Breweries in and near Erfurt

No experience, but it looks like Waldhaus might have a couple Märzen for you to try.

 

I lived there and taught at the Uni for 4 years. It's pretty terrible (all the locals drink Braugold -- as bad a beer as I've had in Germany). Waldhaus is right "up" there with Braugold, though at the other end of the spectrum -- it's a brewpub, in all the worst senses of the word. Grainy, cloudy beers with thin mouthfeel and that homebrew twang. Setting is lovely, however, up in the woods in an old villa.

My recommendation would have been that you go to Haus zur Pfauen for some Brauerei Schmitt pils (see post in other thread about it). Sadly, it looks like they are now closed.

EDIT: a bit of further "research" turned up that Schmitt pils is available at Cafe Füchsen (address: Hütergasse 13, 99084 Erfurt). Get ready for some excellent DDR bier!

Also, Augustiner has a restaurant/pub in Erfurt now. Can't go wrong with Munich beer, oder?

 

Bleah, so much for that idea.

 

I'd be interested in Stahl's opinion of Augustiner. They're Münchner Bier but still independent. I'd think they are OK in his book?

 

Who knows...maybe it's gotten better now that the invasion has begun? (And perhaps even Schmitt is now "boring").

 

Pretty sure he's expressed a good opinion of them in the past.

If it hasn't changed, it always has been.

 

It's interesting. As I was posting that video of Schmitt and reminiscing about drinking their pils, I was actually put in mind of Augustiner Helles. The Schmitt is not a hoppy pils (especially by the grossly exaggerated U.S. understanding), rather it has that lovely balance of earthy, spicy, and floral hoppiness that is capped just below the peak of the pilsner malt. Yum.

 

That's the Waldhaus steveh mentioned. When I lived there, the beer was terrible (wood-oven-fired pizza was OK, but honestly not even my favorite in EF). The setting is awesome, and looks like it's gotten even better with the addition of the Biergarten. Plus the walk up there (from the Strassenbahnhaltestelle -- not a nice walk through town to get to the Wald) is very nice. Personally, I'd avoid and go for Schmitt at the Cafe Füchsen

If you want to dinner suggestions, I'm happy to provide. Prost!

EDIT: if I had to choose for food, I'd honestly probably just go with a Thueringer Bratwurst from the cart at the place on Schloesserstrasse where it crosses the river. (Corner of Junkersand, out in front of Mueller.)

 

I once tasted Schackobräu from Brauhaus Friedrichroda. Typical Gasthausbrauerei-Bier. Nothing outstanding, but certainly better than Braustolz. Maybe a bit far away, about 40 km from Erfurt, between Eisenach and Gotha.

 

sounds like you should bring your supply... maybe 4 or 5 cases?

 

Is there a suggestion here that Gasthausbrauerei are not to be considered worth seeking out? Because I've been to a few throughout Southern Germany whose beer, food, and Gemütlichkeit were quite good.

A couple were actually in the oft bad-mouthed Bad Wurttemberg region!

 

Gasthausbrauerei isn't the same as the Brauerei-Gasthoefe (http://www.braugasthoefe.de/en/). Former is the equivalent of a brewpub (think more 80s-90s brewpub, brewing beers with a distinct commercial-homebrew taste), and the latter is just a traditional Gasthof-brewery that is a member of the Brauerei-Gasthoefe organization. (Pretty sure that's correct....)

 

Hmm. I trust you on that. Just think maybe the term "Brauereigasthof" was co-opted by that hospitality association, and then traditional breweries (like Greifenklau in Bamberg and Drei Kronen in Memmelsdorf) signed on to promote themselves. I certainly wouldn't consider Greifenklau a "brewpub" (although it is a member of the Brauerei-Gasthofe association). I'm more trying to perhaps clear up where Steve's question/confusion is coming from than argue semantics.

 

The full name is Private Brauereigasthöfe, which are either breweries with a restaurant, or with a restaurant and hotel. All over Germany, but mainly in the south. Plus 2 in CH, one in DK and one in Italy!
www.braugasthoefe.com

 

Bumping this one up to see if Stahl managed to find any decent beer during his stay in the wilden Osten.