Intellectual Ferment of a Different Kind
Breweries, beer gardens, beer halls
The Chiemsee Region of Upper Bavaria Sunlight twinkles on the rippling waves, the lapping of water against the shore the only sound as I dangle my legs over the jetty and snack on pastries. Chiseled mountains rise up across the lake, framing emerald fields …
The Town Garmisch and Partenkirchen were separate towns before they joined together on the eve of the 1936 Winter Olympics. Partenkirchen, which found itself along the Roman trade route that ran from Venice to Augsburg, was long the more prosperous of the two towns. …
Back in January I sat down with All About Beer Podcast hosts Don Tse and Em Sauter to talk about beer travel with co-guest Chris O’Leary of Brew York. The timing was fitting: I had just arrived back in Oklahoma after a 24-hour journey …
My Kind of Beer Around this time last year I penned a series that began with an account of my tastes in beer, followed by an exploration of the kinds of beers I like. The series ended with a list of twenty-five beers that …
Pubs line the center of Düsseldorf, packed tight like sardines. It’s not for nothing that the streets around the Rathaus (city hall) have earned the nickname “the longest bar in Europe.” Unless mass-market Pils is your thing, you can safely ignore most of these …
Medieval Inns and Taverns The Wirtshaus is a Central European institution with deep roots in medieval times. During the early and high Middle Ages, inns with taverns sprung up along trade and pilgrimage routes, offering food and accommodation to weary travelers, along with stables …
The rain caught us unawares. A veil of mist rapidly descended, shrouding the hills in the distance. The first few drops announced themselves with a rattle through the leaves. Soon the path was a series of tiny rivulets. Leaves in autumn hues swirled around …
Kölsch Across the Rhine Spend any time in Cologne or among beer-drinking types who visit often and it won’t be long before you hear about Lommerzheim. Affectionately known as “Lommi,” this Kölsch pub on the other side of the Rhine is a cult classic. …
Where There’s Students, There’s Beer Heidelberg is both a charmed and charming city. Its vibrant old town of picturesque squares, orange-red sandstone buildings, Gothic spires, and Baroque bridges was largely spared during the Second World War. The intactness of it all lends the cobblestone …
When Päffgen opened its doors in 1883, it was just one of over a hundred small breweries in Cologne. Wars and consolidation exacted their toll on the other small breweries, but Päffgen soldiered on. Today, it one of the last small Hausbrauereien (“inhouse breweries”) …