Recent München/Bamberg visit debrief

Agreed 100%. In that area I'd probably put it pretty low on my list considering how close you are to halls for Augustiner, Andechser, Ayinger, and pretty much everyone else. It's more convenient than going to Tegernsee (or the Hirschgarten, which also carries their beers on tap), but definitely no competition for the better Marienplatz-area halls.

 

Just read that this beer won gold at the European Beer Star 2013 competition. Good call by you... and a nice pat on the back for the brewer.

 

...apparently Aventinus took Silver. Go Franken!

 

Funny, I just went to Euro Beer Star's webpage and there are no winners yet for 2013. Where did you get the info?

 

It was on Radio Bamberg's website here

 

God, I miss Germany

 

It's there now: here. Some breweries, like Riegele and Flötzinger, scored several medals. And you will sure be pleased to learn that Faust's Eisbock scored Silver in "Ultra Strong Beer".
Going through that list, there's still a lot to discover. Best German-style Pilsner is Alpirsbacher, by the way. Good choice.

 

I was a bit surprised to see Samuel Adams Boston Lager win the Bohemian Pilsner category, I wonder if they mixed up the Noble Pils and Boston Lager.

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale took silver in the English Pale Ale category? And Mango Magnifico? That says a lot.

 

Yea, I referred to it as a "pat on the back" for a reason. Even Mahr's Brau/Stephan Michel has said that what meant most to him was beating a Munich brewer. The winners of these things are frequently beyond laughable.