Suggestions for trip to Germany

I will be in Berlin for the first two weeks of December and then taking 3-4 days to travel down to Saarbrücken (so my route is slightly predetermined). Can anyone suggest some places i should visit for beer, both traditional and craft? I would really like to visit the Schorschbräu brewery.

Well there is plenty happening in Berlin to keep you busy while you’re here. Lots of hip-international-style craft noisily bubbling over a quieter layer of quality traditional beers. Look at the Places section for ideas, but my top 5 recs for variety would be Foersters, Hopfenreich, Monterey Bar, Vagabund, Salt ’n’ Bone. Bonus rec is Herman for about 100 Belgian beers.

On the way to Saarbrücken you could stop at Leipzig for Göse. Better yet, detour through Bamberg and Oberfranken.

Bamberg!

If you want to try Kölsch and Alt from the source head to Cologne and Düsseldorf, slight detour, but great fun.
If you head toward Cologne I will gladly give you recs and meet up for a few Kölsch and/or a trade.

Cheers

Bamberg. For sure.

thanks! I’ve been to Cologne before. I’ll try to check out Düsseldorf and Bamberg.

Originally posted by digita7693
Bamberg!

If you want to try Kölsch and Alt from the source head to Cologne and Düsseldorf, slight detour, but great fun.
If you head toward Cologne I will gladly give you recs and meet up for a few Kölsch and/or a trade.

Cheers

Thanks! I’ll check out all these. It would be great to try some Göse in Leipzig. Great suggestion!

Originally posted by JoeinDahlem
Well there is plenty happening in Berlin to keep you busy while you’re here. Lots of hip-international-style craft noisily bubbling over a quieter layer of quality traditional beers. Look at the Places section for ideas, but my top 5 recs for variety would be Foersters, Hopfenreich, Monterey Bar, Vagabund, Salt ’n’ Bone. Bonus rec is Herman for about 100 Belgian beers.

On the way to Saarbrücken you could stop at Leipzig for Göse. Better yet, detour through Bamberg and Oberfranken.

Not sure "craft" beer in Germany should really be something you should spend your time on, as it’s just not up to Californian snuff IMO. Sure, when you’re in Berlin, since the traditional beer up there’s pretty miserable.

Looking at the drive...direct from Berlin - Saarbrücken is 9-1/2 hours without stopping. Going through Bamberg would be 10-1/4 hours, which seems a reasonable place to stop for a couple of nights. There’s enough to do, see, and drink in and around Bamberg for a week for a first-time visitor, let alone 3 nights.

Doing Bamberg *and* Düsseldorf would be a mistake, IMO. Too much time driving (12 hours) and checking into and out of hotels or whatever, not enough drinking. And Bamberg is just stunningly beautiful. And in December...all the Bockbier in Bamberg...

All golden tips for those nimbly travelling Germany in 7 mile boots as if it were a US state.

Do try the Gose, not the Göse or geuze in Leipzig. People will be confused enough as it is that you came all that way just to try a curiosity.

Originally posted by bartlebier
All golden tips for those nimbly travelling Germany in 7 mile boots as if it were a US state.

Do try the Gose, not the Göse or geuze in Leipzig. People will be confused enough as it is that you came all that way just to try a curiosity.

Bamberg !!!

In case you end up in Cologne for whatever reason write me a BM