American craft in Germany

Discussion in 'Germany' started by apriori, Oct 24, 2013.

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  1. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    Having a car plus lots of time is a good thing here! If I were in your situation and looking to do a beer trip, I think I'd take a ride out to Regensburg and then on into Eastern Bavaria and probably up into Plzen. All those little towns...that'd be sort of a dream 4-ish day weekend for me.

    Otherwise I can't recommend Düsseldorf enough. Plus they have a big skatepark there, I passed it while walking from the Altstadt down along the river to the Medienhafen. If it's what I'm thinking it is, HD's skatepark is more or less just a couple of square meters wedged under a bridge? If you make it out this way though do look me up. Myself and @JHDStein are living up this way, I'm sure we could all meet at Vetter's or elsewhere. (All excursions out require spousal approval, though).

    Check out the NY Times article that was posted elsewhere on this forum for interesting Berlin craft. Faust in Miltenberg is making some nice beers, and @boddhitree is a big fan of Pax Brau's stuff in...I can never remember...Oberelsbach?...and Camba Bavaria in...well, Bavaria. Lots of interesting stuff in the works here!
     
  2. pixieskid

    pixieskid Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2009 Germany

    Thanks for the recommendation for that Eastern roadtrip, I will be doing some serious research to cover all the areas of Germany that I can, while we are here.

    My wife and I have been to Düsseldorf as well as Köln; had a great time in both cities. The skatepark you're referring to is actually in Köln, well, if we are talking about the same one along the river that resembles a plaza. Yeah HD skatepark is the one under the bridge, it is reminiscent of a very famous skatepark in Portland Oregon, which I've only been to once. It doesn't take a lot of space or money to make a skatepark "good/interesting" and the one in Heidelberg has enough to make it both (at least from the pictures/video I have seen).

    I will be sure to let you know when I head up that way and hopefully with enough time so that we can get together.

    I've seen the article on Berlin craft, good stuff, can't wait to visit that city as well! I spend far too much time on-line researching beer so I'm usually in the know. I absolutely have a lot of time on my hands (moving from one of the biggest cities in the world, to Hochstetten certainly allows me that.

    I noticed boddhitree reviewed a lot of Pax brau, wasn't really familiar with them, so happy to see all the recommendations I can get.

    Really stoked to see that there is a little BA community here in Germany, it was basically non-existent in France. Most people who were into good beer, if they did get on-line, were into RB, which I don't use much.

    I realize Germany is a fairly large country and that a lot of people (especially Germans) tend to stay in their regions most of the time, but do you guys ever get together for meet-ups/tastings/etc? If so, I'd love to be a part of it, if not, maybe we should set something up...
     
  3. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    That puts you pretty close to Vogelbräu in Karlsruhe. Maybe you can sample that hoppy pils they brew and let us know how it compares to U.S. versions such as Prima.
     
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  4. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,765) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    Not very. Last time I was there, the online list wasn't even close to the actual products on the shelves. Take that list as a wish list and allow yourself to be surprised, either in a good or bad way, of what's there.
     
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  5. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    Full disclosure, I do not skate and have never skated. I would probably break a bone just trying to stand on a skateboard. That said, the place I'm referring to is definitely in Düsseldorf, in a place called the Apolloplatz along the Rhine, near the TV tower. If you walk from the Altstadt to the Gehry buildings in the Medienhafen you will walk through the skate park. My knowledge of Köln is far too little considering I am only two hours away.
     
  6. pixieskid

    pixieskid Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2009 Germany

    Yup, had the Vogel Pils earlier this year when visiting the area before the move. Good stuff, not doubt. It was one of the beers this year that actually made me go, "wow, that's nice". Doesn't happen very often anymore.
    The other one that gave me the same feeling was Welde's Kellerbier, same deal. Beautiful, full bodied Pils, super drinkable and balanced, fresh, clean, and hoppy (obviously not in the american IPA sense).
    Prime example of how good, classical German beer can be.

    It's been too long since I've had Prima Pils because whenever I see it, it's close to or past it's BB date. My honest opinion/best guess is that by comparison, it doesn't hold a candle to fresh pils brewed in Germany on a "small" scale.
     
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  7. pixieskid

    pixieskid Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2009 Germany

    That's about what I figured. Sounds like it's worth the trip up there to get access to solid German stuff that otherwise aren't available. I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best...once in a while I have good luck.
     
  8. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,765) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    This sounds like a great idea... I suggest meeting at the end of February at BauKunstLive in München next year, or Regensburg in Stahlsturm's basement. Yet so far, we're all so far flung, we've never even thought about, at least seriously.
     
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  9. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    Most of Germany is rather forgettable in terms of beer.
     
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  10. pixieskid

    pixieskid Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2009 Germany

    No worries, at this point my skating consists of making it to the park once a month and my main goal is to just not hurt my back. If I am able to do that and have fun for a couple hours, it was a good day! To think in highschool, I would skate for 4+ hours every day is ridiculous.

    Maybe there just happen to be two skateparks along the river. I will have to check it out. Either way, a trip to that region is definitely in the works sooner or later, hopefully in the summer.
     
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  11. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    I could probably organise some tours into the wilderness of east bavarian beer if there was any interest. I would suggest a time in May 2014 based on the next Festival Der 100 Biere.
     
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  12. pixieskid

    pixieskid Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2009 Germany

    I realize there are certainly areas that aren't worth much to anything, but the places that are, are scattered about. Of the beer cities, I've been to Koln, Dusseldorf, Munich, and Bamberg (plan on going back to all of those places at some point).

    Leipzig, Berlin, Hamburg are all on my list of general places to visit (beer plays somewhat of a role in the interest to visit these cities).
    My geographical knowlege of Germany (in German especially) is slightly vague, someone correct me if I mix up/misunderstand the translations. But trips to the general area of Franconia (Franken) including Bavaria (Bayern) and such are definitely on the list.

    What region/cities am I missing at this point?
     
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  13. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    This is an interesting thought. Last May I was up in Holland while that was going on. A rental car to Regensburg is doable (3 hours) vs. the 4+ hour, multi-connection train ride. It depends on a lot of things, including my wife's schedule. We may be going back to the States permanently in July, and if that's the case I might be able to talk her into a countryside tour of Ostbayern. No promises, but hmmm...
     
  14. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    You need to concentrate on small towns and villages. Contrary to the US (and other "recent" beer places) good beer in Bavaria and Franconia is out in the villages. I'd say your first stops should be the Bamberg - Forchheim region in Frankonia and the triangle of Amberg - Neumarkt - Regensburg in Eastern Bavaria. I reside rather squarely in the later BTW.
     
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  15. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,765) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    Mid or end of May is when Fest der Bierkulturen in Köln is... maybe it's possible to swing both? You mean... leave us in the wilderness?
     
  16. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    I have done this before. Rented a small bus (9 seats) and then my wife and I took a week off from work and we and 6 guests hit an average of 3 or 4 breweries a day.
     
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  17. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    What I would do when I first moved here was ask waiters, waitresses, or really any German I got to talking to, "what is your favorite German city besides your home town". Always, always mentioned were Hamburg and Berlin. I haven't been to Hamburg yet, and Berlin is just the best. I'd like to go back to check out some of those new places that were in the NY Times article, too.
     
  18. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    I mean to missionize you all and then send you home sobbing for Kneitinger Pils and other yummies you can't get.
     
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  19. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    Those places are both very americanized. I do not mean that as a compliment either.
     
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  20. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Agreed. I go to Berlin and Hamburg primarily for concerts, shopping, and ethnic food.

    EDIT: On second thought, I guess it's logical to add "craft" beer to that list.
     
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