RoryLawton
isan
expertonGerman
beer,and the founder
ofBerlin’sCraftBeer
Centre.Hegives the
lowdownon thebest
Oktoberfestandwider
Bavarianbeers…
craftbeercenter.de
Quickguide to
Bavarianbeer
03
Didyou
know?
Oktoberfest beganon
12October 1810 tomark
theweddingofCrown
PrinceLudwig and
used to featurehorse
races, plus a regular
agricultural show.
Bräu
beating
Thebestnon-Oktoberfestbeers
SchönramerGold
“From a small breweryon
theborderwithAustria,
thisbeer isbrewed in the
styleof anOktoberfest
beer. It isdeliciously
malty,with soft honey
sweetness and a very
roundbitter finish.”
Weihenstephaner
Festbier
“TheOktoberfest-style
beer comes from the
brewery claiming tobe
theoldest in theworld. It
has awonderful toasted
malt quality and aclean,
crispbitter finish.”
SchneiderWeisse
UnserOriginal
“This family-owned
breweryproduces some
of thebest in theworld.
This is their classic, old-
fashioned
Hefeweizen
,
withdeliciousbanana and
clovebalance.”
BrauereiZehendner
Mönchsambacher
Lager
“A tinybreweryoutside
Bambergproduces this
wonderfullybalanced
lagerwith amild, spicy
hopcharacter from the
Hallertauhops.”
04
“Thebeersareall quite
similar–crispand
refreshingenough that
youcandrink themby
theone-litre
Maß
.”
“Oktoberfestbier isbig,
maltyand stronger than
the regularPilsbeers
(usually5-6percent).”
“Only sixbreweries
serveofficial
Oktoberfestbier:
Augustiner,Hacker-
Pschorr,Hofbräu,
Löwenbräu, Paulaner
andSpaten-
Franziskaner.”
“Mypersonal favourite is
theAugustinerFestbier,
which isalsoavailable
in theirbeerhall in the
west of thecity.”
Hofbräuhaus
Munich’smost famousbeer
templedatesback to 1592,
and the state-ownedbeer
hall looksmuchas itdid
whenMozart andLenindrank
hereandHitlerpainted
awatercolourof it. It’s
usuallypackedwith tourists
watching theBavarianbrass
band.
hofbraeuhaus.de
AugustinerKeller
Amoreearthy, local
alternative to the
Hofbräuhaus, this traditional
bräuhaus
(since 1892) has
acavernousold lager cellar
with redbrick arches, great
Bavarian food, buzzy service
andbeer served straight
frombarrels.
augustinerkeller.de
WeissesBräuhaus
Thisdarkwood-and-
antlers typeestablishment
specialises inexcellent
wheat beers, but also
does stronger ales and
awell-pricedmenuof
Bavarianclassics.
weisses-
brauhaus.de
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