Where There’s Smoke, There’s Beer: Bamberg and Its Breweries

It was my last day in Bamberg, and the sun had finally dispersed all the clouds, gloriously illuminating the fall foliage. I had just spent the late morning hours at Greifenklau and still had a few hours before my train. The gravitational pull of Aecht Schlenkerla was too hard to resist. Not that I tried very hard: after all, rumour had it that Aecht Schlenkerla was going to tap its seasonal Urbock that day.

There’s a reason that Aecht Schlenkerla is a standard bearer among standard bearers. Its Urbock is a case in point: an inviting dark pecan-coloured beer that’s almost black, with hints of ruby glinting in the rays of afternoon sun dreamily pervading Aecht Schlenkerla’s tavern. The aromas and flavours add an autumnal cast to the atmosphere: intense, no-holds-barred smoked meat, wood smoke, and bacon, with a licorice-like bitterness etched into the malt and a dusting of cocoa floating on a stream of maple syrup and black coffee. As intensely smoky and meaty as this beer is, its forwardness masks a deep complexity that repays attention. All in all, the beer’s much more than just smoke and a few mirrors, and a fine place to begin a journey through Bamberg’s brewery-taverns.

Aecht Schlenkerla (Heller-Bräu Trum)

You can’t miss Aecht Schlenkerla. On any given day in just about any weather, you’ll find at least a few people congregating outside this white-stucco and dark-timbered building. In warmer weather, you won’t be able to make it through the throngs of people enjoying a beer in front of this historic geranium-bedecked inn, so you may as well just stop in for some beer and food.

As postcard-worthy as Aecht Schlenkerla’s exterior is, it’s the time-worn interior that’s most impressive. Historical etchings punctuated by the occasional set of antlers line the walls of this dimly lit locale buzzing with conversation, while low-slung beams above dark wood paneling enclose a cozy space for families and friends out for dinner or a drink. And dark those overhead timbers are — almost black. Back in the day, the timbers were painted with ox blood to preserve them, a practice which lent the beams their dark colour. The beams aren’t the only part of the tavern that have been transformed by time. No matter where you sit, the seats of the solid carved-back chairs have been polished by legions of imbibers before you.

Now for a drink and some food to go with the surroundings. Besides the ever-popular flagship Märzen on draft, you can sample Aecht Schlenkerla’s copper-mahogany Rauchweizen along with seasonals that include the aforementioned Urbock (autumn), the oak-smoked Eiche Doppelbock (winter), the Fastenbier (a Lenten beer), and the summertime Kräusenbier (a helles Märzen). The smooth, malty-smoky Fastenbier laced with aromas and flavours of cocoa is a revelation — and at 5.5 % ABV, it’s proof positive that you don’t need high-octane levels of alcohol to deliver flavour in spades. The beer’s creamier and less peppery-bitter than its brooding flagship counterpart, but with all the smoky goodness.

Foodwise, you can’t go wrong ordering the Bamberger Zwiebel in Rauchbier Sauce, a dish that pays tribute both to Bamberg’s famous beer and its famous crop, the onion. The dish consists of a hollowed-out roasted onion generously stuffed spiced pork topped with bacon and smothered in Rauchbier sauce. Beer pairing: anything that Aecht Schlenkerla happens to be serving up. This dish was one of the highlights of my journeys through Bavaria. You can find the house recipe here.

Brauerei Spezial

Drinking a Rauchbier is akin to time travel. Like Aecht Schlenkerla, Brauerei Spezial, too, adheres to the traditional process of malting its own grain over a beechwood fire rather than purchasing it from a malting facility like Weyermann.

Spezial is a pleasant 15-minute stroll to the east of Schlenkerla past the iconic Altes Rathaus, the old city hall perched on a tiny isle amid the rushing flow of the Regnitz. Spezial is on the busy Obere Königstrasse, once a major medieval trade route that connected Bamberg with Nürnberg, Augsburg, and the Via Claudia Augusta, which traversed the Alps on its way to Verona. In the early nineteenth century, Königstrasse alone boasted twenty-two of the city’s roughly seventy breweries. Today, just Spezial and Fässla remain.

One of the most intricate wrought-iron signs in Bamberg tells you that you’ve found the right place, a heritage-protected stucco and cross-timbered façade with an arched gateway that leads to one of the city’s tavern gems. The main room with its Ausschank is a celebration of all the rustic features that make Bamberg’s brewery-taverns so enchanting: dark wood paneling softened by age, lamps fixed to antlers, etchings lining the walls, a green-tiled Kachelofen that exudes benevolent warmth, and the requisite trophies bearing witness to a successful hunt.

[To learn more about words like Ausschank, Kachelofen, Schwemme, and other terms of German drinking culture, see my post, “A Lexicon of German Beer Culture.”]

Follow the lead of most of the regulars gathered around tables in animated conversation and order the signature Rauchbier Lager, which is made with a lower proportion of beechwood-smoked malt than Schlenkerla’s flagship. The result is a beautiful amber/copper-coloured beer with a subtle dried-meat smokiness wrapped around toast and a hint of caramel. Peppery hops whisper in the background, a barely detectable but clear presence. Depending on the day and where I’m drinking, it’s my favourite Rauchbier in Bamberg. For those who enjoy slightly more of a smoky kick, Spezial also brews a 13.6º Plato/5.3% Märzen. Sometimes you’ll be lucky enough to find this beer dispensed from wooden casks in the tavern.

Drinkers who enjoy pleasant surprises should also try Spezial’s Weissbier, a compelling beverage that, at first glance, doesn’t seem like it could ever work. Hazy golden amber with orange hues, this clove-forward Weissbier opens with a hint of smoke reminiscent of campfire and air-dried meat. Ripe banana emerges later, along with a brown sugar and butterscotch malt sweetness. The clean smoke contributes a mildly savoury note on the palate, which also features clove-cinnamon spice notes and banana bread lifted by a lively carbonation. Unique, this beer is still a Weissbier through and through. The smoke character is more like a viola than a trumpet, so subtle and clean that you could almost miss it, melding so seamlessly as it does with the clove phenolics. Let this beer warm slightly so that the full effect of the smoke shines through.

Mahrs Bräu

Located in the Wundersberg district a scant twenty minutes on foot from both the old town and Spezial, Mahrs is one of the top addresses for stellar beer in Bamberg, even if it doesn’t brew a smoked beer. Instead, the brewery offers a broad range of classic Bavarian beers catering to those who have been a bit “smoked out” by Spezial and Aecht Schlenkerla. Mahrs is also home to one of the most enchanting taverns in a city famous for its rustic drinking spots. Stepping into Mahrs is like stepping back into a time of old-world charm. It’s a rustic place dotted with small beer tables and benches cut from old oak. The dimly lit and cozy Stube right next to the bustling Ausschank warms weary travelers in winter with its green-tiled Kachelofen (a traditional furnace) and provides a shaded respite from the hot sun in summer with its wood-paneled walls and dark wooden beams.

[For more about words like Stube, Schwemme, Stammtisch, and other terms of German drinking culture, see my post, “A Lexicon of German Beer Culture.”]

Mahrs is also home to colourful local customs. Upon entering, you might notice a group of men standing around in the corridor that leads to the Ausschank and the Stube beyond. These folks are members of the “Stehgammler” Stammtisch Club, a regulars’ table that needs no actual table. Rather, the “Stehgammler” regulars drink the house tipple standing up in the inn’s corridor, which doubles as its Schwemme. This neighbourhood gathering has become somewhat of an institution in Bamberg over the past thirty or forty years. The group consists of exactly 24 members, for there are only 24 small lockers at Mahrs to hold the personal beer mugs of its members. New members are only admitted when an old member leaves the circle or passes on to the great Schwemme in the sky.

As with many other establishments around town, the serving staff will pour you a 0.3-liter serving, making it possible for you to easily wile away an evening tasting your way through Mahrs’ beers. But before you embark on that epic journey, order up some food from Mahrs’ menu, which features several dishes prepared with their beer and accompanied by rich, deeply flavoured, and deftly spiced sauces. Try the Biertreberschnitzel, a moist schnitzel served with a bacon, beer, and onion sauce. You could also go for the Brauer Biersteak, a deliciously tender pork neck cut marinated in their signature “Ungespundetes” beer and served with roasted onions and roasted potatoes. Both of these dishes should provide you with the necessary ballast you’ll need to get through Mahrs’ selection of beers.

And you really can’t go wrong with any of Mahrs’ beers. Their Helles is a textbook example: full-flavoured and harmonious, with freshly cut country bread, cereal, a citrus-pepper hop note, and that beguiling minerality verging on sulfur that makes the best of these beers so intriguing. As I wrote in my notebook, “No point trying to squeeze out more descriptors here. Simply. Perfectly. Balanced.” Mahrs’ cold-hopped Pils is an elegant affair with a refined bitterness and all the telltale notes of Hallertauer hops.

The house specialty is the unique “a U,” which stands for “ein Ungespundetes,” an unbunged Kellerbier that is lagered under little to no pressure. The result is extraordinary: a smooth, creamy, and gently carbonated treat. Seemingly luminescent, this beautifully hued caramel-bronze beer tinged orange arrives with a prodigious monk’s cap of foam. Aromas are redolent of light caramel, raisin bread, sugar cookies, and brown sugar, all accented by a very light pepperiness with a suggestion of orange blossoms. The palate delivers up a malty base of light caramel, almonds, and Leibnitz biscuits balanced by a gentle bitterness and lemon-orange citrus notes from the Hallertauer Perle hops. With its smooth and slightly off-dry finish, it’s the kind of beer that calls forth the next. And in case no one has mentioned it already, simply say “ah OO” to order one. It’s difficult to capture this kind of lightning in a bottle — indeed, “a U” loses some of its magic when it’s bottled — so if you can, reward yourself one day with a trip straight to the source.

Last but certainly not least, the E.T.A. Hoffmann Dunkles is a fitting tribute to the author of “The Sandman.” It has all of that richness, fullness, and expansive maltiness that sets Franconian dark lagers apart from their more taut and dry Munich cousins. A symphony of malted milk, toasted toffee, Ovaltine, mocha, milk chocolate, and Swiss milk caramel.

Brauerei Keesmann (no website, but click here for address and phone)

For a complete contrast to the rustic charm of Mahrs Bräu, head diagonally across the street to Keesmann. Despite the best efforts of the requisite antlers adorning its walls, Keesmann’s brewery-tavern can’t quite conceal its recent vintage. The wood is still bright, as is the lighting issuing forth from sleek fixtures. But you certainly don’t need to wait till the patina of age has settled upon Keesmann to enjoy a drink in its convivial surroundings.

In a move fairly untypical for a Franconian brewery, Keesmann has staked its fortunes on its flagship Herren Pils, a beer that accounts for over 90% of its production. One of the best Pilsners in the region, Keesmann’s crisp and elegant Pils showcases grassy-floral hops and a refreshing bitterness that doesn’t overwhelm the palate. Keesmann’s other beers are not quite as dazzling but never disappoint. The unfiltered amber Sternla lager heads in the direction of a Dunkles, offering up maltier depth, toasted nuts, a dusting of cocoa, and just enough hops to keep the beer quaffable. As luck would have it, I’ve been in Bamberg to sample both Keesmann’s autumn Bock and its Josephi-Bock available during Lent. The autumn Bock’s the one you want. Clocking in at 6.2% ABV, this hop-accented beer comes across as a richer and heftier Pils. Malty notes of honey, almond, and white nougat form the bedrock for a panoply of hop aromas and flavours ranging from citrus and lemon tea to orange blossom to pink peppercorn. Through it all runs an intriguing white wine character reminiscent of Sylvaner and Riesling.

Klosterbräu

I ended up at Klosterbräu one early autumn evening after a hike in search of Altenburg, that elusive castle on the hill at times so close you could seemingly reach out and touch it, at others receding into the misty distance on the horizon. Altenburg had become a minor obsession, so I headed up the Jakobsberg to investigate. The spires of Bamberg spread out behind the dazzling bright orange and yellow foliage as I rounded into the woods in the direction of Wildensorg, a quiet district to the south of Bamberg. After a short climb, there it was: I was standing in front of what had previously been a mirage. And impressive Altenburg is, awakening all the boyish excitement I feel whenever I come across castles in Europe. The castle was built in the tenth century by the Babenbergs, and served as the residence of Bamberg’s prince-bishops for several centuries. I climbed the ramparts for a view of the verdant valleys spreading out to the south and caught glimpses of central Bamberg to the north as I descended back into the twilight-shrouded woods toward the city below.

A few twists and turns through narrow streets and I was at Klosterbräu, Bamberg’s oldest brewery (1533). Klosterbräu’s cozy Stube with its antler lamps and Kachelofen exuding gentle warmth was just the place to take the chill off this crisp autumn castle quest. I tucked into their Schwärzla, one of the few Schwarzbiers in the region. Hued like black coffee, Schwärzla yields aromas of pecan and cocoa mingling with fresh dark bread and coffee/dark chocolate roast notes. A whiff of smoke and mildly pungent, spicy hops accent the ample maltiness, and a subtle dark cherry/plum malt fruitiness joins the chorus along with a sprinkle of vanilla on the palate. The beer’s dry finish with a hint of malt sweetness will have you ordering up another faster than you can say Schwärzla — that is, unless you opt for their convincing Rauchbier, a beer that joined the rotation recently.

Klosterbräu’s Bamberger Rauchbier is almost black, with aromas like a smoky autumn evening. A trio of wood smoke, Black Forest ham, and bacon interweave with a brooding and earthy licorice character on the palate, finishing just north of dry with smoky dark bread crust, a light caramel note, and hints of burnt brown sugar. On the whole, this dense and big-bodied beer splits the difference between the intensity of Aecht Schlenkerla and the subtlety of Spezial.

Brauerei-Gaststätte Greifenklau

Greifenklau might appear removed from the action at first glance, but the 15-minute walk up the Kaulberg is always worth the views of the city on the way back. Not only that, but you’re rewarded with a regal view of the Altenburg from Greifenklau’s beer garden perched atop a ridge that houses its former beer cellars. My first walk up this hill was on a crisp and crystal-clear autumn morning. By the time I had arrived at 10:30, three tables were already occupied by regulars, some solitary, some sipping their beers in pairs. A half an hour later and the place was packed — on a Tuesday morning.

The Stube is like many others in Bamberg, with a coziness augmented by mahogany wood paneling and a heavy-beamed ceiling. Recently harvested bines of hops were slung overhead on this particular fall day, their tender green dappling the room with colour.

Greifenklau had three beers on tap that morning: an amber Lager, a Zwickl, and a Weizen. I opted for the Zwickl, a hazy golden beer with orange hues that arrived at my table with a cap of foam like cumulus-nimbus clouds. The Zwickl features a lemony fresh-cone hop character with a dash of pepper, while a slight earthiness floats underneath malt notes reminiscent of light brown sugar on buttered toast. Lively, fizzy carbonation leavens the toasty malt, cutting it down to size perhaps a bit too much. Even if the beer isn’t quite as rich as you’d expect from the aromas, it’s still a perfectly refreshing reward for a walk up the hill on an autumn morning. On a subsequent springtime beer garden visit, I went with the Weizen, the spicy and honeyed richness of which complemented my Knöchla (pork knuckle) and sauerkraut perfectly.

Brauerei Fässla

Once upon a time, aspiring brew masters had to learn the art of barrel-making as part of their brewing apprenticeship. The two trades were so closely intertwined that they were organized into the same guild in Bamberg. As brewing operations became larger during the nineteenth century, the two trades became more specialized but were often still housed under the same roof.

Founded in 1649, just one year after the Thirty Years’ War ended, Fässla evokes those once-strong ties between coopers and brewers with its very name, “little cask.” Nowadays, Fässla plays host to a local coteries of cask devotees, some of whom show up for the serious business of drinking as soon as the Schwemme opens at 8:30 a.m. Located right across the street from Spezial, Fässla opens earlier and closes later, maintaining a slightly more rollicking atmosphere than its neighbour.

You can grab your beer amid the loud buzz of conversation in the Schwemme to sample Fässla’s wares, or you can take a seat in the equally lively Stube. Their subtly floral draft Pils could easily be mistaken for a Helles, while their more deeply golden-hued Lagerbier brings more intensity to the table, even as it remains soft and rounded. A pleasant spicy bitterness and the mild scent of stone fruit minerality provides enough of a counterpoint to the breadiness, light toast, and marzipan that you’ll want to order another round of this quaffable 5.5% ABV beer.

If you have time for only one beer at Fässla, make it their flagship that bears the name of their ubiquitous mascot, Zwergla (little gnome). It’s the kind of beer that straddles the boundary between the drier dark lagers of Munich, the malty Franconian beers in the vein of Kloster Weißenohe, and the rich mocha/chocolate Czech dark lagers like U Fleků. A pleasant mineral-stone fruit note reminiscent of the smell of fermentation cellars floats above mild cocoa, Swiss milk caramel, and country butter, with a dash of spice to add complexity. Creamy and smooth on the palate, Zwergla finishes dry, but not austerely so. Don’t let the name fool you: at 6% ABV, Zwergla’s no dwarf, and it’s dangerously drinkable.

A Few More Breweries for a Longer Stay

Weyermann needs no introduction for any of the pro brewers or home brewers in the crowd. The venerable maltings has been perfuming the air of Bamberg since 1879. Less known, though, is that Weyermann also brews beer. In fact, Weyermann Braumanufaktur may well be one of the best-kept secrets in Bamberg. What’s more, this stalwart of Bamberg’s brewing tradition isn’t afraid to engage in experimentation, with a whole line of beers that would surprise folks who think that Bamberg is only about Rauchbier and the usual cast of German-style lagers and wheat beers. Keep the “Weyerman Craft Beer Fan Shop” on your radar, even if you miss the once-per-week Wednesday tours of their malting facility.

The nearby Hopfengarten is another new brewery that’s doing some interesting things beyond the pale of the Reinheitsgebot. I haven’t yet brought myself to try their tomato beer, but if their efforts with rosemary (Miraculix), makrut leaves (Zitronic), and less traditional hop varieties from their hop yard are any indication, I might be in for a pleasant surprise some day. Situated in the midst of Bamberg’s historic garden district, this nursery, hop garden, and brewery rolled into one seeks to rekindle Bamberg’s erstwhile history as a hop-producing region. Hopfengarten doesn’t yet have a taproom with regular hours, but you might be able to pick up a bottle or two if you swing by while the nursery’s open. You may also be treated to an impromptu tour of the smallest brewery in Bamberg.

Planning Your Walk Between Breweries and Beer Gardens

It’s worth noting that most of the breweries are clustered together in different parts of the city, sometimes right across the street from one another. Mahrs and Keesmann are on the same street in the Wunderberg district, which is the furthest walk from the old town. (The Fässla Keller — not to be confused with the brewery of the same name — is another ten minutes’ walk east of the train tracks and is worth a visit if the weather’s nice.) Spezial and Fässla are right across from each other on the busy Oberer Königstraße. Ambräusianum is a few doors down from the much busier Aecht Schlenkerla. Klosterbräu at the foot of the Stephansberg and Greifenklau atop the Kaulsberg are “outliers,” but even that’s relative. They’re about 15 minutes on foot from each other and 5 minutes from Aecht Schlenkerla in the case of Klosterbräu. In the summertime you could combine a visit to Klosterbräu or Greifenklau with a stop at the Spezial-Keller or the Wilde Rose Keller, two beer gardens on the Stephansberg. Weyermann Braumanufaktur and Hofpengarten, are about 5 minutes from one another on the east side of the central train station.

In Closing: Just a Few of My Favourite Things

If you haven’t already guessed, Bamberg is among my favourite beer cities anywhere. In articles like this, I usually note whether a beer’s particularly good by giving it one, two, or three tankards. In the case of Bamberg, the exercise would get redundant fairly quickly: suffice it to say, many of the beers about which I’ve written above are worth the trip to Bamberg. Even so, some beers stand out, even in this distinguished group. Here are a few that make a trip to Bamberg all the more special: the flagship Rauchbiers of Spezial and Aecht Schlenkerla; Aecht Schlenkerla’s Urbock and Fastenbier; Spezial’s Weissbier; Mahrs’ “a U” and ETA Hoffmann Dunkles; and Keesmann’s Herren Pils.

Happy beer hunting, everyone!

Sources

Aecht Schlenkerla. https://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/beschreibunge.html

Brauerei Spezial. https://brauerei-spezial.de/geschichte/

City of Bamberg interpretive panels (in particular, on the close historical connection between the brewing and barrel-making trades).

Roland Dusik. Franken. 2^nd ed. (Ostfildern: Dumont Reiseverlag, 2018).

Fränkisches Brauereimuseum. FBM News. Various volumes from 2015 to 2019.

Mahrs Bräu. https://www.mahrs.de/?lang=en

Joe Stange, “Smoke and Shadow: Exploring Rauchbier’s Roots Around Bamberg.” All About Beer Magazine. Vol. 35, No. 4 (December 8, 2014).

All images by F.D. Hofer

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