For those of us who like to taste our way around the world, tourism that centers on a particular cuisine, culinary tradition, or indeed, potent potable, holds tremendous interest. From vineyard tours in Champagne to pizza tours of Naples, to cite just two examples, wine and food travel offers wonderful rewards.
If you yearn to quench your thirst with history and tradition, well, beer is the perfect place to start. There are records to suggest that as far back as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia in the 6th millenium BC, a beer-like beverage was a staple. While many of us associate the early days of suds with trappist monks holed up in secluded monastic confines, it seems that beer pre-dates even Neolithic Europe.
While there are many places you can venture to craft your own personal beer tour, from Asia to the United Kingdom, Belgium to the Czech Republic, Germany is peerless. Home to the oldest and yes, some of the best beers in the world, from Lower Saxony to Bavaria, Deutschland knows how to make a superior brew. With that in mind, here are some points of interest for beer lovers to take note of in Germany.
A museum seems like a funny place to start a beer tour of Germany but give us a minute to make a case for the superb Deutsches Brauereimuseum in Munich. First of all, the home of Oktoberfest is a great base in Germany for beer tourism, especially if you end your trip with the famous festival. Second of all, the museum at Saint-Jakobs-Platz is part of the excellent Munich Stadtmuseum and features exhibits on the history and evolution of beer. Best of all, the Brauereimuseum has a great microbrewery on the premises.
With close to 265,000 people in soutwest Bavaria, the city of Augsburg is a beautiful college town – one sure signal that good beer is omnipresent. With fabulous architecture and landmarks, Augsburg is also the notable home of Thorbrau, a brewery that dates back to 1582 – almost new by German standards.
The Free State of Thuringia may be small in size but nonetheless, contains some significant charm in the form of towns like Gera, Erfurt and Eisenach. Many towns in the state offer visitors the chance to tour “Geraer Hohler”, or old beer cellars. In addition, the tiny town of Bad Kostritz has been the home of famous black beer producer Kostritzer since 1543. Goethe was a famous fan of the dark beer, which reportedly kept his energy up when he was infirm for a spell.
Freising is a lovely town of just under 50,000 people in a Bavaria district of the same name. North of Munich, the small city is a notable beer tour stop. Weihenstephan, just outside of Freising proper, contains a Benedictine abbey that is not only nice to look at, but a holy shrine for beer lovers. The abbey is home to a brewery in operation since 1040, which makes it the most historic in the world.
A drive through Northeim, Lower Saxony is a must, if only for some of the best scenery in Germany. The district however, also has a gem in Einbeck, a small town of 28,000 people that has been the home of Einbecker Bier for over 600 years.
A beautiful small city of 50,000 people on the Danube in Bavaria, Straubing holds a festival every August that is second only to Oktoberfest in importance and size. Gaubodenvolksfest, a wonderful folk fair, may actually be more popular with locals than Munich’s decidedly more mainstream and commercial affair – with tons of great beers on tap of course.
Another remarkable gem in Bavaria, Wurzburg is home to over 130,000 people, a great cityscape and one of the most brilliant pilsner producers in the world in Wurzburger brewery.
Head to Kelheim in Bavaria for a memorable experience. Home to beer lore par excellence, the Danube district contains Weltenburg Abbey, a monastery brewery in operation since 1050.
How can you complete a beer tour of Germany without a foray into the Oktoberfest fray? Munich of course, is the wonderful city that plays annual host to this festival of festivals, with the ubiquitous scent of beer in the air, on the ground and frankly, everwhere.
Held in late September, the sixteen-day festival draws over six million people every year. Bring a strong bladder and a fierce thirst for beer – the famous 1-litre steins flow fast and freely.
Discover the best hotel deals in destinations all over Germany.
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