Back to Bamberg

Nice!

 

In honor of Herr B's return to Franconia I chose 2 Schlenkerla beers as my after-toil treats yesterday and today.

I hadn't had either the Urbock or Märzen in some time, so it was nice to revisit them again. As much as I always thought the Urbock was my favorite, I have to say that the Märzen is going down quite nicely this afternoon. More mellow and balanced than the Urbock -- but damn-near the same color and all around similar characteristics; all of which are very unique and delicious in such a wide and varied beer world.

Prosit to Herr B and here's to a great trip!

 

This is true. If you don't password protect or do other security measures, then any illegal activity can be made liable to the provider in Germany. What to do? Ask every place you visit if they offer wifi. Now, how to say that?
"Haben Sie WLAN für Kunden?"

In Germany, it's called WLAN, though iPhone users know the word Wifi. Usually what happens is that they 1) give you a password 2) make you click on a page that absolves them off any illegal activity you do on their network or (the Starbucks & McDs method) 3) use a 3rd party service that sends a password or other info you must fill in to your cell phone (called amazingly a "Handy") via text message (called a "SMS.) You fill in your phone number and within seconds you receive the "SMS." All of these methods are a way to get around the (at least in Gemany) severe legal implications of illegally downloading music, films or other illegal pornography.

Many restaurants offer WLAN für Kunden, as do many bars and a majority of coffee shops/cafes. At least they do in Frankfurt. I ask everywhere I go and you'd be surprised how often they say Ja. However, Bamberg doesn't quite have the metropolitan population Frankfurt does, so this trend may not have reached it yet.

The other alternative is INTERNET CAFES. They're on almost every corner, and charge between 1 and 2 € per hour to use a computer with internet access. That's what I did before I bought my iPhone a few years ago.

One more thing, at these internet cafes, and even at Frankfurt or Munich airport, you can buy throw away, pre-paid SIM cards. In the airports they're in vending machines. You can then top those off by going to a bank ATM, using your credit card, and topping them off for extra time.

 

And for English speakers "WLAN" is pronounced "Vee-Lahn".

Indeed, many hotels in Germany (including in Bamberg and even Windischeschenbach) offer free WLAN to customers. I hope in the future more and more pubs and cafes offer it.

 

Indeed, even in Windischeschenbach. Just back from 10 days in the backwoods of Bayern and every hotel but one offered free wifi for guests.

 

I had WiFi available while staying at Kraus in Hirschaid last year. Was supposed to be 2.50EU/nt but I was never charged on check-out. Was able to find a hot-spot at the Munich Bahnhof, upstairs near BK... They had it free at the Hostel I stayed at in Liege... Was hard to find in MUC, though...

As for service at Schlenkerla - I usually just hang in the Schwemme, so no probs... But I ate once in the vaulted room to the right. Service was a bit, ummm, lacking.... Noticed the nametag of my server, an older woman - "Frau Suck". No shit! ;-)

Prosit!!

 

In Schlenerla last week. Absolutely no problem with the service.

 

Ron, undoubtedly your charm was in effect.

 

Ron how dare you not give me a beer mail to say Come on down!

 

You kidding? He'll probably be back next week -- catch him then!

 

Have fun, HB, looking forward to the report!

 

Interesting about the Greifenklau Rauchbier. That makes 3 breweries making one in town, right...or are there more? I know Kaiserdom used to, but I guess they stopped. Is there anyone else?

 

Only 3? I thought every brewery in town had a Rauchbier. When I was there in the early 90s I had 3 different Rauchs at 4 different breweries then: Spezial, Schlenkerla, Fässla, and (I thought) Greifenklau. Has my memory faded that much?

 

Since I have been going for the last 10 years, the only Rauchbiers were Spezial and Schlenkerla. I think Mahr's had a one-off Rauchbier, but I never got a chance to try it.

 

Spezial and Schlenkerla were the only two I saw last year, although I never made it over to Kaiserdom.

 

All this time I was under the impression that I was getting Rauchbier at each spot -- maybe that's why I found it so mellow!

Is it possible, since they can purchase malts from common sources, that the smokiness is imparted into all the malts? As in Schlenkerla's Helles?

 

No. Schlenkerla is a special case.

 

While I don't think it uses any smoked malts, there's a little bit of smoke character to Klosterbrau's Schwarzla.