Franconia and Rhine Beer Tour

June 27- July 13, 2005

Forchheim Kellerwald This magical forested hobbit grove full of caves filled with beer is 20 degrees cooler than down in town. Beer is served out of wooden kegs in clay krugs. Beer kegs and bottles are stored in the caves -- we got a look inside at Schlokla. We had excellent Leberkase at Neder Keller. The keller beer at Eichhorn was buttery good. Greif's Keller beer was our favorite all around, and their Anna Fest beer (bought the bottle at the store down the road from the hill) was also great.	The map at the bottom of the hill is unfortunately vandalized, but you can see the many names on the trail -- each name is a keller.

	Glocken Keller above and loading truck on left (our first stop) Greif Keller (our last stop) on right.
Tasting notes for the 4 local brew kellers: Neder Export Helles/Mild -- ok Schwarz Anna -- ok Leberkase -- excellent with crispy potatoes with caraway Eichhorn Pils -- Sweet and Buttery, especially when placing stein over face Fest (Bottle) -- ok, not as distinctive as Pils Hebendanz Pils -- hint of sweet with bite Greif Kellerbier -- dark, sweet, buttery with apple overtones. Excellent. Greif Annafest (Bottle) -- also excellent. We didn't drink the bottle til Munich, and it was the best beer that day!	Not made in Forchheim, but also represented on the hill: Wolfshoner Pils? at Glocken Keller -- nice hop and bitter flavors Wolfshoner seems to be the corporate evil on the hill, buying up the local kellers and placing their product. But, the beer was refreshing, and the woman cooking at Glocken Keller clearly knew what she was doing. It was packed with locals and she looked like my Pennsylvania Dutch Great-Grandmother. St. Georges of Buttenheim at Winterbauer Keller Ungesbundet Hefetraub like a German version of Todd Ashman's Red. Almost an IPA. Northwest hop tones.

Forchheim
Kellerwald

This magical forested hobbit grove full of caves filled with beer is 20 degrees cooler than down in town. Beer is served out of wooden kegs in clay krugs.

Beer kegs and bottles are stored in the caves -- we got a look inside at Schlokla.

We had excellent Leberkase at Neder Keller. The keller beer at Eichhorn was buttery good. Greif's Keller beer was our favorite all around, and their Anna Fest beer (bought the bottle at the store down the road from the hill) was also great.

The map at the bottom of the hill is unfortunately vandalized,
but you can see the many names on the trail -- each name is a keller.

Glocken Keller above and loading truck on left (our first stop)
Greif Keller (our last stop) on right.

Tasting notes for the 4 local brew kellers:

Neder

Export Helles/Mild -- ok
Schwarz Anna -- ok
Leberkase -- excellent with crispy potatoes with caraway

Eichhorn

Pils -- Sweet and Buttery, especially when placing stein over face
Fest (Bottle) -- ok, not as distinctive as Pils

Hebendanz Pils -- hint of sweet with bite

Greif Kellerbier -- dark, sweet, buttery with apple overtones. Excellent.

Greif Annafest (Bottle) -- also excellent. We didn't drink the bottle til Munich, and it was the best beer that day!

Not made in Forchheim, but also represented on the hill:

Wolfshoner Pils? at Glocken Keller -- nice hop and bitter flavors

Wolfshoner seems to be the corporate evil on the hill, buying up the local kellers and placing their product. But, the beer was refreshing, and the woman cooking at Glocken Keller clearly knew what she was doing. It was packed with locals and she looked like my Pennsylvania Dutch Great-Grandmother.

St. Georges of Buttenheim at Winterbauer Keller

Ungesbundet Hefetraub
like a German version of Todd Ashman's Red. Almost an IPA.
Northwest hop tones.

Griffin/Wiley Beer Tour of Germany

June 27- July 13, 2005