Cycling. Bamberg; Salzburg, Rothenburg; Cologne

I am looking for recommended routes. Near Bamberg, I expect to have more or less a full day, Salzburg; Rothenburg; and Cologne area, maybe 1/2 days.

In Bamberg I would expect breweries to be part of the ride; in the other places, that is not essential.

Does anyone have recommend routes for beer and/or scenery, or both? I am a reasonably strong rider but my girlfriend is slower.

I would refer you to 3fourths, but chances are he may give you intentionally wrong directions.

train from Bamberg to Bad Staffelstein, rent your bike there: Pferdsfeld, Unterneuses, Wiesen, Nedensdorf, Schönbrunn, Kloster Vierzehnheiligen (steep climb!), Uetzing, Stublang, Loffeld, Bad Staffelstein. Almost every village, except Staffelstein and Schönbrunn, has at least one brewery. Take your time. Only 20 miles or so and a lot of (very small) breweries

here is a 20 mile loop that contains 7 breweries and 1 store with a good selection of bottles (Rewe near Memmelsdorf).

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211469481694757684098.0004d8d638469ec7a8338&msa=0

if you skip Merkendorf you can ride straight from Memmelsdorf to Strassgiech for better beer.

along the route I would rank the breweries

1) Drie Kronen Ganstaller, Strassgiech. Open Wed-Fri.
2) Brauerei Hohn, Memmelsdorf
3) Knoblach in Schammelsdorf
4) Brauerei Hoh in Kottensdorf

questionable quality

5) Brauerei Hummel, Merkendorf. I’ve had bad beer from them but also heard them praised by very knowledgeable people in Franconia. it may be a seasonal issue with their beer.

first to skip if you want to save time and spare your senses

6) Brauerei Göller in Drosendorf. dirty and fizzy and basic beer.
7) Brauerei Drei Kronen, Memmelsdorf unless you need a diacetyl lesson.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beermap?p=0&z=12<=4997209&ln=1102701

Granstaller was on my list. It looks like they are open Sunday afternoon as well.

[Missed this thread somehow.]

Originally posted by JK
Granstaller was on my list. It looks like they are open Sunday afternoon as well.

Originally posted by 3fourths
here is a 20 mile loop that contains 7 breweries and 1 store with a good selection of bottles (Rewe near Memmelsdorf).

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211469481694757684098.0004d8d638469ec7a8338&msa=0

if you skip Merkendorf you can ride straight from Memmelsdorf to Strassgiech for better beer.

along the route I would rank the breweries

1) Drie Kronen Ganstaller, Strassgiech. Open Wed-Fri.
2) Brauerei Hohn, Memmelsdorf
3) Knoblach in Schammelsdorf
4) Brauerei Hoh in Kottensdorf

questionable quality

5) Brauerei Hummel, Merkendorf. I’ve had bad beer from them but also heard them praised by very knowledgeable people in Franconia. it may be a seasonal issue with their beer.

first to skip if you want to save time and spare your senses

6) Brauerei Göller in Drosendorf. dirty and fizzy and basic beer.
7) Brauerei Drei Kronen, Memmelsdorf unless you need a diacetyl lesson.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beermap?p=0&z=12<=4997209&ln=1102701

Originally posted by Erlangernick
[Missed this thread somehow.]

Originally posted by JK
Granstaller was on my list. It looks like they are open Sunday afternoon as well.

Erm...AFAIK only from 17.00. No, that’s not at all right. Sundays 11 - 14.00.

I say head south to the most fabulous Bierkeller(s) you’ll ever encounter. If the weather’s nice, this is the best thing about Franconian beer culture: pedaling your way from Bierkeller to Bierkeller, not to indoor places or places with outdoor seating.

Lame-o Googlemap

Take the S-Bahn train to Eggolsheim. Ride from there to the Witzgall Keller in the woods just before you get to Schlammersdorf (B) for gravity-pour Witzgall Landbier (their "Kellerbier", blond, normally dry and hoppy), then on to Hallerndorf and the Lieberth Dorfkeller on the left side of the road at the far edge of the village (C) -- passing by both Rittmayer and Lieberth breweries, which aren’t really open during Kellersaison.

(I have the slightly longer, slightly more difficult route through Trailsdorf, but it’s a MUCH quieter stretch of road, and the view’s great, being uphill from the valley floor.)

Then you’ll probably walk your bikes uphill to the Kreuzberg, unless you’re used to biking uphill. It’s not that far though, so don’t despair. And it’s worth it: not only Brauhaus am Kreuzberg, but also Lieberth and Rittmayer have Keller(s) there. The former is the most traditional of them all, the only one with gravity pour (same beer as at the Dorfkeller). Then downhill to Stiebarlimbach and Roppelt’s Keller, with his naturally-gassed Kellerbier served from a 1000 L plastic bag inside a tank which is squeezed by an air compressor.

These places offer a really one-of-a-kind Bierkeller experience, moreso than the likes of the other places suggested so far, IME. Witzgall and Stiebarlimbach are the *definitive* Kellerbier(s), FWIW. Yeah, we all soil ourselves over Gänstaller, save that for another time.

The main issue I see, is hitting so many breweries will get you fairly drunk and it won’t be so safe to ride around.

I rode from Bamberg to Kruezberg and back and there is plenty of beer in Kruezberg ( http://www.ratebeer.com/p/kreuzberg/5660/) to drink. The ride there is fantastic, going through small villages and rural farm roads. Very pretty and you can stay away from traffic most of the time. It is 15 miles from Bamberg, so it takes a bit of time to go there and back, but it is great excerise. There are three breweries in Kruezberg and Fridel has lots of taps, so tons of beer to sample. If you have 4-5 hrs, this is a good way to spend it.

Bike rental is avilable near the main train station, just ask tourist information.

Tim

Originally posted by TimE
The main issue I see, is hitting so many breweries will get you fairly drunk and it won’t be so safe to ride around.

I rode from Bamberg to Kruezberg and back and there is plenty of beer in Kruezberg ( http://www.ratebeer.com/p/kreuzberg/5660/) to drink. The ride there is fantastic, going through small villages and rural farm roads. Very pretty and you can stay away from traffic most of the time. It is 15 miles from Bamberg, so it takes a bit of time to go there and back, but it is great excerise. There are three breweries in Kruezberg and Fridel has lots of taps, so tons of beer to sample. If you have 4-5 hrs, this is a good way to spend it.

Bike rental is avilable near the main train station, just ask tourist information.

Tim

Originally posted by Erlangernick

Originally posted by Erlangernick
[Missed this thread somehow.]

Originally posted by JK
Granstaller was on my list. It looks like they are open Sunday afternoon as well.

Erm...AFAIK only from 17.00. No, that’s not at all right. Sundays 11 - 14.00.

I say head south to the most fabulous Bierkeller(s) you’ll ever encounter. If the weather’s nice, this is the best thing about Franconian beer culture: pedaling your way from Bierkeller to Bierkeller, not to indoor places or places with outdoor seating.

Lame-o Googlemap

Take the S-Bahn train to Eggolsheim. Ride from there to the Witzgall Keller in the woods just before you get to Schlammersdorf (B) for gravity-pour Witzgall Landbier (their "Kellerbier", blond, normally dry and hoppy), then on to Hallerndorf and the Lieberth Dorfkeller on the left side of the road at the far edge of the village (C) -- passing by both Rittmayer and Lieberth breweries, which aren’t really open during Kellersaison.

(I have the slightly longer, slightly more difficult route through Trailsdorf, but it’s a MUCH quieter stretch of road, and the view’s great, being uphill from the valley floor.)

Then you’ll probably walk your bikes uphill to the Kreuzberg, unless you’re used to biking uphill. It’s not that far though, so don’t despair. And it’s worth it: not only Brauhaus am Kreuzberg, but also Lieberth and Rittmayer have Keller(s) there. The former is the most traditional of them all, the only one with gravity pour (same beer as at the Dorfkeller). Then downhill to Stiebarlimbach and Roppelt’s Keller, with his naturally-gassed Kellerbier served from a 1000 L plastic bag inside a tank which is squeezed by an air compressor.

These places offer a really one-of-a-kind Bierkeller experience, moreso than the likes of the other places suggested so far, IME. Witzgall and Stiebarlimbach are the *definitive* Kellerbier(s), FWIW. Yeah, we all soil ourselves over Gänstaller, save that for another time.

Wait. If it has to be a Sunday, forget all what I just wrote, since EVERY OTHER PERSON IN FRANCONIA heads to those places on Sundays, if the weather’s nice. Saturdays are much nicer in comparison.

Does it have to be Sunday?