A quick U-bahn, then S-bahn ride later and we were met by Jess´s cousin Mark three skips away from his apartment. After a seemingly endless flight of stairs we reached his place. Cigarettes must have not gone out of fashion here yet as the place smells like an ashtray, but it is cozy, and a free place to stay, plus we have Mark, the host with the most. After some sharing of travel stories we were eager to hit the market and pick up some of our favorite German goods. Still packed with a delicious variety of fresh and cheap cheeses, meats, breads, and chocolates as any German market, we stocked up on the essentials; mainly cheeses, meats, breads, and chocolates...but some veggies to go with them, oh and the pickles here! And the beer, mmm the beer, Augustiner, mein Lieblings...now I am starting to remember why I love this land so much!

We had a few beers, ate a delicious meal from our array of foodstuffs, then went out to see some of the city. Nothing really new since we were here in 2005, but it was fun to walk down the main street again with all its towering cathedrals and famous glockenspiel. Feeling our eyes droop painfully we went back and slept on Marks waterbed while he so generously took the kitchen couch.

17.Sept.08

Mark called up his brother Axel to ask his hitchhiking secrets. Axel is as thrifty as us and constantly makes the journey from home to university, Heilbron to Bayreuth, using only his thumb and honey soaked words. After some careful planning we found ourselves at a good spot at a gas station en route to the freeway towards Bamberg. After only 20 minutes our sign worked and we got picked up by two lawyers who drove a fancy new mercedes at mildy alarming speeds on the autobahn towards Bamberg.

Unfortunatly they could only drop us off at a gas station a bit of the way outside of Bayreuth. We would have stayed with Jessica´s cousin Axel who goes to school here, but he has finals, so we tried hitchhiking the small distance from there to Bamberg. After an hour in the freezing cold we gave up, changed our sign to Bayreuth, got in a truck with some dude from Kazakhistan playing cheesy pop-music and were soon at the train station getting tickets to Bamberg. Oh well, at least we made it this far for free!

We walked through the city, liking what we saw of Bamberg so far, to meet up with our Couchsurfing host in his student housing apartment. All his housemates were sitting around chatting and drinking wine, they made us feel right at home, a home we soon left in search of some dinner. We finally gave our tastebuds what they have been craving for since last in Germany; Doener Kebab! A delicious Turkish delight of grilled pita filled with spiced kebab meat, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, onions, and unparalleled garlic cream sauce. Oh rapture! We got back, chatted with our new temporary housemates some more then went to sleep in a room left by a travelling housemate, now all to ourselves.

18.Sept.08

The cobblestone streets were nearly void of people in the crisp early morning. We meandered through all the little nooks, crannies, and alleyways of Bamberg, climbing every little hill and entering every public building we could. We were quickly entranced at how gorgeous the city is, among our favorites were the two main cathedrals and city squares Domberg and Michaelsberg.

For lunch we met with three other couchsurfers we’d arranged to have coffee with. They were all really awesome to speak with, and once again, Jess and I impressed ourselves with how well we still speak German. One in particular, Mathias, was especially keen on showing us the city. He was an expert on the town he was born in and grew up and gave us a wealth of info on its history. After looking through a guide book he brought we saw a picture taken of the city from the view point of a tower he’d never been to. So that is where we wandered, and after finding it tucked away in a tiny castle and climbing a number of spiral stairs, we caught an awesome view of the city. He was excited that we´d shown him somewhere new.

We said goodbye and walked back home. After cooking a pasta dinner we hiked back out at dusk to get another sunset view of the city from the Spezial brewery hill. There we sat and enjoyed the cities special brew Rauchbier, literally smoked beer. It tasted like smoked ham which may sound disgusting, yet surprisingly hearty and delicious.

19.Sept.08

We met Mathias again in the morning and took a long hike up to the highest hill of the city to Altenberg. Past all the homes and through many fields we wandered and hit the perfectly quaint castle on top where we climbed even more spiral stairs until finally getting a panoramic view of Bamberg and all its surroundings, a magnificent sight! We explored the castle a bit and determined it would be the perfect place for someone to have a gorgeous wedding overlooking the city (though it would be have to be medieval themed).

We walked down and back to Michaelsberg to see the inside as yesterday they had some prayer thingy so we couldn’t go in. After exploring its intricate marble, gold, and silver innards we found ourselves having more (even tastier) rauchbier and a local specialty of beef shoulder at the famous (and deservedly so) Schlenkerla. Mouthwatering is all I can say to describe it, this bar epitomizes why we love Germany.

We then walked around a different part of the city where the massive markets are, and political rallies were taking place so close to election time. We hiked again back to another viewpoint for some tee, coffee, and pastries where we sat and relaxed our tired feet and chatted for awhile. Then, as it neared time for the big moment we made our way to a city square where none other than ANGELE MERKEL, DIE BUNDESKANZLERIN (Chancellor of Germany) was making a speech! The guy making her intro was boring, BUT then she came on...and also boring, but it was exciting at least seeing Germany’s top official in person. The most exciting part however is when Jessica blew up a balloon for the opposing party (Die Linke; a more liberal party) and threw it in the air where many people bounced it back up until one smashed it; along with all our dreams... (Later note: the outcome of the elctions found the conservative CSU, Angele´s party, a crushing defeat, changing the political leaning of Bavaria for the first time in 50 years, yay!).

We walked back to the house, cooked leftovers, and hung out with our temporary housemates until we all went to a bar for a couple drinks, new people, more chatting and a gleeful end of the day.

Flickr photos of Bamberg:

http://flickr.com/photos/flufflebuns/sets/72157607428650090/

]]> http://claudiobr.wordpress.com/?p=216 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:29:54 +0000 cbrisighello http://claudiobr.pt-br.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/eisenbahn-rauchbier-dannemann-petit-robusto/ Charuto e uma boa cerveja é FODA! É de parar o tempo nessa 'babilônia', tocar um jazz e falar em baixo tom "vamos curtir um prazer"...

Aqui vai uma recomendação harmoniosa: Eisenbahn Rauchbier com Dannemann Petit Robusto.

A breja, para quem não está acostumado com o tipo, pode estranhar pois é uma cerveja defumada - daí o casamento com os charutos. Eu prefiro os robustos, com fumaça abundante, volumosa, fácil de degustar. Pra quem não tem tempo, esse petit robusto é perfeito. Junto com os baianos 'Dona Flor', são meus prediletos nacionais...recomendadíssimo!

Unlike other ‘smoke beers’ I’ve had (or rauchbiers, as they’re called in their homeland), this porter is more than a one-trick pony. Sure, there’s the smoky wood taste coming through, and yes, it’s dry, but it’s balanced ever so delicately on roasted malts with little hints of chocolate and coffee and just a twinge of sweetness. Body-wise, it’s as thin as a porter should be, not delving too deeply into thicker stout characteristics, and aside from the smoky flavor, it remains a fairly subtle and mellow drink; it doesn’t hit you over the head with big flavors. Even so, this is a beer that was made for sipping.

The version we have on tap at Bailey’s right now has been aged since 2006, and I think this accounts for some of the subtleties. It remains smooth all the way through, but you keep picking up on different nuances the longer you spend tasting it; that’s usually a sign that you’re dealing with an aged product that has had time to pick up additional flavors and work them into the overall character.

Apparently, this isn’t a beer for everyone. It’s a love-‘em-or-hate-‘em type, I’ve been told. That was in evidence last week when a couple ordered a taster tray and they couldn’t get through half a 5 oz sample between the two of them.

Bottom line is this: if you’re strictly an IPA fan, or like your beers light, mild and creamy, this probably isn’t the pint for you. But if you’re the adventurous sort and dig the darker end of the beer spectrum, give it a shot. While cigarettes aren’t allowed in Bailey’s, you can smoke this beer all you want.

My German is limited to danke and dunkel. OK, I exaggerate. I can also say kölsh and proust. I have spent a lot of time drinking beer in Bavaria, going to different breweries in Munich and the countryside. My favourite by far of those was Andechs. One of my good friends used to live near the Augustinerbräu, or as we called it, "The Beer Factory" because you could smell the beer brewing from his flat. And last year I went to Cologne with my friend who is a brewer and we tried as many types of kölsh we could find.

Before I really got into beer I would order weissbier-- it was delicious but one day I tried a dunkel and never looked back. My journey to beerdom has been a dark one. So, when I went to Zeitgeist, the German Beer Fest at the Jolly Gardener, I was looking for dark lager style beers. My friends Hadyn and Kate came with and we tried as many different beers as we could before the last train out of Victoria at 10.

The first beer I tried was probably not a good starter-- it was Fuschen Alt, which tasted a hell of a lot like a British bitter, with a very strong resin-pine hop finish that really lasted, very little carbonation and almost no head. Ok, it wasn't a bad beer but it wasn't what I wanted.

Next, when I went up to look for a Dunkel, it didn't seem like there was one out at the moment? I pointed to the tap I thought had a darker beer in it but the friendly guy working the taps poured me the Bolten Landbier or "country" beer. It looked unfiltered and was refreshingly sunny on this sunless London day. It had a nose that reminded me of blossoms crushed to the ground and faintly rotting. This was the only significant note I could detect and it was probably because my palate was still recovering from the first beer.

Out of frustration my friend Kate and I ended up asking a guy drinking a dark beer what it was. He was very generous and actually offered me some. It seemed that whatever he was drinking was tapped out but he suggested the Scheubel-Sternbrau Dunkel Rauchbier-- an older beer style where the malt is dried over a wood fire. This is what I came for! Thank you lovely man who said, "Ask for tap 16." It had a tall, lacy head, a bright and quenching mouth feel and a caramel-buttery nose. The smoke really came out in the middle and it was subtle and complex for something so drinkable.

My favourite of the evening, Kathi-Brau Dunkels Lagerbier, got put out later, which was a shame because I would have liked another pint of it, and I had to leave early to catch the last train. It was lively with carbonation, with a honeydew melon malt middle. I couldn't detect the nose very well but I adored this beer!

My friend Kate ferreted out the beers that would curl the beard hairs on any beer snob. I am not one. I am barely a beer-evangelist. (I suppose this blog may be proof otherwise.) Kate found a grapefruit beer that was a bit like a shandy-- these were bottled behind the bar and not part of the beer festival, I should add! There was a distinct baby aspirin flavour to it. Next she cracked open a "Beck's Green Lemon"-- she told me that she went through Berlin drinking this stuff which tasted like Corona with a plop of synthetic lime cordial, I mean, if Corona was a dental rinse! To be fair, I did try to get her to try what I was drinking but she couldn't get past the smell. Cider and perry are more her speed.

I thought briefly about going back to the festival today but the 1.5 hour tube ride to the other side of London has put me off it. The beer was going so fast I imagine a good deal of it is gone! Thanks to Stonch and Bier-Mania for putting this on.

Rauchbier

Na minha humilde opinião,ainda prefiro a Weizembier.

Weizembier

Em Goiânia, encontra-se na Belgian Dash, na rua 91, St. Sul e em Brasília eu deixo para os confrades Samuca e Alexandre, mesmo porque eu nao lembro o nome do lugar... era algo do tipo Brauhaus (ou outra coisa parecida)

Ps. Não, eu nao ganho comissão das empresas que eu cito aqui, mas deveria.

Oh, and I heard from a reliable source that when the Val-Dieu is empty, a keg of Schneider's amazing Aventinus Weizenbock is going on next. So, if you're a Val-Dieu fan, get it before it's gone, and if you're an Aventinus fan, start doing your liver exercises!

 After the beer reviews are a few quick blurbs on some of the places I went and thought y'all should know about.

Cheers,
-John

On to the beers...

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen (5.4% ABV bottle) -Rauchbier- Brauerei Heller-Trum, Germany
Grade: A
     Not just a mouthful to say... I got this at Porter's Pub on a semi-dare from my friend Dicky-Mo who had asked if I'd ever had a "real" rauchbier [smoked beer]. I thought I had, but oh was I wrong. The initial pour hit me in the face with a heavy smoked meat aroma. Not a nice little waft of campfire, but a heady beef-jerky smell that had me a little scared. The first mouthful was disturbing. So much smoke I couldn't distinguish anything else. After a few more sips it came into a nice balance of the smoke, mild bitterness, and some nut and coffee hints. As I worked through the complexities it became a very pleasant experience that helped to enhance the richness of the cheese plate I'd ordered. Definitely a beer made for rich, hearty food pairing. I can't imagine just grabbing one of these and drinking it off, but it's still an excellent beer.

Arrogant Bastard Ale (7.2% ABV bottle) -American Strong Ale- Stone Brewing Company, CA
Grade: A+
     I know I'm on kind of a Stone Brewing kick lately. What can I do? They make tasty beer and Beachmont Liquors keeps hooking me up with fresh supplies. Hadn't had Arrogant Bastard in a while so when I saw it on the shelf I figured it would ease the pain of Beachmont not having any more Vertical Epic 06.06.06 for me to stockpile. If "Arrogant Bastard" isn't enough of a tip off this is a robust and in-your-face kind of beer. Lots of malt and lots of hops with a piney tang, but it's all balanced out so that nothing out weighs anything else. Voluptuous is very fitting description for the Bastard even if it may be questionable in gender agreement. This is big, round, and smooth in all the right places with plenty of spice; like a pin-up girl in a bottle. Woof!

Lancaster Brewing Company Milk Stout (5.3% ABV bottle) -Milk/Sweet Stout- Lancaster Brewing Company, PA
Grade: B-
     I bought this because my girl, Jules, was making chili for the fam' and the recipe called for a bottle of stout so I grabbed a sixer of this. I'd never had anything from Lancaster Brewing and this isn't a bad intro. A bit on the thin side but it has a decent mix of bitterness, a touch of sweetness, and undertones of chocolate and coffee. I could see myself reaching for this again.

Lindemans Framboise (4% ABV bottle) -Lambic/Fruit- Brouwerij Lindemans, Belgium
Grade: B+
     As a rule I'm not a lambic drinker, but I hadn't had one in years when I saw this on the menu at Ocean and thought it'd be a nice change of pace before the food started arriving. It was sweet not cloying, very fizzy, with a surprisingly dry finish. Granted it looks a bit girlie with its fruit punch color, but it was refreshing and absolutely perfect at that moment. I love the art nouveau look of their labels to boot.

Vertical Epic 06.06.06 (8.66% ABV bottle) -Belgian Strong Dark Ale- Stone Brewing Company, CA
Grade: A-
     This was a great beer; the problem is the specifics are blurry. I cracked this open for the Pats-Giants game figuring that a special game called for a special beer and all I had was the Vertical Epic or Stone's 11th Anniversary. The Epic seemed fitting. Unfortunately, because it was so good I drank half of the 22oz bottle by the time the first quarter ended and decided I should save the rest for the coming victory. So I needed something to drink in the mean time which left the bottle of the 11th Anniversary. Fast forward to the fourth quarter and the Anniversary was gone so I went back to the Epic. These are both high octane beers; mix that with the excitement of the game and the subtleties of the Epic got lost. What I do recall was that this was a full bodied beer as one expects from Stone. There was some alcohol slickness, but not too much as this went done smooth. My first sips made me think "herbal", but not in a medicinal way. Unfortunately, I've only got one bottle of the 06.06.06 left which I want to keep to age and Beachmont has sold out of their stock since last I was there. Alas, this Epic taunts me like memories of a drunken one night stand.

Weyerbacher Old Heathen Imperial Stout (8% ABV bottle) -Russian Imperial Stout- Weyerbacher Brewing Company, PA
Grade: A
     I will be honest, by the time I got this at Which Brew it was pretty late in the evening, but I do recall it being tasty. [Actually this and the eggnog martini (bad choice of the night) are the only drinks I remember at Which Brew.] It poured into the glass thick and dark like an imperial should. There were groans from my friends at the table, cowering at the sight of its blackness. It was heavy and yummy with some sweetness and thick on the tongue.

Yuengling Traditional Lager (4.9% ABV bottle & tap) -American Amber/Red Lager- Yuengling Brewery, PA
Grade: B+
     Yuengling Traditional Lager holds a nostalgic place in my heart which is probably why I rate it higher than it might actually merit. When I'm back visiting family and the local bars of PA & NJ Yuengling Lager is my go-to beer.

Yuengling Black & Tan (? ABV bottle) -Black & Tan- Yuengling Brewery, PA
Grade: C+
     I can't quite stick my neck out for Yuengling's Black & Tan like I do the Trad Lager. Probably has something to do with the fact that when I'm drinking a dark beer (of which there was much during this holiday season) I expect a certain amount of mystery and/or a different flavor than something run of the mill because most of the dark beers I drink are pretty heavy duty. This stuff tastes a lot like plain old Yuengling, but with a slightly metallic bitterness. I think I'll stick with the original.

Where'd You Go?

Ocean- Easton PA
     Ocean is a surprisingly up-scale tapas joint downtown that has become a regular stop when I'm back in the area. The decor is very modern and very slick. It looks more Manhattan than Easton, but the atmosphere isn't as stuffy as one would expect. Great food and great drink selection including a number of very tasty beers. Try the crab cakes.

Porter's Pub- Easton PA
     Porter's has been around forever and was really the area's first beer bar way before it was hip to be one. They've got a big selection of beers (60?) given the size of the place. Most is in bottle with 8 or 10 taps. I've read reviews from people getting down on Porter's because of their limited tap selection and that their choices tend to be well established craft brews that aren't experimental enough. Those people are obviously not locals. The fact that Porter's has survived for this long with what were until maybe 10 years ago very niche brews is amazing. I'm grateful it made it long enough for me to appreciate what they have which honestly is nothing to sneeze at. This is a great little place as long as you can get a seat. I love the atmosphere and decor -old school English pub- but when this place is crowded forget about it. Jules and I got on board with their mug program finally after all these years.

Shruty's Pub- Easton PA
     This isn't a beer bar or chic eatery, but I figured I'd give it a plug since my cousin Amy is one of the owners and Shruty's always a destination when I'm in the area. The food is pretty good as far as pub grub goes (the wings & the soups are always top notch) and you can never go wrong with Yuengling on draft. It's a good local that I'd probably end up at even if I didn't have the family connection.

Which Brew- Easton PA
     Two blocks down the street from Porter's Which Brew is a great compliment to the traditional feel of Porter's. Plus, if they don't have a beer at Porter's there's a good chance it's at Which Brew. There's a big selection here, but it rotates through pretty quickly so what was there one week might be gone the next. Creatures of habit will be dismayed while experimenters will revel. Atmosphere is cavern/crypt like with lots of nooks, exposed brick, and ghoulish knick-knacks that caters to a younger crowd that wants a quasi dive/rock bar look and surly service, but with good beer and no risk of being knifed in the bathroom. Staff is very knowledgeable and even put up with our group's Laurel & Hardy act thanks to a misprint on their holiday Mad Elf special.