Updates to BAMBERG AND FRANCONIA: Germany's Brewing Heartland

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2023: This is an update following a recent visit and attempts to summarise the many changes that have taken place since my book was published. Nevertheless it is wise to check opening hours before visiting. Sandkerwa and Annafest went ahead in 2023 but the Tag des Bieres did not, and Canalissimo is no more. There are new breweries at Hopfengarten, Landwinkl, Sternla and Ahornla. The new brewpubs or rather new brewkit in old pubs are from the brewing point of view very much like the brewpubs that have sprung up all over Germany in the past 30 years. The connoisseurs say they do not compare in beer quality with the traditional breweries of Franconia. Kronprinz was an attempt at a craft beer bar but the concept was perhaps a step too far for conservative Bamberg and it is now closed.

For up-to-date tips on the local beer scene, travel etc visit www.bambergbeerguide.com/discuss.

Fortunately, change is not a feature of pubs and beers in Franconia, although ongoing closures of breweries continue to be a concern to all lovers of the local brewing tradition. Other recent concerns revolve around reductions in opening hours apparently as a result of ‘minimum wage’ legislation, and rising prices. Many pubs are very busy at peak times and reservations are advisable.

Bamberg’s Pubs

p. 36 Bamberger Weissbierhaus. CLOSED

p. 36 Café Abseits. Closed, now under new management. An Indian restaurant and no longer a speciality beer bar.

p. 37 Englischer Garten. CLOSED

p. 37 Eulenspiegel. CLOSED

p. 38 Fässla. Closes 12.00 Sundays

p. 38 Greifenklau. New brewing plant was installed in 2023. Opens 15.00-22.30, Saturdays 11.00-22.30. Closed Sunday and Monday.

p. 38 Griesgarten. CLOSED

p.39 Keesmann. Change to opening hours: 10.30-22.00, Saturday 10.00-15.00. Closed Sundays.

p. 39 Klosterbräu. Acquired by Kaiserdom in 2016. Beer range has changed: Braunbier, Kellerbier, Schwärzla and Rauchbier, plus seasonal Bock; quality much improved. Change to opening hours: Wed-Fri 14.00-23.00, Fri & Sat 11.00-23.00. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

p. 39 Mahr’s Bräu. Change to opening hours: Mon 1500-2200, Tues/Wed 11.00-22.00, Thurs-Sat 11.00-23.00, Sunday closes 15.00

Beer no longer comes from wooden barrels.

p. 40 Spezial. Opens 09.00-22.30, closes 14.00 Saturday, 21.00 Sunday.

p. 41 Sternla. Since 2019, it brews its own beer. Opening hours have been reduced - check before visiting.

Try Also

p. 42 Schmitt’s Café. Thought to be closed.

p. 42 Tapas-Bar is now known by its old name Dom-Terrassen, and seems to have dropped the tapas in favour of Mediterranean fare in its restaurant.

p. 42 Torschuster. CLOSED

Kellers and Gardens

p. 46 Mahr’s Keller. CLOSED

Around Bamberg (This is not a comprehensive update).

P. 48 Baunach. Sippel brewery closed, tap still open

p. 50 Herrnsdorf. Brauerei Barnikel no longer brews, pub still open.

p. 52 Trabelsdorf. The Gänstaller brewing operation moved to Schnaid in 2016. There is no brewery tap. Andy Gänstaller has retired. See www. https://www.gaenstaller.de

p. 52 Scheßlitz. Bart-Senger CLOSED.

p. 52 Forchheim. Eichhorn CLOSED

p. 60 Neuhaus. The initial part of the brewing process (production of the wort) is done in Hersbruck.

Nuremberg pub listings

p. 62 Hausbrauerei Barfüsser is now known as the Mautkeller and is still a brewpub but run by the large Tucher brewery, part of the Radeberger Group.

Kloster Andechs no longer has a bar in the Deutscher Kaiser Hotel

Hütt’n has moved to the former Zum Sudhaus premises at Bergstrasse 20

Zunftstübchen. CLOSED

New places to visit in Bamberg:

Ahörnla, Ob. Sandstraße 24 Tue - Wed: 12.00 – 00.00, Thu - Sat: 12.00 – 02.00

Closed Sunday and Monday. Pub re-opened in 2013, brewing again from 2021

Bruderla Obstmarkt 1, new crafty beer bar

Eckerts, Ob. Mühlbrücke 9. New hotel ‘on the river’ with Gänstaller and other beers.

Hopfengarten, Zollnerstrasse 24, open Thurs, Fri, 9-12, 1.30-18.00 Sat 10-13.00. Also runs the Hopfenhaus at Austraße 16.

Zapfhahn, Untere Sandstrasse 14, new craft beer bar in the former Blaue Glocke. Open 17.00, Sat & Sun 13:00, Closed Tuesday.

Landwinkl Bräu, Siechenstrasse 24, new brew-pub. Temporarily CLOSED

Try also Galerie am Stephansberg, Unterer Stephansberg 5, open 1900-0200 for beers from Brauerei Sauer or Kleebaum Bier. 

At weekends, Rotenschild Ob. Sandstraße 18, 2000-0200 closed Sunday has Zehendner Lagerbier from the barrel. Another pub with a single changing barrel is Strawanza Ob. Königstraße 34 (20.00-03.00).

p.11 Weyermann