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Augustiner, Munich’s Retro-Hip Brewery

Augustiner, Munich’s Retro-Hip Brewery

  Augustiner is Munich’s retro-hip brewery. That wasn’t always the case. Until relatively recently, Augustiner-Bräu was considered a dusty old brewery. There’s no denying its age: Founded by monks in 1328, Augustiner is Munich’s oldest brewery. But conceptions of tradition change. Today, the brewery’s use 

Augsburg, Historic Beer Town on Munich’s Doorstep

Augsburg, Historic Beer Town on Munich’s Doorstep

  So many great beers and breweries, so little time. It’s no wonder cities like Augsburg get overlooked when you could easily spend an entire vacation sampling the liquid delights of Munich or Bamberg. But not only is Augsburg worth visiting for its cathedrals and 

Belgian Beer Café Vignettes: ’t Brugs Beertje, Bruges

Belgian Beer Café Vignettes: ’t Brugs Beertje, Bruges

  Bruges is Brussels’ alter ego. Swans floating languidly on canals, quiet cobblestone lanes, and magnificent Flemish architecture add up to a far cry from the gritty bustle of Brussels. But in things beer, the two cities are equals. Bruges boasts a few breweries and 

Traunstein: Beer in the Foothills of the Bavarian Alps

Traunstein: Beer in the Foothills of the Bavarian Alps

  I’d passed through Traunstein several times on trains between Vienna and Munich and had always been struck by the beauty of its surroundings. The picturesque region is a place of flower-bedecked meadows, old wooden farmhouses, and cows grazing languidly in emerald fields. Situated amid 

A Pint of Prose and a Dram of Poetry in Edinburgh’s Old-Style Pubs

A Pint of Prose and a Dram of Poetry in Edinburgh’s Old-Style Pubs

  ~This is the first in an occasional series about my ale and whisky adventures in Scotland. Enjoy!~   Pubs and the Scottish Literary Tradition Edinburgh’s classic pubs are legion, and most have a lyrical quality about them — hardly surprising given that Edinburgh was 

Weihenstephan: On the Cutting Edge of Brewing at the World’s Oldest Brewery

Weihenstephan: On the Cutting Edge of Brewing at the World’s Oldest Brewery

  Weihenstephan is a brewing institution steeped in superlatives. The very name of this venerable old brewery north of Munich evokes associations with some of the most respected wheat beers in the world, beers like the style-defining Hefe-Weissbier, and Vitus, a lush Weizenbock. And not