Headed to Munich soon. I certainly know all about the big and popular breweries and beer gardens in Munich. Are there any hidden gems that you enjoy....or places off the beaten path I should be aware of. Thanks!
The ones I can think of off the top of my head take some time, effort, and € to get to. I hope you wave enough of each. Hinterbrühl WaWi (slang, Waldwirtschaft Großhesselohe) Sankt Emmeramsmühle Forschung Ayinger Bräustüberl There was a nice little one in Ismaning, near where we were staying last trip. There are many others, get "The Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich". Edit - the forum members from the area can give much more then I can.
Haven't been to München in a while, but Google is your friend When it's decent weather, and the Germans are in a good mood, being in any German Biergarten is a joy.
Def try Forschungs, especially their Blonder Bock. Also give Giesinger a try - they are doing some offbeat stuff. As for a traditional Biergarten, Zum Aumeister is quite nice... Prosit!
Slightly off the beaten path I really liked Menterswaige and especially Waldwirtschaft. They're close enough to walk between and they're pretty easy to access via the tram system coming from the main train station. Geisinger (which I haven't visited) isn't that far via those same trams, too. I know it's nearly as touristy as the Hofbrauhaus, but I like the Chinesischer Turm in the Englischer Garten, too. The food vendors have some special items I haven't seen elsewhere (country potatoes with dill sauce!) and they also serve the HB seasonals like the Urbock and Sommerbier. It's a beautiful walk to get there, too. While there, it's easy to circle around the park and hit up the Seehaus (picturesque, but expensive), Hirschau (LB Urtyp!), and Aumeister (large, pretty, and smaller crowds).
Another lovely Biergarten off the beaten path is Aubinger Einkehr.... It is on the S-8 S-Bahn line in Neuaubing, which you can also use to go to Herrsching to visit Kloster Andechs! They serve Augustiner biers there.... Nice place.... Prosit!
It's the super secret Export. BA lists 4 different Augustiner Helles (the Edelstof is a Helles -- just export strength), though one doesn't list an ABV and another 2 are very close ABV, so I wonder if they're doubles. Hmm. *Edit -- Augustiner's web site only lists the Hell and Edelstoff, I'm betting the "extras" on the BA list are duplicates.
On the Augustiner website Edelstoff is described as being an Export beer: http://www.augustiner-braeu.de/unser-bier.html# Cheers!
I think it's probably one of those things where it comes down to semantics. "Export" being a term used by itself vs. "export" as an adjective for another style like helles. Could just be a random error, too.
I think the BA listing is erroneous. As to export as a "style," per se, I don't think it's been considered as such in Germany for some time now -- if it ever really was. A la Ron Pattinson: "Export. The name has nothing to do with being shipped abroad. Like Lagerbier, Märzen and Bock, Export is an indication of strength. Export slotted between Lagerbier and Märzen in the strength hierarchy. At one time it would have been a minimum of 13º Plato (around 1052º). As it's popularity eroded after 1970, so did its gravity. Many current examples are barely 12º Plato (around 1048º)."
I dunno if it's a style necessarily, but there are plenty of beers being sold simply as "Export" with no other descriptors. It might just be assumed (kind of like "India" stupidly now means "hoppy") but the word Export does seem to offer immediate expectations by itself.
Maybe not "India," but maybe akin to "Imperial." Since it's a strength designation in Germany. I think it was Jackson who made we Americans equate it to a style when he wrote about Dortmunder Export, but Dortmunder was really the style. More of Ron's research. Interesting reading for German beer lovers.
Besides BDGM, this site is pretty comprehensive. http://www.munichbeergardens.com/Main_Page You should be able to find something of interest.
