German Beer in Mexico

I just got back from a week's visit to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. I had mentioned a particular German restaurant previously on this site, the Cafe Frankfurt. What struck me was what I considered the authentic taste of the beer served as opposed to German beer imported to the US (Paulaner).

On this last visit, my wife and I went back to the place now called Hacienda Alemana, which includes a ten-room hotel (quite nice). On this occasion, I had two bottled  Hasen-Bräus (from Augsburg) and one Bitburger in  a can. They were both pretty decent. Of course, I don't know what Hasen tastes like in Augsburg, nor have I had a Bitburger in Bitburg. I would say both (in PV) were superior to the Mexican brews I was drinking (Corona and Negra Modelo). I have never really visited Augsburg other than passing through the train station, so I have no recollection of drinking Hasen.

Here is the web site for Hacienda Alemana. (The owner is from Bonn.) You can link to the restaurant and their menu. I recommend it for the food and the beer.

So if you ever get to Puerto Vallarta, check out the Hacienda Alemana. And if you happen to be in Augsburg, check out the Hasen-Bräu. 

Oh yeah. If you get to Bitburg, check out the Bitburger, naturally. Just stay away from the cemetery.

Is Beer Still Legal in Germany?

Given the new demographics in Germany, one must ask for how long beer will remain legal. As the Oktoberfest winds up, it is useful to remember that a month or two ago, there was concern that the (beer) tents needed would not be available because they would be needed to shelter the refugees coming in from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and who knows where else. To top that off some Muslim leader in Holland sent a letter to Munich officials that they should cancel Oktoberfest altogether because it is offensive to Muslims.

So I ask you: What's in your beer mug?

No. What I meant was how long will beer be allowed in Germany?

Or how long will there be a Germany? Or a Europe for that matter.

Nuremberg Beer

In Hamilton Burden's Book, The Nuremberg Party Rallies, 1923-1939, he describes how during evenings the party big-wigs would go out to sample the Nuremberg beer. If their tastes were anything like mine (in beer) they might have been disappointed. To me Nuremberg beer is not up to snuff with other beers in Germany, but that's just me.

The principal beer in Nuremberg is Tucher (formerly called Tucher-Siechen), owned by the patrician Tucher family. Tucher is actually a pretty big conglomerate having bought up Patrizierbrau AG and several smaller Franconian breweries over the past several decades including Gruener (Fuerth), Erich and Henninger (Erlangen) and Bamberger Hofbrau (Bamberg). Thus it qualifies for what some of my German friends derisively call, "industrial beer".



Tucher has a brewery restaurant in Nuremberg, which I have never visited, so I can't say whether the beer is of any higher quality. Then again, you might love it. It's just a matter of taste.

Another brewery in Nuremberg is Lederer, which I also try to avoid when seeking out an eating place in Nuremberg or its environs, like Erlangen.





One beer I definitely avoid is Zirndorfer from the outlying village of Zirndorf. My Italian friend, who has a pizzeria in nearby Stein, serves this beer along with Tucher. Faced with a choice, I go with Tucher. Zirndorfer has an unpleasant bitter taste.

The best local beer you will find in the Nuremberg area is Kitzmann, which is the major brewery in Erlangen.

Here is a pub guide to Nuremberg. It includes a couple I have frequented over the years, which are the Tucherbrau am Opern and Kloster Andechs, which brews their own beer (so-so). The former is down the street from the train station along the wall and across the street from the opera house, while the latter is also near the train station on Koenigstrasse.

Nuremberg has two beer fests annually, in spring (Fruehlingsfest) and fall (Herbstfest). It takes place on the former Reichs Party Rally grounds (Reichsparteitaggelaende) in the shadow of Kongresshall.



Again, you may find Nuremberg's brews to your liking. You will certainly enjoy the city. It is worth a visit.

The Beers of Berlin

Over the years, when I thought of Berlin beer, Schultheiss and Berliner Kindl came to mind along with the famous Berlin specialty, Berliner Weisse, a wheat style beer mixed with raspberry syrup in a big bowl-type glass.

Since reunification, the situation seems to have become confused. The owner of Schultheiss bought out Berliner Kindl, which apparently had to close (or did it?). The below site, European Beer Guide.net attempts to give an explanation.


http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/berlbrew.htm

Confusing, indeed. I have not visited Berlin since 1987 before re-unification but I hope to get there in 2016. I was looking forward to buying a Berliner Kindl glass with their great logo as pictured below:



http://www.berliner-kindl.de/

Today, micro-brews are the rage in Berlin. There are micro-brew tours you can go on, which might be a good idea.

https://www.thrillist.com/drink/berlin/freidrichshain/microbreweries-in-berlin-a-tour-of-the-eight-best-microbreweries

Berlin may not be the greatest place in Germany for beer, but given the great atmosphere, it must be a great place to drink it nonetheless. I always said I would have loved to live in Berlin in the 1920s, but what the heck! I guess 2016 is the next best thing.

Mystery of the Day

Do you know what this refers to?

(Hint: It has nothing to do with beer.)

The Beers of Franconian Switzerland

Franconia is a region in northern Bavaria that is home to some great beer. Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken) is home to a beautiful forested area known as Franconian Switzerland (Fraenkische Schweiz). This is where you will find several popular breweries favored by the aficionados. I am linking below a website with a list of the breweries (in German).



http://www.fraenkische-schweiz.com/brauereien.html



Brauhaus am Kreuzberg

Erlangen Bergkirchweih

Erlangen's annual beer fest, the Bergkirchweih  is underway (May 21-June 1).


http://www.nordbayern.de/region/erlangen/berg-blog-ob-janik-trinkt-mate-tee-auf-den-kellern-1.4399733

Erlangen Beerfest Coming

The Erlangen Bergkirchweih is approaching. Bavaria's second biggest beer fest will run from May 21-June 1.

http://www.berch.info/

If you are anywhere near Erlangen, which is about 15 miles north of Nuremberg, you owe it to yourself to visit the Bergkirchweih. 

Bergisches Landbier

A friend of mine who is married to a German guy just got back from a visit to Germany, and knowing I collect German beer glasses, brought me this one.



I had never heard of this beer, so I did a little checking.

The brewery is from Wiehl-Bielstein, which is in the Ruhr Gebiet.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/bergisches-landbier/147654/

Naturally, I have no idea what it tastes like, and I place no stock in those snooty taster descriptions.