Good bavarian beer

As muenchener beer goes, turnover is the main consideration. A fresh tap of this light-styled stuff--with the keg just tapped--and with atmosphere--is what it is all about. Once it heads overseas and sits forever in a boat, on a dock, and at a distributor--then you are FAR better off with a local microbrew.

There is no "best lager out of Munich" - what are the criteria for "best?" My personal favorite Munich lager, St Jakobus Blonder Bock, isn't even available in the U.S. It's not exactly common in Munich, either. I'm also fond of Augustiner Edelstoff on tap. But most Munich beers are pretty decent when fresh.

As far as a good place to buy it - depends on what you want. Bottles to take home?

So you mean bottles to take home, then.

Not uncommon, especially if they're sold in green bottles and not protected from light. You'll do better if you can get a bottle out of a freshly-opened case.

What you should try is to find a place in Columbus that has German beer on tap. Is Schmidt's in German Village still around?

If you're up for *really* fresh Munich-style beer, maybe you'll want to head down the highway to Newport, KY, across the river from Cincinnati. There's a Hofbrauhaus there, affiliated with the well-known one in Munich. Better book a hotel there, though, and save the drive home for the next day.

"fclaugus" wrote in news:cl9tgs$4tb$ snipped-for-privacy@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu:

Not sure what your distribution is around there so can't help, but I do know you live in a pretty good area for beer. Perhaps you can find a more locally-brewed lager that'll give you a similar taste profile rather than worrying about skunked green-bottled beer sitting around. I know Great Lakes up in Cleveland makes a phenomenal Vienna and a number of other good beers, though I haven't tried a Helles from them and their Dortmunder wasn't that exciting. At any rate, there should be lots of things to try. Anyways, obligatory Ratebeer link to the Columbus brew tour:

Give this link a try ...

Cheers!!

generally very crowded and very small. right around the corner is a place that sells a Krug of bier for 2 Euro. Can't remember what brewerie but it is a stand-at-the-window kind of place. :)

definitely. Man, I miss this place.

Oh, the other place that most people miss is Kloster Andechs which is about a 25-35 drive away. Classic classic place. The restaurant next door to it served one of very *few* memorable meals while I lived there with excellent service (service wuerste deutschland) and excellent food (in a land known for their bier and not for their food).

Gerald

If it is the one I am thinking about then it is still owned by Augustiner. Yes, you have to stay standing to get the cheaper beer. I think it is 2.40 Euros for a half litre.

If you don't want to make the trip, you can drink Andechs at the back of the Dom church/cathedral. I have tried their beers. I think they are OK but not to my taste. It is a very popular place. The food is popular there too.

it isn't the absolute best but good and the atmosphere can't be beat.

Another classic place is out near Grafing at a farm house. A real bier steubl. Has about 5 tables. Typical bavarian snacks. Typical smoke that you can can't cut a knife through but on a good day might make an indent. As for the exact location of this, no idea but it is about a 10 minutes drive from Grafing and literally in the middle of nowhere. If you want, I can ask my friend for directions there.

literally every place serves typical bavarian food which is nothing to scream home about. At every place the menu is *identical*. Go to bier halle for the bier and not the food. in fact, I went for weisswuerst with some friends and after a couple of bites they asked what I thought of it. I said it tasted like "meat in a condom." They said, "we do't exactly like it but it is traditional." Kind of like Wies'n music. Everyone hates it except during Wies'n (and after skiing). In fact if whenever I hear "won't you be my girl" (exact name?), "I will survive," etc I might commit suicide....after I go to the next Wies'n of course.

Gerald

I forgot to mention that Wiessbier (or hefewiezen outside of bavaria) is only drank out of the bottle and never on tap because all the yeast (hefe) and flavor would only be on the bottom of the keg. Never with a lemon although a Russ'n is half weissbier and half lemon-lime soda (like Sprite). I don't normally drink these but occasionally they are good when it is hot outside.

Gerald

I don't know... I developed quite a jones for kaesespaetzle and spinatspaetzle... Subtle food, but damned delicious.

Maybe you didn't have the right kind of senf...

I think it's "Hey Baby (Would You Be My Girl)" by Bruce Channel. It was on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, yes?

My big surprise was "Country Roads" being played everywhere... Who knew Germans were big John Denver fans? That's like going to a Raiders game "Du sollst nicht weinen", isn't it?

kaeshschpatz'n (Bavarian dialect) is good but I never found it amazing. Generally I thought the food was "homestyle" food....ok, occasionally good, but nothing like Italy or France but that is a given.

I never knew the name. I simply roll my eyes every time for 4 out of the last 6 Wies'n I was at....so that makes it about 7000 I heard the song. ;-)

almost. I never even heard the song Country Roads or never noticed it until a german colleague sang it for kareokee in Tennessee at a convention. Egal.

A week ago I was in Monterrey, Mexico for work. I heard "Hey Baby," "I will surive," and get this, "Life is Life."

I went home for a few days and now back in Monterrey and coincidently wearing a shirt from the 2001 Wies'n. Time for some tequila.

Gerald

I didn't say it was amazing either, but it's the ONE thing I really craved when I got home.

Right... Germany is more about sustenance than cuisine. Of course, I had some amazing Jaegerschnitzel that almost moved beyond that sentiment... Had an awesome cheese platter at the Seehaus too... The mountain cheese went especially well with the Radieschen... They shouldn't even serve those separately -- put the cheese right on the rye, and plop the Radieschen on top. Gods...

Ha ha... I've only been there once, but it was amazing just how far afield of the Weis'n you'd hear the song being sung... Usually at night after some big drinking, but occasionally during the day to.

Really? Wow. It was impossible to avoid last year. I didn't actually realize it during the verses, but when the chorus came up... Yikes. What do deutschen Maenner & Frauen know about West Virginia anyway?

There's no escape!!