rigorous inventory management, production planning and scheduling, distribution logistics, hiring and training new staff, and achieving a steady state to reach our business goal of becoming self-sustaining.”  Offering everything from a Belgian Quad, to Imperial Stout, IPAs, Sours & German Lager! Original Gravity Tours
We hope this article inspires you to plan your next beer adventure. We also hope you consider joining one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours this summer. For a virtual tour, crack open your favorite German beer and check out our Photos, Videos & Reviews page! We tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, follow the Bamberg breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! ATTN: AHA Members! Save now through Feb. 28th on our July 29th – August 2nd tour! Look for our upcoming Member Deal email, or visit the AHA Website and look for our ad, or send us an email and we’ll share details. Until next time, as Beto would say, “Great minds drink alike”! Ciao Beer & Travel Lovers! In our last article - Craft Brewery Crawling in Hawaii - we tasted our way through the craft breweries of Oahu. This month, we travel in the opposite direction to Italy where we spent several enjoyable days discovering what the Italians are up to when it comes to craft brewing. Craft Brewing in Italy When you think of Italy, what comes to mind – food, wine, romance, art, culture, la dolce vita? Now there's another thing to add to that list – beer! As you might expect, most Italian craft breweries have taken that love of style and beauty and applied it to their beer making. And most Italian brewers don’t just copy existing beer styles. Instead, they create their own unique styles resulting in flavors that spring from local ingredients and, in some cases, centuries old winemaking methods. They also brew with food in mind, naturally assuming that like wine, good beer will be consumed with good food. The results are beers that are subtle and well balanced and generally not as intense as some American craft beers. [Image Temporarily Removed] Piedmonte – Famous Italian wine region and home to many Italian craft breweries Consider this description of “an oxidized barley wine” from one of the oldest Italian craft breweries, Birra Baladin, which in my mind epitomizes the Italian craft beer philosophy: “Xyauyù is a living, top-fermented beer which – after being exposed to the air of the Langhe area and resting for a long period of time – becomes a new and unique product. When poured, it has no head and no gas; it has a clear, full amber, brownish color with copper reflections. When initially inhaled it is very intense, with aromas of dried and candied fruit and strong and harmonious notes which bring Madeira wines to mind.” This may come as a surprise, but there are more than 800 craft breweries in Italy to explore including a few of my favorites – Birra Baladin, Birra Montegioco, Birra Karma, and, solely because of their name, LoverBeer! Most craft breweries are located in northern Italy, which also boasts several exceptional wine producing regions such as Piedmonte, Lombardia, and the Veneto. And the larger breweries have their own brewpubs in major Italian cities making it more convenient to check them out (such as Open Baladin Roma). In this article, we’ll introduce one of the oldest craft breweries in Italy, winner of numerous beer awards, and one of our favorites, Birra Baladin. [IMAGES TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Baladin Open Garden in Piozzo (brewery, visitor center, beer garden). Birra Baladin Birra Baladin was founded in 1996 in a small village (population 998 according to Wikipedia) in northwestern Italy named Piozzo by Teo Musso who still serves as brew master and chief innovator/spokesman. Piozzo is located in the heart of the Piedmonte region, not far from the town of Barolo, which you may recognize as one of several famous Piedmontese wine producing areas. Being the son of a winemaker, Teo grew up understanding the link between the earth and wine, and he wanted to extend that to link another product of the earth, beer. Teo’s dream became a reality when opened his brewery, and extended even further with the creation of the “Baladin Cellar” series, which we’ll explore a little further on. [IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Teo Musso, founder of Birra Baladin A Brief History Teo got started when he opened Le Baladin Pub in Piozzo in 1986. He was especially drawn to Belgian beers and stocked the pub with 200+ beers from Belgium and other exceptional beer producing countries. Ten years later, in 1996, the pub became an actual brewpub when he began brewing and serving his own beer. And in 1997 he released his first bottled beer, an amber ale called Super. Also in 1997, Teo released the first of several spiced beers named after family members starting with Isaac, which is a Belgian inspired wheat beer dedicated to his son. In 2000, Wayan, a Saison dedicated to his newborn daughter was released. Also in 2000, Nora was released. Nora is an “Egyptian ale” that’s dedicated to the mother of Teo’s children. [IMAGES TEMPORARILY REMOVED] Isaac; a Belgian-inspired wheat beer (on the left) and Wayan; a Saison. Images © Selezione Baladin S.r.l. In 2004, Xyauyù was first released. Xyauyù is an oxidized barley wine that’s part of the Baladin Cellar – Teo Musso Reserve series. It’s fun to mention that Xyauyù was named after an imaginary friend of Teo’s daughter when she was a small child. It’s also fun to mention that this beer is off-the-charts exceptional!  Xyauyù 2014, Baladin Cellar – Teo Musso Reserve Sort of Interesting Side Note Teo, and Italian sensory analyst and beer expert, Lerenzo Dabove (who goes by the nickname Kuaska) designed a glass specifically for beer. It’s call the Teku 3.0 (first two letters from each of their names) and is manufactured by German glassmaker, Rastal, a high-end glassware manufacturer. As stated on the Rastal website: “The angled bowl captures the aromatics for the nose and palate. The slim lip of the glass feels just right when imbibing and the stem creates an elegant visual presentation while keeping body temperature from warming the beer prematurely.” According to one source, this glass is the official glass used in all Italian beer competitions. Might be the perfect Christmas gift idea for the beer lover in your life? [IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED] The Teku 3.0 Glass Tasting at Open Baladin Roma When in Rome, I highly recommend a visit to Open Baladin Roma. Not only do they have 35 taps serving their own creations, they also have a wall of other beers from top Italian producers. Note: You can purchase bottles to go, but if you’re interested in doing so, Italian law requires that you make your purchase before 10:00PM. Open Baladin also has a kitchen serving quality bar food ranging from hamburgers to salads and vegetarian options.  Easy-to-miss, non-descript entrance to Open Baladin Roma  What awaits you inside the Open Baladin Roma taproom When we visited, Gabriele Galiffi and Dario Nigro very graciously talked us through our tasting of several Baladin beers. It was immediately obvious that their beer was flavorful, subtle, complex and delicious, but I believe the friendliness and helpfulness of Gabriele and Dario made our evening especially exceptional. We only scratched the surface, but of the beers we tried, the ones that earned a “Wow!” in my tasting notes were: Nora (Egyptian Ale) “Nora tells of ancient history, nomadic people and pyramids, spices and Kamut®, which means “the soul of the earth” in ancient Egyptian. Its warm, orange-amber color is complemented by a tall head which releases notes of Eastern aromas, ginger and citrus fruit.” ABV 6.8%, IBU 10-12. Nazionale (Italian Ale) “The first 100% Italian beer made with Italian ingredients. An intentionally simple beer: Italian water, barley malt, hops, yeasts and two Italian spices (bergamot and coriander) which combine to create harmony and originality.” ABV 6.5%, IBU 30-32. Note: At 30-32 IBU, this beer is part of Baladin’s “Hoppy Beer” series, which highlights a key difference between Italian and American craft brewing. Open Amber (American Pale Ale) “A beer which combines the features of caramel and amber malts with the aromas of American hops. The result is an explosion of well-balanced taste, where the biscuit flavor coming from cereals and the notes of dried fruit blend perfectly with the bitterness and aromatic scents of hops and of the orange peel from Calabria.” ABV 7.5%, IBU 43. Xyauyù (Baladin Cellar – Teo Musso Reserve, 2014) (barley wine) “Xyauyù is a living, top-fermented beer which – after being exposed to the air of the Langhe area and resting for a long period of time – becomes a new and unique product. When poured, it has no head and no gas; it has a clear, full amber, brownish color with copper reflections. When initially inhaled it is very intense, with aromas of dried and candied fruit and strong and harmonious notes which bring Madeira wines to mind.” ABV 14%, IBU 13.  Look for Gabriele (left) and Dario when you visit Open Baladin Roma Original Gravity Tours
We hope this article inspires you to plan a trip to Italy next summer? We also hope you consider joining us on one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours before or after your time in Italy. We’ll experience das süße leben, German style... plus we’ll tour the oldest breweries in the world, meet local craft brewers, enjoy the finest beer gardens, follow the Bamberg breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! Suggestion: Crack open your favorite German beer and check out our recently updated Photos & Reviews page for a virtual tour! Until next time, Arrivaderci and Prost! Aloha Beer & Travel Lovers! In our last article - An American Woman at Braukraft - we caught up with Kirsten Rhein at the Braukraft Brauerei just outside of Munich. This month we head west about 7,500 miles to the Hawaiian island of Oahu to visit several of the craft breweries on the island. Craft Brewing in Hawaii In general, the craft-beer scene in Hawaii is a few years behind the mainland, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t several breweries worth checking out on each of the major islands. Last month we visited the island of Oahu and had the good fortune to stop in at the following local breweries:
My only regret is that we didn’t make it to Beer Lab Hawaii. As they say on their website, “The brewery was built on the idea of continual change, experimentation and small batch brews to provide beer lovers a unique experience with each visit.” This has my attention and they should be high on anyone’s list to check out. HONOLULU Waikiki Brewing Company Our first stop was at the Kaka’ako location of the Waikiki Brewing Company (their original location is in Waikiki, about 2 miles away). Kaka’ako is an industrial section of Honolulu that seems to be regentrifying, at least when it comes to beer as all three of the craft breweries we visited in Honolulu are located here.  Waikiki Brewing Company Kaka’ako location Waikiki Brewing Co. has a very friendly and down to earth vibe, and it was one of my two favorites out of the five breweries we visited on Oahu. As depicted below, we tried several of their beers, all of which were excellent, but especially notable was the Black Strap Molasses Porter (ABV 6.48%, IBU 37). It’s no surprise because this beer earned a silver medal (out of a total of 7,923 entries) in the Robust Beer category at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival.  Sampler boards at Waikiki Brewing Co. Everyone at Waikiki Brewing Co. seemed to go out of his or her way to make sure we were well taken care of. At one point, Adam Golish, manager of the Kaka’ako location, came by our table and after a friendly conversation offered to give us a tour of the brewery. It was on the ceiling of the brewery that we discovered how divine intervention seems to inspire their brewing activities!  Divine intervention above fermentation tanks at Waikiki Brewing Co. Honolulu Beerworks Our next stop was just around the corner at Honolulu Beerworks, also located in the Kaka’ako district. These guys definitely offer some interesting beers, including two limited releases that were on tap when we visited – Pussy Grabs Back (Extra Pale Ale, ABV 6%, IBU 15) and Terminus Saturn (Barrel Aged Cassini (Stout), ABV 8.5%, IBU 35). The rest of the line-up offered enough variety to satisfy most beer lovers’ interests.  Honolulu Beerworks Taproom That said, the vibe here was only so-so. I think it’s because the taproom was a bit over-commercialized with more merchandise on display than beer, and the people working that day didn’t seem too excited to be there. However, because of their beer quality and selection I’ll definitely give them a second shot if I find myself back in Honolulu... perhaps I just caught them on an off day?  Terminus Saturn and Maggie's Rose Tatoo Irish Red Ale Aloha Beer Company Aloha Beer Company was the smallest of the three breweries we visited in the Kaka’ako area and it offered a cool, urban kind of vibe. Everyone there was friendly and helpful and it definitely had the most unique feel versus any of the breweries we visited.  Taproom at Aloha Beer Company They offer a broad line-up of beer styles that should satisfy most beer lovers’ interests. But the two that stood out for me were the Jefe-Weizen (Bavarian-style Hefeweizen brewed with blue agave syrup and lime, ABV 5.7%, IBU 12) and the Portlock Porter (ABV 6.2%, IBU 28). The other thing that makes Aloha Beer Co. unique is that they also have a full bar. This gave it a different feel from any craft brewery I’ve ever visited.  Brewery at Aloha Beer Company Aloha Beer Company was the favorite stop for several people in our group and it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in Honolulu and looking to try some interesting beers. They also offer food that looked pretty tasty from an “in-house” food truck.  The front lanai at Aloha Beer Company EAST SIDE OF THE ISLAND Lanikai Brewing Company On our second day of “crawling”, we headed over to the east side of Oahu and our first stop was in Kailua at the Lanikai Brewing Company. My first impression was that their specialty seems to be brewing sour and fruity beers. Of the 12 taps flowing that day, half of them were pouring sours or fruit-inspired beverages – four sours, one saison, plus one cider. So if you’re a fruit beer fan, you’ll probably really enjoy visiting this taproom.  Lanikai Brewing Company Taproom On the positive side, for non-fruit beer fans like myself, the Lanikai Pillbox Porter (ABV 6.5%, IBU 45) and the Lanikai Momona Imperial Stout (ABV 10.8%, IBU 70) were both well balanced and quite enjoyable. These guys are definitely talented brewers; you just need to appreciate their sour tendencies if you plan to visit.  First round at Lanikai Brewing Co. Inu Island Ales Also located on the east side of the island in Kaneohe, Inu Island Ales was the smallest of all breweries we visited on Oahu and the other of my two favorites. In case you’re wondering, Inu is pronounced ‘Ē-nu’ and is Hawaiian for drink... so translated, their name would be “Drink Island Ales”. Pretty cool, huh?  Open for business at Inu Island Ales Keaka is one of the founders of Inu, and when you visit, you’ll most likely find him behind the counter pouring beer and engaging with customers. In addition to Keaka, there’s a good chance you’ll run into Kyle, their master brewer. Regardless of who’s working that day, you’ll feel like you’re hanging out in a friend’s garage, as both Keaka and Kyle are happy to talk beer with you to your heart’s content! Keaka and Kyle started assembling brewing equipment in late October 2017 and they officially opened the doors in January of this year. It’s hard to tell that the brewery is so new because they’re already producing some exceptional beers. Prior to joining Inu Island Ales, Kyle was brewing at Mraz Brewing Company just outside of Sacramento, California. His time there was obviously well spent because he’s brewing some very interesting beers at Inu.  Taproom at Inu Island Ales - Keaka pouring beer, and Kyle testing the finished product :-) My two favorites were the Inu Island Punch (Island Sour w/peaches and apricots, ABV 4.2%, IBU 0) and the Inu Island Stout (Imperial Stout w/coconut), ABV 13.5%, IBU 51). I typically don’t like fruit/sour beers so it’s saying a lot that the Inu Island Punch was one of my favorites, but the flavors came together nicely and it was quite enjoyable. And the Inu Island Stout, in my humble opinion, is medal worthy should they ever decide to enter it into a beer competition.  "Steal Glass Catch Cracks" If you’re ever on Oahu, I encourage you to take a drive over to Kaneohe to visit Inu Island Ales. But don’t even think about stealing the glasses unless you want to “catch cracks”. Ask Keaka or Kyle what that means and I think you’ll agree!
Original Gravity Tours We hope this article gives you a reason to visit our 50th state? We also hope it makes you consider joining us for one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours. If so, we may not be sipping beers in paradise, but we will tour the world's oldest breweries, experience the finest beer gardens and halls, walk the Bamberg breweries trail, explore the 1,000 year-old cities of Munich & Bamberg, ferry the Danube River, and more! Until next time, Mahalo and Prost! Greetings Beer & Travel Lovers! Now that the holidays are behind us, do you have those old back-to-work blues? If so, there’s nothing better to lose those blues like planning your next summer vacation. So to help spark your imagination, read on to learn about our exciting Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours summer tours! 2018 Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours What exactly do we do on our tours? Well, our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours include 2 full days in Munich, 1 day in Kelheim, and 2 more days in Bamberg. Along the way we take in 3 brewery tours plus 1 malting plant tour, visit several other breweries, beer halls and beer gardens, small and large, old and craft, and we take a ferry up the Danube River to visit the world’s oldest monastery brewery. If that wets your appetite, keep reading for day-by-day details. MONDAY Weihenstephan Brewery Tour We start the day with a short trip to the oldest brewery in the world – Weihenstephan – where we’ll tour the brewery, learn about its history, taste their award-winning line-up, and have a relaxing lunch in their Bräustüberl (brewery restaurant). Officially known as the Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, it is the official brewery of the State of Bavaria. Its origins date back to the year 725, but in the year 1040, the monastery’s abbot obtained a license from the city of Freising to brew beer, and the Weihenstephan Brewery was officially founded. Today, they produce several award-winning beers including my two of my favorites, Vitus and Korbinian.
In the Weihenstephan lagering cellar (left) and in the tasting room (right) Historical Munich Walking Tour Back in Munich in the afternoon, we’ll meet one of our local partner guides for a historical walking tour of central Munich. We’ll learn about the city’s 900-year history and get a great feel for the city center in case you want to go out later and explore on your own. Later we’ll wrap up the day with dinner at one of the many historic brewery restaurants within walking distance of our hotel, including Augustiner, Hackerhaus, Hofbräuhaus Munich, Schneider Bräuhaus, and Wirtshaus Ayingers.
In front of the Höfbräuhaus Munich (left) and the Schneider Bräuhaus beerhall (right)  The Viktualienmarkt biergarten on a typical summer afternoon TUESDAY Lunch at Kloster Andechs Late Tuesday morning we'll head out to visit the Kloster Andechs monastery brewery – founded in 1455 – for lunch and beer on the terrace which offers a panoramic view of the surrounding Alp foothills. In addition, the pilgrimage Church of St. Nicholas and St. Elizabeth, built in the Rococo style in 1427, is definitely worth a peak while at the monastery.
In the Kloster Andechs beer garden Bräukraft Craft Brewery Tour After lunch, we’ll travel back towards Munich and stop in the town of Gilching for a tour and tasting at the Bräukraft craft beer brewery (founded in 2013). This will be an opportunity to get a taste for what the German craft beer industry is brewing while staying within the confines of the Reinheitsgebot, the German Purity Law of 1516. Back in Munich late afternoon, you’ll have some time to explore the city center on your own and/or relax back in your hotel room. We’ll then wrap up our stay in Munich with dinner at another one of the historic brewery restaurants. WEDNESDAY After an early checkout, we'll take a 90-minute trip up to the town of Kelheim, our destination for the day’s activities. Schneider Weisse Brewery Tour Our first stop is Bavaria’s oldest wheat beer brewery – Schneider Weisse – founded in 1607. Even if you don’t normally like wheat beer, you’ll be impressed with Schneider Weisse because you’ll see and taste how wheat beer is supposed to be made! Their styles range from a traditional, unfiltered and unpasteurized wheat beer (Schneider Original, 5.4% ABV, 14 IBU), to one of the granddaddies of all double bock beers (Aventinus, 8.2% ABV, 16 IBU). After our tour, we’ll have a hearty lunch in the beer garden or bräustüberl while being led through a tasting of the entire Schneider Weisse beer line-up. The Schneider Weisse bottling line (left) and tasting in the beer garden (right) After our tasting, we’ll take a short stroll to the Kelheim docks to catch one of the ferries that take us up the Danube River to Weltenburger Kloster. This scenic ferry ride takes about 40 minutes and provides plenty of photo ops including when we pass thru the Danube Gorge, which is formed by cliffs that rise up to 400 feet above the river.  Passing through the Danube Gorge approaching Weltenburger Kloster Weltenburger Kloster Brewery Our ferry ride ends at the world’s oldest monastery brewery – Weltenburger Kloster – founded in the year 1050. The monastery itself dates back to the year 617 and is beautifully situated on the banks of the Danube. Our time there is fairly unstructured so we’ll grab a table in the beer garden and tour members are free to explore as they wish, by:
 In the Weltenburger Abby beer garden After a couple hours at Weltenburger, we’ll continue on to Bamberg, arriving early evening. After settling into our hotel, we’ll take a short walk to one of the literally dozens of brewery restaurants available to us in Bamberg, such as Schlenkerla, Spezial Keller, or Mahrs Bräu.
Drinking Mahrs "U" in the beer garden (left) and outside the Schlenkerla tap room (right) THURSDAY Historical Bamberg Walking Tour Mid-morning we meet another one of our partner tour guides for a historical walking tour of Bamberg. We’ll visit several historical sites within the city center such as the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), the Old Royal Residence, Michaelsberg Abbey and more. Then, after working up an appetite, we’ll grab lunch at another one of the brewery restaurants in the city center. The Old Courtyard in Bamberg (left) and the Old Town Hall (right) Weyermann Specialty Malts Tour After lunch, we’ll head over to the Weyermann Specialty Malts processing plant. Malt is one of the four basic ingredients in beer and we'll see how Weyermann, founded in 1879, produces it from raw grain (barley, wheat, etc.). We’ll also learn how they make smoked malt, which is used by Schlenkerla and other breweries to brew their famous Rauchbier (smoked beer). Weyermann also has an experimental brewery and we'll finish our tour by tasting a few beers that highlight their different malt products. In the Weyermann Malts courtyard (left) and grain germination room (right) After some free time in the afternoon, we’ll wrap up the day over dinner at another one of the many brewery restaurants available to us in Bamberg. FRIDAY The Franconia Brewery Path Late morning we set out for a true bucket-list experience – a day-trip through the Upper Franconia countryside, home to more breweries per capita than anywhere in the world!  View from the Brauerei Hönig beer garden in Litzendorg We'll stop in several small villages such as Aufseß (population 1,300, 4 breweries), Waischenfeld (population 3,200), and Buttenheim (population 3,400) to enjoy the locally made, small-batch beer. We’ll have lunch at one of the breweries, and weather permitting, we’ll trek part(s) of the Franconia Brewery Path with short hikes from one town/brewery to the next! We’ll return to our hotel late afternoon and later get together one last time for dinner and to talk about our experiences from the week!  At the Brauerei Grasser in Huppendorf Original Gravity Tours
We hope this article sparked your imagination and helps you lose your back-to-work blues. We also hope you’ll join us on one of our Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours this summer. If so, we’re confident you’ll have a great time, learn a lot about German beer, and come home with a trunk full of memories. But if you’re still on the fence remember, you’ll never be this young again! Please visit us at Munich & Bamberg Brewery Tours for more information about us, and our tours. Until next time, thank you and Prost! |
Gene LopezGreetings! I'm a passionate beer and international travel lover. Other than craft beer, I mostly go for German & Belgian beers and if you share the same interests, you may enjoy my blog. Prost! Archives
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