where to go in Munich?

Augustiner Keller is walking distance from the Hauptbahnhof but a little out of the tourist way (just a little, still walking distance from all the sights). Forschungsbrauerei's Marktschänke am Viktualienmarkt is in the Viktualienmarkt, which is right in the heart of the tourist district. Der Pschorr is also there in the Viktaulienmarkt. The tourist district is packed with places - Andechs, Schneider, Ayinger, Paulaner, the Hofbrauhaus of course - you should have no trouble.

Camba's Tap House Munich might require public transit, but the Tourist Information in the Hauptbahnhof should be able to help you buy a pass if you want to expand your radius a little bit.

Enjoy Munich!

 

By all means, check out the MVV site: http://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/tickets-fares/tickets/day-tickets/single-day-ticket/index.html Get a 1-day or 3-day ticket and use the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and trams to your hearts content!! My faves are the Weisses Brauhaus, Augustiner Braustubn, Forschungsbrau and the Chinesischer Turm.... LOTS of options!

Prosit!!

 

If you've never been to Munich, you have to go to the Hofbrauhaus. Have a beer and then go somewhere else. Sure it's touristy, but everyone needs to go once.

Then check out Augustiner for contrast.

 

Also, a quick search using The Googles found a few tattoo shops, like this one : http://chaoscrewtattoo.com/

Prosit!!

 

A stop into Schneider im Tal is also worth it, provided you like hefeweizens.

 

There are definitely tattoo shops. One has an ad in the U-Bahn that reads "Nichts fur *******" that I always laugh at. The place is called Hitsforlife. That sign has been there for a decade, so they're clearly not a fly by night kind of place.

In terms of beer in Munich, grab a copy of the Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich. It has everything you'll ever need to know and more for about $12. Maps, directions, ratings, beer lists, etc.
Almost everything in there is reachable either on foot or via the MVV rail system. The MVV is one of the best public transports on the planet, so have no fears about using it.
If I had to recommend some things for a short stay they would be (in this order): Hofbrauhaus, Augustiner Keller, Kloster Andechs (S-Bahn to Herrsching), and if the weather is nice you should hit the Englischer Garten. If the weather is lousy, the Am Dom area has bierhalls from Schneider, Tegernsee, Ayinger, Andechs, and Paulaner all within about 1/4 mile of one another.

 

If all of the big names can be drank in old Munchen, is it worthwhile to go directly to Andesch, Forschungs, Paulaner etc? If you were going to be in in the old town then travelling around Bavaria and Franconia, would you save drinking days to hit the smaller brewers? I'm not a ticker but 2 weeks still seems limited with all of the opportunities.

 

I have been to Munich many times, and I have read many of these "Munich" threads. Each time I do the latter and Domingo & Bierman9 post something, I notice that I concur with all of their recommendations. Start with those and you will be fine Have fun.

 

Yeah, I'd say the "kid in a candy store" effect could easily take over. Take your time and a deep breath wherever you go, the differences in culture surrounding beer will quickly become apparent and you'll feel giddy.

If your 2 weeks is a vacation, you'll just want to go back. If your 2 weeks is for work, you'll just want to go back sooner.

 

Most all of the places to go have been covered above, just wanted to chime in with my two cents.

When I went to the Hofbrauhaus, I sat at a table with a German couple--I could tell they weren't from Munich, but wasn't able to talk much to find out where they were from as we were right by the band. The beer is still good, just take the place as it is.

It's also worth noting that Ayinger's beer hall is basically right across the street from the Hofbrauhaus. If you can time it right, they tap their Jahrhundert vom holzfass everyday at 5.

Other places that serve beer from the wood are Der Pschorr and the Augustiner Keller.

 

This is good advice -- tables in Germany are shared (at least in Beer Halls/Gardens) -- if you aren't sociable you will be very uncomfortable. If it wasn't for the couple on vacation from Northern Germany, I'd have never learned about the Bamberg Onion at Schlenkerla.

 

You may even end up at a table full of American students! I was sitting by myself at the Augustiner Keller beer garden enjoying a Weissebier when a group of kids filled up the table I was at. They presumed I was German since I wasn't drinking a mass of Edelstoff (everyone of the kids had a mass in hand). Apparently, some guided tours take groups to the Keller. I wanted to find the tour guide and ask him/her what they thought they were doing bringing tourists there.

 

I ran into a big group of American students at the HB Biergarten (the one inside the original HB). They filled up a table on the other side of the garden, ordered a beer (yes, A beer for 6 or 7 guys), and proceeded to tentatively pass around the Maß of Dunkel so each could taste it. My riotous laughter almost chagrined them, but I went across and made quick friends.

And where in the U.S. were they from? Chico State University! No Pale Ale and no Helles for them that day!

Oh, and they grew to not fear the Dark.

 

One beer for 6 guys?? Almost hurt to write that, alone the thought.

 

Maybe each brought his own snifter and they had a "tasting."

 

The only time I've even come close to doing that was years ago with a "Goiß Maß", from which I still have a headache.

 

I always consider it my duty to help out fellow Americans whenever I'm at the Hofbrauhaus. Most of us from the States are easy to spot. You can't miss the confused looks and people looking for a totally empty booth. If I ever hear anyone speaking English and wandering, we usually make room for them and tell 'em to sit with us. Occasionally we've ended up helping out Swedes, Australians, and even Brits, too.
You don't have to talk to the people with you, but it can be fun. English is nearly universally understood in Munich proper, so you won't have any issues even if you sit with local Muenchners. I find that the Germans tend to be intrigued by American tourists in Bavaria, so they almost always strike up a conversation.

With the larger breweries (Paulaner, Spaten, etc.) I would say it isn't. However with Andechs, Forschungs, and even Weihenstephan I think it can be. I think Andechs is one of the best on-site drinking spots I've ever been to, so it's worth visiting at all costs. It's only an hour away via the S-bahn, so it's an easy trip. With others, it really just depends on how much time you have. If you have other things you need to do, the halls in town will at least let you try their beers. You won't get the same atmosphere and selection as visiting their home base, but sometimes that just isn't an option.

In terms of timeframes, you would be shocked how many different beers you can try in just a couple days, let a alone 2 weeks. If you were a serious ticker and had 2 weeks, you could probably legitimately try 100+ beers in Munich and Bamberg alone.

 

Key word: tentative. Though they grew to like it and I think they finally ordered more.

Heh -- they were college students on Spring Break, traveling Europe. Don't think they had their own snifters.