Baden Württemberg, (Heilbronn to Pforzheim)
Heilbronn
On the main street of the city of Heilbronn the Barfüßer
brewpub is to be found on Allee 35, Tel: 07131
963441. This Heilbronn Barfusser pub has a very well designed cafe like
interior with two floors and wickerwork chairs and has justifiably won
awards for the layout. A pale Pils type Blonde, Weisse and dark
Schwarze beer are available and these are pleasant drinking brews to
enjoy with the atmosphere, the Schwarze has a nice malty aroma and
smooth taste. It is a pity that other styles are not produced and one
can only hope that this policy changes in the future.
News 2018: The brewery in
Heilbronn has now closed
There are also four other Barfusser breweries to visit:
Die Barfüßer Hausbrauerei in Neu- Ulm, Paulstraße 4, 89231 Neu-Ulm
Die Barfüßer Hausbrauerei in Memmingen, Schweizerberg 17, 87700
Memmingen
Die Barfüßer Hausbrauerei in Leutkirch, Bahnhof 1, 88299 Leutkirch
Die Barfüßer Hausbrauerei in Ulm, Lautenberg 1, 89073 Ulm
Inside the Barfüßer brewpub
Bruchsal
Between Karlsruhe and Heidelberg the town of Bruchsal hosts a brewpub
called the Wallhall which was established in 1996. Situated near to the
shopping centre the pub can be found at Kübelmarkt 8, 76640 Bruchsal,
Tel: 07251 72130, Fax: 07251 721399.
There are three rooms one of which contains the brewery. The staff are
friendly and warm food is available from 11:00 - 14:00 and 18:00 -
23:00.
Beers on tap include an all year round unfiltered Pils which is quite
different to a classic Pils and can be described as very cloudy with a
yeasty refreshing flavour. Quite bitter this beer suffers slightly from
a high CO2 content but is ideal for drinking on
a warm summers day. A top fermented "Dunkles" was also on tap but was
not in the best condition and was too pale to be described as dark.
Other speciality beers are available at other times of the year. See
the brewpubs own Website
for more details.
Photo of the Wallhall Pub
Gondelsheim.
If you are tired of German beers and want a chance to try some choice
Belgian ones in an exclusive atmosphere make a detour to the Loewen
Thor in the small town of Gondelsheim which can be found in
Bruchsaler strasse 4, Tel: 07252 6676, Fax: 07252 8202. This 1748 built
guesthouse is very elegant and features many rooms of which the
original dining room is the most spectacular.
You will have to be prepared to spend some serious money here to get
full enjoyment out of the experience, but it is well worthwhile as the
menu is mostly composed of Belgian specialities.
To compliment the meal the restaurant provides an impressive choice of
the finest Belgian beers which are kept in very good condition.
The restaurant is open daily from 19:00 to 1:00 except Sundays when it
is open from 12:00 to 24:00. A typical 0.75 litre bottle costs around
20 DM in the restaurant and they can also be bought for take away with
an additional cost for the bottle. See the Loewen Thor's own Website
for more details.
Location of Löwen Thor in
Gondelsheim
Eggenstein Leopoldshafen.
About 10 km Northwest of Karlsruhe try not to miss a microbrewery
opened in 1996 in the town of Eggenstein Leopoldshafen. Called Andreas Bräu
this modern building has a well designed open bar structure with the
brewery visible in one corner and there is a concrete tiled beer garden
with umbrellas available outside. This brewery has now established
itself as one of the few which produces varied beer styles of
outstanding quality all year round. Crowds gather for the short seasons
which feature both Doppelbock (February) and Maibock (beginning of May)
proving that seasonal strong beers are still very popular in contrast
to the belief of most large German breweries. The Summer Weizen beer is
also exceptional with a pronounced banana aroma. A good range of other
seasonal beers, all very good are available at differing times of the
year. Due to its popularity the Andreasbrau is often very crowded in
the evenings so it might be worth making a reservation to avoid
disappointment. It is particularly nice to see people of all ages in
the pub and it has become a real community centre. Recently Thai food
has also become a popular item on the menu.
Well worth a visit if you are in the area.
Graben-Neudorf.
Another microbrewery opened in 2005 could be found in the town of
Graben-Neudorf called Oasen Bräu and was situated in the industrial
area just behind the main station of Graben Neudorf in the Benzstrasse
11, 76676 Graben-Neudorf.
The brewpub produced Pils and Weizen year round with some seasonal
specialities such as Märzen and Export. The premises inside were
considerably larger than one would expect with a number of adjoining
rooms as well as a small beergarden outside.
The Pils, called "Baupils" was coppery coloured and more full bodied
than many other examples in the area with a good balance of hoppiness
and malt. Service was quick and friendly and there was a good range of
food from daily menus.
This brewery has now closed.
Karlsruhe.
There are two medium sized breweries in Karlsruhe, Moninger and
Hoepfner. Moninger produces a nice beer in winter called Bertold Bock
which is best if you can find it served on tap rather than from the
bottle. The Hoepfner
brewery now produces a wide range of beers, more details of which can
be found on their own website, although special mention should be made
to their Porter beer which has been re-introduced after a ten year
absence. Available during the winter months this is the only Porter
brewed in Germany and deserves to be tasted by those who are unaware of
this beer style. Hoepfner has also recently re-introduced its fine
Maibock after a few years absence and it is perhaps a forlorn hope that
one day they will also re-introduce the excellent Carolator winter
doppelbock which was one of the finest examples of this beerstyle.
Essential
to any beer lovers visit to Karlsruhe is a trip to one of the oldest
established microbreweries in Germany founded in (1985) by Rudi Vogel
called the Vogel
Bräu (Bird Brew). Situated on Kapellenstrasse 50
Tel: 0721 377571, Fax: 0721 370902 they serve an refreshing unfiltered
Pils all year round, and between Oct. and May speciality beers are
produced from Märzen to Doppelbock, Dunkles Weizen, Weizenbock, Mai
bock and even a Rauch beer unequalled outside of Bamberg. These
speciality beers are of the finest quality and can be enjoyed with
simple snacks or a choice of two or three daily menus. The original bar
with a good view of the brewery has expanded twice already into
adjoining rooms due to its popularity and when the weather is fine the
beer garden is usually full.
A second Vogel Bräu can be found in the district of Karlsruhe Ettlingen
which can also get very full especially on Sundays when they have good
live music.
A third Vogel Bräu in the Amalienbadstrasse 16, Karlsruhe Durlach also
opened at the end of 2004 which is more of a cafe style bar than a pub
and aimed to appeal to a slightly different audience.
A third medium sized brewery in Karlsruhe used to be the 1885
established Brauerei Max Wolf which was situated right in the centre of
town at Werderstrasse 51. Their Indianerbock
which was served in stone mugs was an excellent relatively strong beer
with a full taste and a slightly bitter finish. Unfortunately the Wolf
brewery closed down in 2009 and was taken over by the large
Heidelberger brewery who may still produce some of the Wolf beers for
bottling.
Another brewpub which has been setup by the Moninger brewery can be
found in Karlsruhe and is called the Kühler Krug. This is a large
complex which can cater for many visitors and is situated in the
Wilhelm-Baur Strasse 3a, Tel: 0721 8316416, Fax: 0721 8316418. The
usual Helles, Dunkles and Weizen beers are available which are of good
quality, although the Weizen is perhaps a bit ordinary. A surprisingly
good fruity full bodied seasonal Maibock is also worth trying out if
you are visiting during its period of availability. The large
beergarden and its proximity to the park and childrens playground make
this a popular family destination in Summer. Kühler Krug beers are also
available from a number of local supermarket outlets in returnable
bottles. The brewpub also has its own Website.
Karlsruhe
Knielingen
In the Karlsruhe suburb of Knielingen on the site of the former US
Military Installation, Gerszewski Barracks there is a large brewpub
called Brauhaus
2.0.
The brewery is situated in the building that used to be the officers
canteen and the address is Egon-Eiermann-Allee 8, 76187 Karlsruhe, Tel:
0721 47050220.
All the other military buildings were demolished except the church.
First opened in 2011 as a sister brewpub to the Waldbronn Lindenbräu,
this first version of the brewery was not commercially viable due to
the massive redevelopment of the area which progressed slower than
expected leaving the brewery in a rather desolate wasteland.
Consequently the brewpub closed only 9 Months after opening.
By 2013 new housing and commercial properties had been constructed and
the second version of the brewpub was opened in much better
surroundings. Open from 11:00 to 24:00 every day this brewpub now
appears to be a great success and is often quite full, especially on
warmer days. Plenty of room both inside and out in the large beergarden
the premises also offer enough parking spaces.
Brew master Jochen Martin produces 2 regular beers year round, a
Tettnanger hopped BIO-PILS 2.0 and a BIO-WEIZEN 2.0. Another regular
beer is a 5.8% Alc. BIO-Alt 2.0. Both the Pils and Weizen are good
examples of the style and are very popular. They do brew a few
different seasonal beers throughout the year but usually do not
advertise them on the website so it can be a bit of pot-luck what is
available. Their Märzen and Maibock seasonals are good examples of the
style. Reasonable food is also available with their Flammkuchen being a
particular favourite.
As development of the area continues with even more housing and with a
planned extension of the tram line from Karlsruhe central, Brauhaus 2.0
is likely to remain popular.
Ittersbach
Now permanently closed, the Michelbräu brewery in the Karlsbad suburb
of Ittersbach first re-opened as of November 2009 in the Stockmädle 10,
76307 Karlsruhe Ittersbach.
Originally opened at the end of 1999 the beers were only available in
the Gasthaus Rössel in the centre of Ittersbach. Beers available
included Pils, Kuckucksbier and Weissbeer.
From the original tasting notes the Pils was an unfiltered, hoppy,
refreshing beer rating amongst the best of this style and the
Kuckucksbier was a bitter amber coloured brew resembling a Märzen in
style.
This
brewery has now closed.
Malsch
Open since September 2001 the Alter
Bahnhof brewery, as its name indicates occupies the
old station building and is well worth a visit for its excellent beers.
The complete address is: Bahnhofstrasse 2, 76316 Malsch, Tel: 07246
305944, Fax: 07246 305946.
The brewpub which seats 150 is open from 16:00 to 01:00 Monday to
Thursday, 14:00 to 03:00 Friday and Saturday and from 10:00 to 01:00 on
Sundays.
Brewer Andreas Kühn learned his profession from trade school as well as
from his own home brewing efforts and has certainly been successful in
producing first class beer. The brauhaus Hell is an unfiltered, well
balanced brew with excellent tettnanger hop character and is highly
drinkable. Even more exceptional is the smooth dark amber coloured
Dunkles which has an outstanding malty aroma and taste, again with a
particularly well balanced character. Both beers are served at perfect
temperature which goes against the "too cold" trend found in many of
the newer German brewpubs. A reasonable Weizen is also available which
has a slight, but not too pronounced banana aroma and taste. Around
Christmas time another treat not to be missed is a glass of their
superb dark Doppelbock which is one of the best examples you will find
in this guide. Full bodied, dark, malty and smooth, it is fortunate
that the brewery is right on the station as it would not be wise to try
driving after a couple of these. Other speciality brews such as Maibock
should be available at other times of the year.
The place outside the main entrance is reserved for the beergarden with
seating for about 70 people, although this is perhaps less inviting
than the interior due to its exposure and location next to the street.
Simple well cooked meals can be enjoyed along with the first class
beers.
Definitely an address worth seeking out for some of the finest beers
you will find in this guide.
View of the Alter Bahnhof
Waldbronn
This brewery opened its doors in November 2000 and has rapidly become
extremely popular with the locals. The Lindenbräu can be found in the
Stuttgarter Strasse 43, 76337 Waldbronn, Tel: 07243 652881, Fax: 07243
652882 and further details can be found on its own Website.
Brewer Ralf Störzbach earned his brewing diploma in Weihenstephan and
produces Lindenbräu Original and Pils with occasional seasonal beers.
The Original is a coppery coloured unfiltered 'light' Märzen style beer
which is rather too dry to really be called Märzen and is difficult to
categorise precisely. A pleasant drink without any particularly
outstanding characteristics. The Pils is a very full bodied example of
this style with a good level of bitterness and a distinctly hoppy
character. A pleasant lingering aftertaste makes this a very enjoyable
beverage.
-----------
A truly outstanding Lindenbräu beer which is only available for a
couple of weeks during February is Maximator Doppelbock.
This beer is specially matured with Oak chippings and has a Stammwürze
of 21% and 9% Alc. which makes it one of the strongest beers available
on draught in Germany. Maximator has a delightful complex aroma and
taste which is reminiscent of the old Reichelbräu Icebock of similar
strength.
This brewery is well worth a visit.
Outside view of the Lindenbräu
Bretten
Opened in 2000 the Michaeli Bräu run by brewmaster Michael Kuhn is
located in the town of Bretten at Melanchthon Strasse 68, 75015
Bretten, Tel: 07252 973401. This small brewpub (If it is
still operating ?) occupies the completely renovated site of
the old 1825 established Hirsch and is very welcoming and friendly.
Open all week from 16:00 to 00:00 with no restday (Ruhetag).
The brewery offers a very interesting range of beers including an
excellent refreshing pale amber 12.4% Stammwürze Pils which is very
well hopped (Hallertau) and ranks amongst the very best Pils that can
be found in the area.
Also available is a very dark, fairly dry 12.4% Stammwürze beer called
Alte Liebe made in the Alt beer style which with its strong toasted
malt aftertaste reminds one of a light stout.
Another fairly unusual offering which is seasonally brewed is a 12.8%
Stammwürze Roggen (Rye) beer which is smooth and fairly sweet with a
slightly syrupy character. This is a very interesting beer which is
perhaps not to everyones liking but should be tried as it is quite rare.
Finally an even more unusual beer is sometimes available called Hanf
(Hemp beer). Before 1516 hemp was one of many ingredients used in
brewing but was banned in Germany after the introduction of the
Reinheitsgebot. Hemp and hops actually belong to the same family as
marijuana (cannabina ceae) but they are not the same plant. Industrial
hemp and marijuana are only cousins. The beer is made either from
flowers or sterilised seeds which contain no or (in the case of
flowers) very little THC, which is the psychoactive ingredient in
marijuana.
Some other hemp beers are available from Weitra-Bräu in Austria or Wädi-Bräu
in Switzerland as well as a couple of newcomers in the USA.
Having never tasted this type of beer before I cannot make any
comparisons but the Michaeli Bräu Hanf beer tasted a little like a
Belgian Gueuze made by spontaneous fermentation and was slightly sour
which will not be to everyones liking. Anyway an interesting beer to
try and broaden your beer horizon.
Another particularly unusual offering comes in the form of food. On
Tuesdays you can even try your hemp beer with a plate of Kutteln
(testicles).
In summary this brewpub is well worth a visit, and has a range of
excellent beers with a particular plus point for the Pils which is
perhaps only equalled in this guide by the Pils from the Hausbrauerei Feierling
in Freiburg.
Brewery website ceased working in 2010 but the Brewery
tap guesthouse still operates and they say that
Michaelibräu beer is still available although it is not clear if it is
still brewed on site.
Exterior view of the Michaeli Bräu
Pforzheim
The Hopfen Schlingel is Pforzheims first brewpub established in 1988
and is situated in Weiherstrasse 13 just of the main thoroughfare Tel:
07231 24477.
Pforzheim is known as the goldstadt and there are many jewellers to be
found around the busy shopping area where parking is difficult to find.
The Hopfenschlingel is open from Mon - Thur 11:00 to 24:00, Fri - Sat
11:00 - 1:00 and on Sunday from 17:00 to 24:00. There are two areas
comprising of the bar on the ground floor with a view of the brewery
and a projection screen TV for the football fans plus a quieter first
floor area with more tables suitable for meals. The pub is very
friendly and well laid out with a quite bitter average Pils all year
round and one speciality beer which was a refreshing Dunkles when
visited. As with the Stadtlerbräu above the beers tasted were good but
unexceptional for a brewpub which should be able to better the quality
of the local big breweries. The food available in the Hopfenschlingel
is good and they prepare Flammkuchen which is a speciality of the
French Alsace region and are like thin Pizzas with various toppings.
The group now has its own Website
which covers the 2 locations in Rastatt and Pforzheim. Very little
information about the beers available.
News 2018: This brewery
has now closed
Photo of the Hopfen Schlingel
brewery
