A German Beer Odyssey

WARNING: The following post is rated M for Mature, due to alcohol reference and use of alcohol.

Of course Germany is world-renown for its beer! In the twelve days I traveled to, through and from Germany, I had the opportunity to imbibe beer on 25 different occasions, enjoying 22 different beers! What follows is a visual odyssey of my German beer experience. Prost!:

First beer of the trip on my Lufthansa flight from Dulles to Frankfurt, Warsteiner Premium Verum. Warsteiner was first brewed in 1753 -

Berliner Kindl Weisse with green woodruff syrup in Berlin at the Alt Berliner Biersalon. It was far too sweet for my tastes, but I had to try it since I was in Berlin. Berliner Weisse was first brewed in the 1500s –

Bitburger pilsener, which I enjoyed during our dinner buffet at the Abba Berlin Hotel. Bitburger was first brewed in 1817 –

Krombacher Pils at a small unknown outdoor café in Berlin. Krombacher was first brewed in 1803 –

Löwenbräu Münchner Original Dunkel was my beer of choice for lunch at Löwenbräu am Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin. Amazingly, Löwenbräu was first brewed in 1383 –

Veltins Pilsener vom Faß enjoyed with dinner at a wonderful Prussian restaurant, Marjellchen! Veltins was first brewed in 1824 -

I had an Erdinger Weißbier Dunkel with dinner at the Pizza Factory in Berlin. Erdinger was first brewed in 1886 –

Krušovice Černé was a delicious Czech beer I enjoyed in Dresden during lunch at Kurfürstenschänke. Krušovice was first brewed in 1581 –

Radeberger Pilsener, which I had during our dinner buffet at the NH Dresden Hotel. Radeberger was first brewed in 1872 –

I enjoyed Watzke Altpieschner Spezial on an evening walk in Dresden to the Watzke Brauhaus. Watzke was first brewed in 1838 –

Żywiec, a pale Polish lager, came with my wonderful lunch in Zgorzelec, Poland at the Przy Jakubie Restauracja. Żywiec was first brewed in 1852 –

I chose Staropramen Dunkel, a Czech beer, to go with my dinner at the Wenzel Prager Bierstuben in Dresden. Staropramen was first brewed in 1869 –

Bamberg is known for its smoked beers. I enjoyed a rich, dark Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier with dinner at the Brauerei Fässla. Schlenkerla Rauchbier was first brewed in the 1700s –

Later, the same evening, I had a Fässla Lagerbier at the Brauerei Fässla in Bamberg. I apologize for the poor quality of the photo. There was very low lighting in the outdoor seating area of the Brauerei Fässla. Fässla was first brewed in 1649 –

Another Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, this time with lunch at the Restaurant Café Zeis in Bamberg. I loved the Bamberg smoked beers!

This time, I had an unknown Rauchbier (smoked beer) with dinner at the Café Cador in Bamberg –

That same evening, I enjoyed a Spezial Rauchbier Lager at the Brauerei Spezial in Bamberg. Spezial beer was first brewed in 1536 –

In Nürnberg, I had a Tucher Dunkles Weißier with my lunch at a restaurant called Bratwurst Röslein. Tucher was first brewed in 1672 –

OK, this was a first. I had 2 liters of Löwenbräu Original with dinner in München at the Löwenbräu Brunnwart Biergarten!

Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier was a necessary addition to my lunch of Weisswurst and a Brezel at the Münchner Spezialitäten in the Viktualienmarkt in München. Ja, I had a little trouble pouring my beer! Paulaner was first brewed in 1634 –

One of my favorite beers, Schneider Weisse Unser Aventinus is a doppelbock I enjoyed with dinner at Weisses Bräuhaus in München. Schneider Weisse was first brewed in 1872 –

While visiting Neuschwanstein, I had a König Ludwig Dunkel with lunch at the Alpenstuben Biergarten Grill. König Ludwig was first brewed in 1516 (under a different name) –

I enjoyed another Paulaner Weißbier, this time with dinner at the Pullmann Munich Hotel.

I also enjoyed another Löwenbräu Original on our last evening in München. We returned to the Löwenbräu Brunnwart Biergarten for a farewell liter of beer.

My final German beer on my tour of Germany was this Erdinger Weißbier, which I had with dinner on my Lufthansa flight.

Did I have a favorite beer? Well, there was only one beer I did not enjoy, the Berliner Weisse, which had a sweet shot of green woodruff syrup, making it far too sweet for my tastes. I really enjoyed the smoked beers of Bamberg – especially the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. The other two beers that especially struck my fancy were Krušovice Černé, a Czech beer I enjoyed in Dresden, and Schneider Weisse Unser Aventinus, a strong dark doppelbock I had in Munich.