Germany

paulmaybee · March 15, 2015, 02:03:32 PM

I couldn't wait to get home to start talking about Germany. Thought you would all find parts of this interesting. Yesterday was Frankfurt, and I found the Bier-Hannes pub and brewery from the European Beer Guide blog. This place was well out of the city, but also well worth the effort to find. A real authentic German schnitzel house with good Witbier on tap. I had both the Helles and Dunkel versions and bought a few bottles of each on my way out the door. We sat with a very nice couple who wanted to tell us all about the beer in Germany, and luckily had very navigable English.

paulmaybee · March 15, 2015, 02:05:20 PM

Today is Cologne, and on our way to find the apartment, we stopped at a little shop for some Nuremburger sausages, sauerkraut and I had a Dom Kolsch. It was very light, highly carbonated, and almost could detect a sourness to it. Very refreshing, though I could use a bigger glass. Heading out for supper now, so maybe I'll have more to report on Cologne.

robcoombs · March 15, 2015, 04:45:08 PM

Enjoy! There's nothing like travelling and discovering new beer and food.

blisster · March 15, 2015, 07:29:27 PM

Not jealous, not even after cleaning the driveway twice today during a blizzard. Nope.

Can't wait to hear all bout it!

paulmaybee · March 15, 2015, 07:38:20 PM

For the record, I am collecting bottles at every stop. and I will share!

Fhilo · March 15, 2015, 09:16:25 PM

Nice. Hope your trip continues to as awesome as it looks

jamie_savoie · March 16, 2015, 08:17:18 AM

I also detect slight tartness with kolsch yeast. Look like a fun trip so far! Good food and good beer

ps: witbier are from Belgium

JamesC · March 16, 2015, 10:10:37 AM

Just saw a news bit on the weekend about Stone opening a brew pub in Germany... I don't know if it's open yet, but it looked pretty awesome

edit to add: Just looked into it, and it's not due to open until 2016, but still cool.

paulmaybee · March 19, 2015, 05:46:28 PM

So Kölsch... I'm so done with Kölsch. This was probably the best one I had though. Malzmuhler. The Paffgen brewery was closed, and even the guy who served this beer to me said the best is Paffgen.

paulmaybee · March 19, 2015, 05:48:17 PM

Then a bit North to Recklingshausen, where I found some Altbier. Much more refreshing, and a nice hop level. It does what it sets out to do, but isn't anything to write home about. Wait, I guess I just did.

paulmaybee · March 19, 2015, 05:57:12 PM

I spent the last few days in Amsterdam and it was amazing weather. And yes, I went to a coffeeshop, and yes, it was all it's cracked up to be. I was surprised though, to find some really impressive Dutch beers. I had read that they weren't that impressive, most of the beers here are Belgian imports, but there are a few really good ones made in Holland. Jopen was one that I really liked. They have a lot of different kinds, but this was an "IPA" I think. It was their seasonal, and I found some more at a shop by them and they were all really nice.

I also went to a beer store in Amsterdam, which had an amazing selection of Belgian, Dutch and German beers. A few of these will make it home to my next meeting.

Tomorrow we go to Berlin for 2 days, then to Bamberg for 2 days. Stay tuned for photos of the Weyermann tour!

robcoombs · March 19, 2015, 06:16:27 PM

That beer store is impressive!

paulmaybee · March 19, 2015, 06:38:27 PM

Quote from: robcoombs on March 19, 2015, 06:16:27 PM
That beer store is impressive!

It was on the http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/ website. This was just the upstairs too!

robcoombs · March 19, 2015, 06:38:50 PM

Wooooooooow

paulmaybee · March 19, 2015, 06:44:07 PM

@robcoombs my suitcase is not big enough!

Also, I forgot one beer I had. It's called an IPA, but really is a hoppy Belgian blonde. (It says on the label, "IPA, but not really from India, and not really a Pale Ale." Thought I really liked it. Anyone else have or see this before? It's made by Duvel, actually.