Ranking your favorite German breweries.

Did you not like the Hofbrauhaus?

 

Been there plenty of times, just don't need to go again. So many better options that are so much less touristy, chaotic, and crowded IMO. But every Munich visitor should make up their own mind, especially first time visitors.

 

We thought the Hofbräukeller was beautiful! Not busy or hectic and served the best Helles right behind Augustiner IMO! Didn't even know it existed until we got to Munich, so happy we found it. Have you checked out that location?

 

Oh ok, gotcha.

When I went it was one of the first places we visited when we took the train to that area. I had a good time, but I hear ya. At the end of the day, it's a Hofbrauhaus.

I would definitely recommend hitting it up for a beer if you've never been though.

 

If/when you go back you should check out the "other" HB -- quaint, quiet, traditional. Much less commercial.

 

The one good thing about the main HB that even in the morning, they always have the oompah band.

I feel like that’s something you don’t see often anymore, even in the German-speaking world, but it really adds to the experience. Are beer gardens in Germany and Austria just not booking these groups anymore?

 

Yes sir, I was there six weeks ago. My wife and I really enjoyed the helles, sommerzwickl, and all the shade under the big oak trees .

 

I still enjoy the Hofbrauhaus and it's a place I always visit at least once every time I'm there. I think I just appreciate how jovial everyone is. It's pretty easy to start up a conversation just by asking whoever you're sitting with "what brought you here?" I've spent many happy hours there doing that.
That said, it's obviously crowded most of the time and the center areas get hotter than hell during the summer months. The food is overpriced and isn't particularly good, too.
My typical MO there is to sit in the courtyard and stick to beers and snacks like obatzda or potato pancakes.

 

Look up the YouTube video for the flas-mob band at Augustiner Keller -- classic.

 

There's another from 2015 -- too much bagpipe for me.

 

1. Schlenkerla

 

Personally I hate Oompah Bands. I don't mind them here and there during Oktoberfest I guess, since it goes along with it. But for the most part I find it annoying.

I just want to sit in peace, drink beer, and socialize.

 

In that sense I meant the South German world (i.e. Bavaria and Austria). I wouldn’t expect in elsewhere, like in Hamburg. Having lived in Vienna for two months and gone to my share of beer gardens, there has been not a single band present, even on Friday nights. Then again, Wien is just simply different from the rest of Austria.

 

Which NY brewery?

 

I bet he's thinking of Bierstadt and Suarez. Would be curious if that's the case.

 

first time I went to the hofbrauhaus, it was with two munich natives. one hated it and the other thought it was fun/funny, in a kitsch kinda way.

i used to avoid it and head for Augustiner and/or schneider or ayinger or pschorr. now I make it a point to go. the beer is great and the architecture in and around platzl is -- according to a friend of mibe who got his PhD in historic preservation in germany -- the way much of munich used to look.

just try to ignore the drunk tourists and you'll probably have a great time there.

 

Yeah, I'm figuring it's Suarez. It's about 2 hours to their closest distribution.

 

Yep! Bierstadt Slow Pour Pils and Suarez Palatine Pils.