​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!

Schwaben Bräu Das Keller Pils
(In Stuttgart, founded 1878)

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!

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!

Brauerei Hölzlein
(In Lohndorf (northern Bavaria), founded in 1781)

Brauerei Hölzlein Kellerbier (Unfiltered Lager)

Weltenburger Kloster
(The world's oldest monastery brewery, in Kelheim, founded 1050)

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!

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:

• A brief history of Oktoberfest
• A primer on Oktoberfest Bier styles
• A description of our beer-tasting lineup, and
• The results!

​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!

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.

“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.

“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):

1. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen
2. Höfbrau Oktoberfestbier
3. Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
4. Bitburger Festbier
5. Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen
6. Weihenstephaner Festbier
7. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen
8. Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier
9. Dinkelacker Oktoberfestbier Märzen

​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 Winners
Unlike real beer tasting competitions, we wound up with a tie in each category.

• Märzen:  Spaten Oktoberfest Märzen (#5) & Dinkelacker Oktoberfestbier Märzen (#9)
• Festbier:  Weihenstephaner Festbier (#6) and Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier (#8)

The reason for this is that the differences between our winners were so subtle that it ultimately depends on personal preferences of the drinker.  For example, the Dinkelacker had a slightly sweeter finish while the Spaten was less sweet and slightly more balanced, while the differences between the Weihenstephaner and the Paulaner were limited primarily to a slight difference in color.  So, we decided to let there be a tie and let the ultimate judge be the person that’s inspired by our test and decides to try them out themselves!
 
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!

​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!

​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!

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!

​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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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!

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.

1. Weihenstephan – “The World’s Oldest Brewery”
   1. 725 – Monastery founded
   2. 768 – First historical reference to hops indicating brewing activity
   3. 1040 – Officially licensed to brew and sell beer.
2. Weltenburger Kloster – “The Oldest Monastery Brewery in the World”
   1. 617 – Monastery founded
   2. 1050 – Brewery founded
3. Augustiner
   1. 1294 – Monastery founded
   2. 1328 – First mention of the brewery
4. Kloster Andechs
   1. 1080 – First mention of Andechs, situated on the “Holy Mountain”
   2. 1455 – Brewing thought to commence

 
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.

​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.

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.

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.

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.

​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!

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?

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.

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.

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:

• Waikiki Brewing Company
• Honolulu Beerworks
• Aloha Beer Company
• Lanikai Brewing Company
• Inu Island Ales

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 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.

​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!

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.

​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?

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.

​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.

​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.

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.

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. 

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?

​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.

​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.

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!