Beer lovers....help, please!

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My wonderful neighbor is going to be in Munich, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Cesky Krumlov, & Prague in October.

 

She loves beer and I told her I would find some great places for her and her friend to visit. So......help??? Thanks!

[gomerscsu88]

I was stationed in Bavaria (one hour south of Munich) from 2006-2008. My personal favorite is from the Andechs Monastery http://www.andechs.de/en/brewery/ near Munich--Best to go there and have the Schweinehaxe with a liter of Double Bock (have someone else drive back. Most people take a pilgrimage to the Hofbrauhaus--go when it opens at 9:00am with the locals for Brotzeit and have weisswurst and a helles (no-one judges). The Augustiner Beer hall is a little nicer with a less touristy atmosphere

[Paulchili]

Very close to Cesky Krumlov is a town of Ceske Budejovice (Budweis in German) - home of the original Budweiser beer since 1256.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/České_Budějovice

In Prague I would recommend Pilsner Urquell - unless they want to visit its home in Pilsen (a town that gave its name to Pilsner beers).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plzeň

FWIW - Czechs consume the most beer per capita in the world - more than Germans or Belgians (good for trivia :))

Also, it’s cheaper ther than in most other places in Europe (maybe even cheaper than water :D)

[buggins0402]

I can only remember searching out beer cellars while in Prague. Here is a link that has Paul’s recommendation:

 

https://www.praguebeergarden.com/news/post/cellar-beer-bars-in-prague

 

In Munich, we just went to Hofbrauhaus to do the tourist thing and stopped at local beer gardens ( all over ) for a break when touring.

[cbb]

you 2 are the best!

 

I've copied your replies into a document and will give it to her when I see it. Hopefully some more drinkers......er.....travelers will respond! Thanks!!!

[Wynterwynd]

If you can’t find beer in Prague or Cesky Krumlov, you’re not looking! The Pilsner is great and you can buy it everywhere, inexpensively. From the center of old Prague, wander down the narrow, cobblestone streets and stop at any restaurant for great (cheap!) food and beer. Branch out and try the slivovice, too!

[robbie21]

The first thing your friend should know is that restaurants, taverns, beer gardens in this part of the world typically have only one brand of beer available.They are either exclusively contracted with the brewer or, in some cases, owned by the brewer. This is easily discernible because the awning or umbrellas will prominently display the name of the brewer (marketing 101). This makes it easy to try different beers but you do have to move about.

 

 

Secondly, they are all good! :p Especially compared to most American beers, even "craft" beers.

 

 

Finally, some of these beers are quite high alcohol, especially the monastery ones. So, enjoy but be careful.

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robbie21--

good info! Thanks so much!

[pinotlover]

Andechs, is IMO, the best beer in Europe. The schweinehaxen is tremendous! The transit train runs out to the village center, it’s the last stop. Even though it’s walkable, and a lovely one, I recommend a cab from the station to the monastery. So a couple of inexpensive taxi rides and the transit system gets one to the greatest beer in the world! It is a must stop every trip to Munich for us!

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pinotlover--thanks so much!

[Mura]

You aren't asking about Austrian beers, but I spent the summer there in 1976 with an opera program in Graz. My favorite beer there was Reininghaus. I believe that is strictly local!

 

 

In Prague we enjoyed Paul's Pilsner Urquell very much.

 

 

At the end of the Graz program I spent a few days in Vienna, where we were presented with the Pilsner. I came home a couple of days later and my husband had purchased some bottles of the Pilsner ... of course, the bottles aren't as good as the "vom Fass" beer, but it was a welcome treat.

 

 

If anyone is in Bruges, try the Beer Museum tastings. Now THOSE were wonderful! We did that tour when we were on Nautica in July 2016 and enjoyed it very much. (We were no more than a dozen people for those who don't want full buses!) I was very surprised at the size of the glasses -- about 6-8 oz. for each tasting, of which we had quite a number.

 

 

I'm sure you could go there if you are on your own!

 

 

Since we're not on a Bruges thread, I suppose I should post this at the Ports of Call section ... but it IS about beer!

 

 

Mura

[cbb]

thanks Mura--and I think you should share it on Bruges!

[Mura]

I will! Actually, I've said it before ... but probably not at the Ports of Call section. It was a highlight of that cruise. Plus we had a lovely walking tour of Bruges itself.

 

 

 

Mura

[Floridiana]

Beer is liquid bread and like bread it is available everywhere. Best try the local draft beers. Beer tends to be stronger and more bitter than in the USA. I often switch to Weizenbier (wheat beer) for a milder taste.

Austria also has excellent wine. And then there are coffee specialties and cakes to go with them.

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thanks wynterwynd and floridiana

[Hawaiidan]

you 2 are the best!

 

I've copied your replies into a document and will give it to her when I see it. Hopefully some more drinkers......er.....travelers will respond! Thanks!!!

 

All the towns mentioned have beer gardens and you can not miss any where.

[cbb]

hawaiidan--good to know she can't go wrong, but she was hoping to miss the 'tourists' and go local. Thanks!

[robbie21]

hawaiidan--good to know she can't go wrong, but she was hoping to miss the 'tourists' and go local. Thanks!

 

The beer gardens are local, not at all 'tourist'. They are definitely the place where locals go in the summer. It's like going to the park, kids and all. Fair odds you will have to share a table with some locals. Some are brewery operated with a single brand of beer. Others, usually larger ones, have kiosks scattered around with different brands. All kinds of food, too.

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robbie21--

i had actually wondered about the kiosks since i remember that there were some in Prague and in Vienna, too, I think but that was a few years ago and things can change.

 

She will be spending at least 1 night in each of the towns and sometimes 2 so she should have a variety of experiences!

 

We agreed that she might have to go to the gym 2x daily to get rid of some beer calories...and desserts...and yummy bread carbs....

[arima22]

I was stationed in Bavaria (one hour south of Munich) from 2006-2008. My personal favorite is from the Andechs Monastery http://www.andechs.de/en/brewery/ near Munich--Best to go there and have the Schweinehaxe with a liter of Double Bock (have someone else drive back. Most people take a pilgrimage to the Hofbrauhaus--go when it opens at 9:00am with the locals for Brotzeit and have weisswurst and a helles (no-one judges). The Augustiner Beer hall is a little nicer with a less touristy atmosphere

 

Agree, we lived in Munich '74-'80, Andechs is a "pilgrimage" for Bavarians- take the train from Munich, then hike or take a taxi up the hill. Our favorite Munich beer is Augustiner, had it delivered to the condo, like the milkmen of old in the US. Visit the Augustiner Keller: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187309-d807825-Reviews-Augustiner_Keller-Munich_Upper_Bavaria_Bavaria.html

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arima22-

I truly LOL when reading your reference to the "milkmen of old"....we had George the Milkman when i was a child....my mom always suspected him of having a nip of something while on the job!!

 

Great info and i cut/paste your comment on my document right beneath Buggins' contribution --I'm pretty sure they will love this idea...and they will have their rental car so they can go spur of the moment (well as much as an hour's drive is a 'moment'.)

 

 

thanks!

[Hawaiidan]

Drink as much as you can in Europe. because the beer is "alive" with its properties. If they ship the local beer to the USA it has to be pasteurized... dead beer which changes the total taste from that in Europe. If you go to Switzerland avoid Cardinal. ( The reasons in WW2 the Germans did not invade Switzerland is because they were afraid their soldiers would be ruined by drinking Swiss cardinal beer

 

From experience the biergarten in Salzsberg is better than anything in Germany run by beer drinking monks !. You walk in the door grab a huge mug, wash it in the fountain then walk over to the beer counter get filled 1 or 1/2 ltr size Then find a table and sit. Around the hall which is cozy are chickens roasting Bakeries ( get the salzberg salt roll a rye pretzel salt topped roll) and a Knodel) Sausages, Hams, you name it... Its a super store. All self service. 1/2 to 3/4 of the folks there will be local and bone up on your German and have fun.............

 

.Gruss Gott..... spater mein freunden

[Paulchili]

The reasons in WW2 the Germans did not invade Switzerland is because they were afraid their soldiers would be ruined by drinking Swiss cardinal beer

 

 

That's a good one - gave me a good laugh.

Some might even believe you :D

[cbb]

hawaiidan--

thanks for the foodie/beer tip!