This is where my next endurance test of related posts begins. Beer-Mania!'s Franconia and Bohemia tour is the theme. The tour isn't quite finished yet. I left early because I'd done the same itinerary as the last couple of days just a few months ago. Not that I wouldn't have minded doing it again. I just couldn't swing it with the wife.Tour day zero? That's right, day zero. It officially began Friday. I was due to travel down in Andy's minibus the night before to be in position for the tour start. Then the other tour members decided to join us a day early, too. I don't blame them. We were staying at Josef Schneider's brewery in Essing. A great location in every way: tasty beer, beautiful village, friendly people.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. After the pickup at Frankfurt airport our first stop was a quick beer break at Stern-Bräu in Schlüsselfeld.
About 30 years ago they must have tarted up pretty well every pub in Bavaria. In a style I call rustic kitsch. It's a bit of an acquired taste. Lots of pine, folksy chairs and quite bland. But it's a taste I'm beginning to acquire. Stern Bräu has it in spades. Rustic kitsch, I mean.Behind the pub used to stand the Kommunbrauhaus, which has now been moved to the Freilandmuseum Bad Windsheim.
Time for the first beer of the tour (if you discount the quick Beck's during my "toilet break" in Frankfurt airport). A good one it is, too. Called a Dunkles, the colour isn't any deeper than mid-amber. Fruit, pepper and just a touch of smoke. Subtle and drinkable, as German beer should be. I scored it 75 out of 100.
I hadn't eaten since breakfast so I ordered a Schüsselfelder Brotzeit. A dozen types of cold meat with slices of rye bread and cucumber. This is what counts as a snack in Bavaria. I recall it costing a tad under 5 euros.The pub is pretty quiet. Just a couple of old blokes in the corner. And the ruddy-cheeked, buxom daughter of the owners, who was doing the serving. You can tell we're in the country. You don't find that sort of lass in the city.
After polishing off my snack, I gave the Helles a try. Not as complex as the Dunkles, but nice and hoppy, as Franconian beer should be. 68 I scored it.
Pretty good start. Will the rest of the tour be able to maintain this high standard? Find out next week. (And the week after, and the week after that.)
Stern-Bräu,
Brauerei und Gasthof Scheubel,
Kirchplatz 12,
96132 Schlüsselfeld,
Tel: 09552 - 320
http://www.brauerei-scheubel.de
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4 comments:
When i think about Brotzeits and half litres after half litre of lovely fresh beer, I always wonder; why on earth aren't the Germans obese?
Must be all that cycling.
Erm. I always feel quite comfortable amongst Germans of my age waist-wise. And, as my kids would tell you, I'm a fat git.
Good to hear about another place I've yet to check out in person.
Tried to get in touch with you (and Andy, though I fear I'm --perhaps rightly so-- on his bad list) in hopes of meeting up during this trek, but that didn't seem to work out. Would've given you a few dunkle, malzige, fränkische treats if we had met up. Ah well, more for me at home!
Next time, maybe?
Erlangernick, it's definitely worth dropping by. The lightly-smoked Dunkles is unusual and pretty tasty.
Unfortunately your email arrived after I had already left. Next time.
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