The small German town of Bamberg is famous not only for its beautiful historical center, but also known as the beer town of Franconia.
There are many breweries with inns located within the city of Bamberg and in the surrounding area, where you can not only taste various foamy drinks, but also taste Franconian and Bavarian cuisine.
Bamberg itself is known primarily for its smoked (or smoky) beer (Rauchbier, Raubir), which is famous for the aroma of smoke and has already become legendary due to the taste that smoked malt gives to beer.
You can try smoked Bamberg beer in the historical brewery-beer "Schlenkerla" (Schlenkerla), which has been operating since 1405 (then the brewery was known as a pub called "Zum Blauen Löwen", which means: "At the blue Lion") and where smoked beer is still poured from oak barrels with you, and smoked malt is historically obtained by roasting malt on an open fire.
Smoked beer from "Schlenkerla" is a dark brown, tart Märzen beer of low fermentation with an initial density of 13.5%, which corresponds to an alcohol content of approximately 5.1%.
The brewery has a pub-tavern with several small halls of a characteristic "German beer" atmosphere. The institution is located in a historic building.
The taste of smoked beer is quite unusual at first and, as locals say laughing, you need to get used to it by drinking at least three glasses)) - You either like this beer or you don't!
Some people feel smoke and a pleasant smoked aftertaste, while others say that beer is bitter and tastes like burnt rubber. Nevertheless, beer lovers, "smoked" is definitely worth a try in order to make up a personal opinion about such a well-known foam drink.
The establishment, especially in the evening hours, is always crowded and there are often no empty seats at the tables, so you can buy beer at the brewery bar and enjoy it right on the street. To do this, in addition to paying for beer, you will be charged an additional couple of euros - a deposit for a glass, and will be given a chip, which after drinking the drink, along with an empty glass, you need to return and get back your two euros.
The brewery-restaurant Schlenkerla is located in the historical center of Bamberg, at the address: Dominikanerstraße, 6.
Website: schlenkerla.
If you wish, if you want to sit at a table, but there are no seats in Schlenkerla, you can also try this beer from Schlenkerla in the neighboring Franconian cuisine restaurant "Kachelofen".
Beer prices in the restaurant are slightly higher than directly at the brewery.
Before visiting the restaurant, it is recommended to check in the menu whether smoked beer is currently available.
The address of the restoarn: Obere Sandstraße, 1.
Website: zumkachelofen.
Beer with "smoke", that is, from smoked malt, is brewed in Bamberg and in other breweries.
Brewery-tavern "Ambräusianum GmbH". This is a young family brewery that appeared in the city in 2004.
The brewery has three beers:
- unfiltered. A typical low-fermentation beer with a 12.8% initial wort content and 5.4% alcohol%;
- low fermentation, unfiltered, without perforation with a small content of carbon dioxide. When bottling this beer, very little foam is formed. 12.6% of the initial wort, alcohol content 5.4%;
- amber wheat. Top-fermented beer with a wort content of 12.9% and an alcohol content of 5.6%.
There is an inn at the brewery.
Address: Dominikanerstraße, 10.
Website: ambraeusianum.
Greifenklau brewery with a traditional restaurant and beer garden, which was founded in 1719.
The brewery brews 6 beers, including March red, wheat, unfiltered zwickel, lager and smoky.
Delicious food, good beer.
Address: Laurenziplatz, 20.
Website: greifenklau.
Brewery-tavern with beer garden "Keesmann", existing since 1867.
In addition to the nationally famous Herren-Pils, which accounts for 92% of the brewery's total production, Helles lager, wheat beer, lager (Sternla), Josephi-Bock (during Lent) and another Bock beer (from October to December) are also brewed.
Address: Wunderburg, 5.
The Klosterbräu Brewery is the oldest brewery in Bamberg, named after the famous Franciscan monastery and founded by the Prince-bishops of Bamberg since 1533.
There is a restaurant at the brewery.
The brewery offers brewing courses, brewery tours and tastings.
Address: Obere Mühlbrücke, 1-3.
Website: klosterbraeu.
Spezial Brewery, which is a traditional brewery in Bamberg; there are also smoked malt beers that are brewed using traditional technology.
This is not only one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most traditional breweries in the city.
The brewery has a restaurant with a beer garden.
Address: Obere Königstraße, 10.
Website: brauerei-spezial.
There are also breweries: Fässla, Mahrs, Kaiserdom, Ahörnla, Hopfengarten, Kronprinz, Landwinkl, Sternla and Weyermann craft.
Attention! Before visiting breweries, we recommend checking the relevant information on official websites, since breweries can close, move, open new ones, as well as change their "beer repertoire".
All accommodation facilities in Bamberg, including in the historical center of the city and more remotely from it, can be viewed and booked here