Rastatt
Rastatt
Two breweries worth visiting in and around Rastatt are Brauerei C. Franz established in 1842 which is found in the Rauentaler Str. 4, 76437 Rastatt, Tel: 07222/3 20 03, Fax: 07222/3 20 05. An attractive old brewery building where unfortunately you can only try their beers during special festivities. Widely available at pubs in town, try their Freiheitsbier and Dunkles. The Freiheitsbier seems to have been discontinued (2014).
The HopfenSchlingel brewery from Pforzheim also opened another location in 1997 in the Militär strasse 2, 76437 Rastatt, Tel: 07222 30099. Open from 16:00 to 1:00 Monday to Saturday and from 16:00 to 24:00 on Sunday the large modern bar serves the same beers as in Pforzheim. As in Pforzheim the Pils is very ordinary and the brewery does not offer many speciality beers except for limited periods in winter. The Weizen beer is a very good example of its type which makes this brewery ideal for summer drinking as they have a large outside drinking area. The very limited Website has unfortunately little or no info about their beers.
There also used to be a large brewery in Rastatt called Hofbrauhaus Hatz (now defunct and fused with the Moninger Brewery in Karlsruhe).
Gaggenau
Travelling south from Rastatt is the town of Gaggenau which is just to the north of the famous casino city of Baden Baden. If you have any money left and are feeling thirsty you could visit a brewpub called Christoph Bräu which was founded in 1995. The pub can be found on the west side of the river a short walk from the centre of Gaggenau in the Alois Degler strasse 3, Tel: 07225 70393, Fax: 07225 3479.
A modern new building with large glass windows and an open plan bar area affords views of the brewery copper kettles situated in the back corner. An interesting solid granite sink can be found in the WC. Reasonably priced food is available from chips to steaks.
Open Monday to Friday 17:00 to 24:00 and from 11:00 to 24:00 on the weekend the brewery has Pils all year round and supposedly the following speciality beers at other times of the year (But don't rely upon it !):
Recent visits showed that unfortunately little or no progress has been made with the beer quality and the bar staff showed very limited interest or ability in identifying which beers were available. As the place was completely empty perhaps the customers have also decided to vote with their feet and go elsewhere !.
Renchen-Ulm
The medium sized but family owned Ulmer brewery founded in 1852 can be found in the small village of Renchen-Ulm between Baden Baden and Freiburg, and is well worth seeking out as one of the few breweries left which tries hard to retain its traditional values. You will know that you are in the right place when you see the following welcoming plaque at the entrance to the town. Ulmer beers should be tried at the Bauhöfer's Braustüb'l situated right next to the brewery at Ullenburgstrasse 16, 77871 Renchen-Ulm, Tel: 07843 695. The Braustüb'l which was built in 1929 when the next door brewery was modernised is very welcoming inside and also has one of the oldest beer gardens in Baden. Open every day from 10:00 except for Thursdays, a wide range of beers are available some of which are seasonal. Beer tasting should commence with the very refreshing flavoursome Export (12.9 % Stammwürze, 5.4 Vol. % Alcohol, 26 units of bitterness) which is still served in half liter stone mugs and is as good an example of this beerstyle as you will find anywhere in the area. A special Jubiläums beer to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the brewery is also available which is slightly more malty but less smooth than the export. Unusually the brewery also produces a Maibock which is available year round and is also served in stone mugs. This is a very pale beer (17.2 % Stammwürze, 7.2 Vol. % Alcohol, 38 units of bitterness) which is pleasant with a slightly sweet aftertaste and its strength is deceptive. Another special brew is the smooth dark (12.8 % Stammwürze, 5.2 Vol. % Alcohol, 18 units of bitterness) Vollmond (Full Moon) beer which uses Tettnanger hops and has a nice malty aroma. This beer can only be brewed (under licence) during full moon nights using specially produced natural raw materials and is therefore only available in limited quantities. Ditzingen
The Wichtel brewery is in the town of Ditzingen, another suburb of Stuttgart on the NW side and the address is Kornthaler Strasse 4, 71254 Ditzingen, Tel: 07156 5154. Established in 1989 and renovated in 2013 the brewery produces both top and bottom fermented beers with Pils and Hefe Weizen available year round. This very friendly and comfortable pub also makes an excellent Maibock which is exactly as Maibock should be. Unfiltered with a coppery colour the beer is full bodied, hoppy with a slightly harsh aftertaste and it is true to say that the Wichtel Brewery is one of only a few left which produce such a fine example. The only criticism would be that the beers are served very cold and especially for a Bock it is really necessary to wait a while before the true flavour comes out. Ludwigsburg Brauerei zum Rossknecht
Within easy walking distance from the centre of Ludwigsburg the Rossknecht brewery can be found on the Reithausplatz 21, Tel: 07141 902551, Fax: 07141 922386. The brewery is 10 years old although the building is much older and there are a number of drinking areas within. Like the Calwer-Eck in Stuttgart this pub is justifiably very popular and is an essential stopping point for all lovers of great beer and good food. Brauhaus am Solitudeplatz (Formerly Sudhaus Hausbrauerei and Janke's Bierhaus)
The Brauhaus am Solitudeplatz can be found at the back side of the building opposite the main station in the Bahnhof Strasse 17, 71638 Ludwigsburg, Tel: 07141 901767, Fax: 07141 902961. StuttgartBrauhaus Schwarzer Adler
The Schwarzer Adler was situated in a suburb of Stuttgart called Leonberg on the Graf Ulrich Strasse 5 near the Marktplatz. Schwanenbräu
Originally calling itself the first Bavarian - Schwäbische home brewery, this pub can be found in Filderstadt Bernhausen on the Bernhäuser Hauptstrasse 36, Tel: 0711 706954, Fax: 0711 705156.Sophi's Brauhaus
Sophi's Brauhaus is situated in the centre of Stuttgart in the Marien Strasse 28, Tel: 0711 610962. Occupying the first floor this well laid out brewpub is tastefully decorated with a central bar and has its own butcher which guarantees good quality meat products. The principal beer served is "Blonde Sophie" which is a Pils style beer and is quite dry and slightly overcarbonated. They also served a "SchwarzBier" in place of the usual Maibock provided by other breweries at the time of year visited (2nd May). This beer resembles very much the classical "AltBier" in style although not too dry. See the breweries own Website for more details.
Calwer-Eck-Bräu
The
Calwer-Eck-Bräu run by the Breitmayer Family was Stuttgarts first brewpub established in 1987 and can be found in the centre of the shopping area at Calwer Strasse 31, 70173 Stuttgart, Tel: 0711 222 49 44 - 0, Fax: 0711 222 49 44 – 22. Open Mo to Th from 09:00 to 1.00, Fr 09:00 to 02:00, Sa 10:00 to 02:00, Su 10:00 to 01:00 and public holidays from 17:00 to 01:00. The kitchen is always open until 23:30 serving Regional Schwäbische food.Der Bräu in TUE-8
The Bräu in TUE-8, formerly known as the Stuttgarter Lok is basically now a mexican restaurant which only served Pils when visited. It is situated on the Tübingerstrasse 8, Tel: 0711 22366 and does not appear to want to advertise the fact that there is a brewery there at all.
Hausbrauerei Schlossturm
This brewpub could be found outside of the centre of Stuttgart to the South and is situated in the SI-Centrum which is a large shopping complex with theatres. The exact address is Plieninger Strasse 101, Tel: 0711 63396640, Fax: 0711 63396641. The only house beer is "Schlossturm Pils" and a Weizen provided by the Tucher brewery. If you happen to be passing by, you could drop in for a drink but otherwise the beers from other breweries mentioned above offer a better choice.
Esslingen
The Zum Schwanen brewery is located in the town of Esslingen, yet another suburb of Stuttgart in Franziskanergasse 3, 73728 Esslingen, Tel: 0711 353253 Fax: 0711 3508465. Established in 1987 the brewpub is open Monday to Friday from 11:30 to 14:30 and from 17:00 to 00:00. Weekend opening times are the same except for the evening where the pub is open from 17:30. Food can only be ordered until 22:00. Schorndorf
The Kesselhaus brewery can be found to the East of Stuttgart in the town of Schorndorf in Arnoldstr. 3, 73614 Schorndorf, Tel: 07181 484933. Situated in a new shopping and parking complex the area is nevertheless rather grim and uninspiring. Unfortunately the brewery does not really inspire either although the personnel are very welcoming and friendly. Pilsner and Weizen beers are usually available year round and both are quite drinkable although unexceptional. A dark Bock beer available around March has a good chocolate maltiness and is relatively bitter although slightly unharmonic overall.