Top Beer Destinations
Categories: Sightseeing, Cultural and History, Dining, Entertainment
Munich
Of course, Munich. No visit to Munich (Munich vacation rentals | Munich travel guide) would be complete without a visit to a raucous beer hall or family beer garden and there are plenty of places to choose from. The Hofbräuhaus is Bavaria’s (and possibly the world’s) most celebrated beer hall. Bury your head in an enormous stein before checking out the medieval vaults and pretzel-shaped postcards.
Talking of Oktoberfest, this 16-day extravaganza is held from mid-September to the first Sunday in October and draws over six million visitors. A special dark, strong beer (Wies’nbier) is brewed for the occasion and Müncheners spend the day at the office in lederhosen and dirndl in order to hit the festival right after work.
Bavaria
The most tempting tour offered by the Bamberg (Bamberg vacation rentals | Bamberg travel guide) tourist office is the self-guided Brewery Trail that showcases the Franconian Brewery Museum and includes beer vouchers and a souvenir stein in the price. While in Bamberg, also check out Klosterbräu, a beautiful half-timbered brewery – the oldest in town.
For a fascinating look at the brewing process, head to the enormous Maisel’s Brauerei-und-Büttnerei-Museum, just outside Bayreuth (Bayreuth vacation rentals | Bayreuth travel guide). A tour takes you into the bowels of the 19th-century plant, with atmospheric rooms filled with 4500 beer mugs and amusing artefacts.
Alpirsbach
Lore has it that Alpirsbach (Alpirsbach vacation rentals | Alpirsbach travel guide) is named after a quaffing cleric who, when a glass of beer slipped clumsily from his hand and rolled into the river, exclaimed: All Bier ist in den Bach! (All the beer is in the stream!). A prophecy, it seems, as today Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu is brewed from pure spring water. Two beers are thrown in for the price of a brewery tour ticket.
Cologne
Beer reigns supreme in Cologne (Cologne vacation rentals | Cologne travel guide) where over 20 breweries produce the local variety called Kölsch, which is served in skinny glasses called Stangen. At Brauhaus Peters drinkers knock back their Kölsch in a web of highly individualistic nooks; Früh am Dom is a warren of a beer hall; and Päffgen has been pouring Kölsch since 1883.
Jever
Jever, the capital of the Friesland region, is famous for its pilsner beer and Friesisches Brauhaus has been producing dry pilsner since 1848. Brewery tours allows visitors a peek behind the scenes and travel through the production and bottling facilities, as well as a small museum. Reservations are essential.
Bremen
Half of Germany’s breweries are found in Bavaria and not the north but one brewery in particular has long washed beyond the shores of Germany to establish itself as an international brand. You can see where the wares come from during a two-hour tour of the Beck’s brewery.
Read the full article at lonelyplanet.com
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Nuremberg
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