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Oberpfalz Zoigl Exploration

150 km northwest of Nuremberg, in Oberpfalz (Upper Palpatine), you can enjoy the magic of Zoiglbier at selected stubes and gasthofs on certain weekend days. Zoiglbier, a rustic, unfiltered, country lager native to Oberpfalz, primarily uses spalt and hallertauer hops, as usual in Germany, providing a complimentary spice and fruit … Continue Reading →

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Franconia By Bike: Bad Staffelstein to Bamberg

31 miles. a 20-mile train ride to the north leaves us and our bikes in Bad Staffelstein to ride west and south back to town during the day. Brauerei-Gasthof Reblitz, closed, very sad because the door menu shows fried carp and draught bockbier with another 4-5 bottles. somewhat relieved later … Continue Reading →

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Gräfenberg via Nuremberg to explore Lindenbräu

A direct Denver to Frankfurt flight has us gate-to-gate in under 10 hours. A train ride southeast puts us in Nuremberg two hours later, set to explore the Bavarian beer scene once again. Nuremberg is home to the famous Restaurant Hutt’n, but the situation has changed much since my last … Continue Reading →

Amberg City Gates

Amberg, Germany

I drank my way through the small Bavarian town of Amberg as best I could in the three hours I was there. Fourty minutes earlier I caught a late-morning train out of Nuremberg, and the plan, devised just the night before, was to hop off at Amberg for lunch and … Continue Reading →

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Zoiglstube Gänstaller Drei Kronen Straßgiech

I arrived in Germany today via a direct Denver to Frankfurt flight last night. I’m back for Hutt’n in Nuremberg – the world class bier bar specializing in small and medium-sized Franconian breweries. I’m back for Zoilgbier – the rustic, hoppy, country lager produced at communally-owned breweries throughout Oberpfalz. I’m … Continue Reading →

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Tag der Kommunbrauer

In 2006 my time spent in Germany was limited to the North Rhine – Westphalia state, with visits only to Koln and Dusseldorf. In 2008 I traveled through Bavaria with most time spent in Munich and Bamberg, which I quickly fell in love with and began planning to spend more … Continue Reading →

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Overnight Stop in Munich

The train ride from Zagreb to Munich is a long one: departure at 5 in the morning and arrival near 2 in the afternoon. Preparing for the journey, I skipped sleep the night before, spending the early morning hours stumbling lost through Zagreb with a bottle of Swiss wine. Drunk, … Continue Reading →

Altbier at Zum Schlüssel

Düsseldorf

Two quick days in and around Düsseldorf exploring altbier and pork before heading to London for the last leg of the trip. From 2006.

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Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia

Kölsch, the classic German top-fermented pale lager native to Köln, is best when served fresh from the source, a rule that is almost universal in beer. Within a few minutes walk from the train station and dom of Köln are over a dozen breweries, gasthofs and pubs which serve fresh, … Continue Reading →