Zoiglbier

Within the definition/context of using a common wort and fermenting the beer in a residence, it is true the commercial breweries are doing some "stretching" when they brand their beers via Zoigl.

Cheers!

 

Possibly the best night of bar hopping I have ever had was in Windisheschenbach. My wife and I had an absolute blast.

 

Jeff, did that include stops at a Zoiglstube(s)?

Prost!

 

Those are the only spots to drink or eat, and the food was limited to sausage, pretzels and the obfatzda. It's a town of maybe 500 with a small communal brewery, a 10hl Caspar Shultz setup from the late 19th century... leather belts, hand pumps, and a wood-fired kettle as well as a coolship. Beers ranged from good to absolutely mind-blowing. Zum Roudn was simply incredible. Maybe the best beer I have had in Germany. The families were all very friendly but none spoke any English except at the small hotel, which is also the only zoiglstube that is open all day, every day. We ended up hopping around with some Czech students that befriended us, it seemed, for the sole purpose of practicing their nearly perfect English. Altogether, one of the best nights we had in all of Bavaria. I should say, we also stopped by Falkenberg which had the worst beer we tried that night, though it wasn't horrendous, just quite autolyzed. The drive over was made totally worth it by the smaller, but very old castle that you can climb around.

https://www.beerwanderers.com/windischeschenbach/
Looking through this blog, it appears that the town is getting a little more commercial and some of the zoiglstubes are offering more in the way of food and it looks pretty good. The hotel there is perfectly nice and cheap... and their zoigl was great! And it's maybe 90 min. from Bamberg. I think next time I'll stay 2 nights. I gotta say, part of the real fun is going to these different spots and getting to experience the same wort, fermented and cellared independently once brewed by the very people that are serving you. It really is like stepping back 200 years as far as the drinking experience. If you love lager, and you love an intimate drinking experience, this is about as good as it gets.

 

Was Brauerei Würth not available to you for a visit?

https://www.facebook.com/brauereiwuerth/photos/

Prost!

 

Had to look them up. Didn't survive the pandemic.

https://brewver.com/breweries/694/Brauerei-Würth

 

Jeff, have you used Rich Carbonara's services on any of your trips? We found it worthwhile if going off the beaten path. Never would have found the places he took us to.

 

This is true. The Zoiglstuben are bigger than some pubs elsewhere. You’re not really drinking in the host’s kitchen any more as sometimes suggested (at least, not in those I’ve been to).

 

there's a great video out there of a full zoigl brew day, including the transport by tractor of the wort from the communal brewhouse to the brewer's home fermentation cellar. I'll see if I can find it

 

Sad but true! Also happens when I travel and ask for a "local" beer!

 

It being around 6 years ago now, there are a few I specifically remember, but we stopped by all that were open and had... at least 2 at each? Can't really say whether or not we went there.

 

I have not, but I think I'll be taking a group of coworkers this fall, so maybe I'll look him up. We'll definitely spend a night or two in the Oberpfaltz.

 

Very interesting. TY

 

I think our will be pleased with Rich guiding your group.

 

Great video, thanks for the post David! And the Oom Pah Pah background music more than made up for no English subtitles!

 

Google Translate on your phone works fairly well for the subtitles, but not for the conversation.