Brauerei Barth-Senger

Or is it just Brauerei Senger?  I'm not sure.  I know the braumeister's name is Hans Senger.  Who's Barth?  Maybe a former partner or co-owner.

http://www.bierland-oberfranken.de/deutsch/brauereien/brauereiportraits/fraenkische_schweiz/landkreis_bamberg/brauerei_barth-senger_159/details_44.htm

Anyhow this classic little brewpub in Schesslitz, Oberfranken is my all time favorite.  The place is just 4 tables, a serving counter, and 1 beer served gravity poured from a barrel.  It is simplicity at it's best.  Yet this beer is no simpleton.  It is a wonderful, brownish, vollbier that can only be enjoyed in that very room.  You want it, you've got to go get it and I can tell you it's worth the trip.  But my love for this place has more than that to it.  It's just a classic.  They've got a tradition there of knocking on each table as you enter (before you sit down) and as you leave.  Believe me it pays to heed this tradition as the locals will warm up to those that do follow this rite of passage into the pub.  Do it not and the air in the place seems to grow heavier and the stares longer.

I know this from experience having failed to observe the tradition upon my first visit.  I went in with my wife and our friend Isabelle on a cold March afternoon and we entered and immediately sat down.  Two other tables were occupied by local patrons and they stared at us, took a drink, stared again, and this continued during our entire stay.  I realize a man walking in with two beautiful women (one whom happens to be 6' tall) is probably not a regular occurence in this pub but failing to knock didn't help.  Nevertheless, the wonderful woman that serves the beer, who happens to be one of my favorite beer servers in the world, was friendly and quickly brought us each a beer.  As soon as it hit my lips I knew I hit paydirt.  I wasn't going anywhere for a while stares or no stares.  We stayed for a couple more before heading off down the street to Drei Kronen.  Another great brewpub only a few doors away.  What a place, this Schesslitz!

I did take note of the few people that entered and left while we were there and was able to observe the custom of knocking on tables in action.

So the second visit, one year later, was much more interesting.  This time a group of 7 of us pulled up in a van, after touring the brewpubs of Geisfeld and Rossdorf Am Forst, and marched into Senger like a production line and boldly knocked at each table and said hello to the other patrons as we did.  The affect was like cutting open the atmosphere with a machete.  The place erupted into laughter and before we knew it we had mug in hand and were clinking glasses in the middle of the room with all the other patrons with a hearty "Prost!".  And we had a great time.  We didn't want to leave.  In fact I'm pretty sure we stayed for a 2-3 hours and had at least 3 or 4 rounds.  But my memory is a bit foggy.  I do know a few toasts and good natured teasing occured between us and the other patrons and the beer was just perfect.

Senger is the real deal.  A quaint, and usually quiet, locals brewpub serving a beer they can be rightfully proud of.  I hope this place is around for a long time and I get to visit a few times more.


The picture on this link gives a good idea of the size and look of the place:

http://www.bierland-oberfranken.de/deutsch/brauereien/brauerei_wirtshaeuser/schweiz/landkreis_bamberg/brauereistube_barth-senger_159/details_51.htm

NERAX 2011

Went to the New England Real Ale Exhibition (NERAX) in Somerville, MA last night.  The idea of this beer exhibition is that you get to try a variety of British and American (mostly New England based) beers that are cask conditioned.  Typically I've found at this event you'll find a few clunkers, a couple of gems, and the rest decent but mostly unmemorable.  I do think these beers are best enjoyed in the atmosphere of a nice pub rather than an overcrowded VFW hall but this is really the only chance I get to try some of these British beers so it's worth going.  Last night my favorite was one of the most unassuming beers on the whole list called Potholer from the Cheddar brewery in Somerset, UK.  It's described simply as a Best Bitter but it was in such perfect condition that I could have drank gallons. 

http://cheddarales.co.uk/

There were a few others that I liked such as the Edinburgh Gold from Stewart Brewing in Scotland:

http://www.stewartbrewing.co.uk/?ageapprove=yes

... and a hoppy "Export India Porter" from Kernal Brewing of London

http://www.thekernelbrewery.com/


All in all a good time, although I look forward to the day NERAX moves to a larger venue and is less crowded with places to sit.

Some Brewing Notes

It was a busy brew night tonight.  I had two batches go into the keg (a pale ale and a porter) and transferred the Rauchbier into the lagering tank.  The Rauchbier is a mild one.  More like Spezial than Schlenkerla.  It tasted really good upon racking.  I expect at just over a month of lagering it will be a nice smooth, malty, and mild Rauchbier (mild in terms of smokiness - the strength will be medium).

While I was at it I tasted this year's Maibock.  This year was an expirmental year for the Maibock.  I wanted to compare single infusion vs. decoction mashing.  Normally I do a triple decoction mash on the Maibock. This year I decided to try a single infusion.  After all, many brewers insist that decoction mashing isn't necessary.  I agree it's not necessary but necessity isn't the real reason one would do a decoction mash these days.  The question is does it make the beer taste better?  In my opinion, after tasting this, the triple decoction version is superior.  Now this one tastes good but it's not that extra special smoothness and malty goodness that I've gotten out of this style in the past.  This years version is, as you would expect. a bit drier and sharper and this even after cheating and adding 1lb of Melanoidin malt.  I'll let others be the judge when I tap this in May but I'll be returning to decoction mashing for most of my lagers.  It's actually a shame because it means more work but I can now taste that the extra effort is worth it.

That being said, this year's Maibock is going to be delicous.  I don't want to alarm anyone that is going to be drinking it in a few weeks.  It's just that I like the traditional version better.  Anyhow, we'll have the Rauchbier to add some variety too.

In other news, I've got lots of brewing ahead.  I've got two 55lb sacks of grain yet to be opened,  another 10lbs of smoked malt and plenty of hops to use.  April will be a very busy brewing month. 

But for now it's time to drink some beer.  NERAX is tommorrow!!!

Here's my new 15 gallon brew kettle in action.

Braunbier - Brauerei Sauer

In a small village not but 5-6 miles from Bamberg is one of the best beers I've ever had.  Mind you, I do love a nice, smooth, malty lager.  The Braunbier of Brauerei Sauer in Rossdorf Am Forst might be the best one of those I've ever had.

http://www.brauerei-sauer.de/

As I start to think towards July and the various brewpubs and bier kellers that I want to visit, Sauer is most definately on the list.  Not really for their kellerbier, that I found just so-so, but for the Braunbier.  It has one of the most beautiful colors I've seen on a beer and the first taste was eye-popping.  It was one of those moments where my face lit up like I had just found a pot of gold.  The sorroundings aren't too shabby either.  Situated at the edge of the Franconian Switzerland, Rossdorf Am Forst and it's neighboring village of Geisfeld are sorrounded by lovely, rolling green farmland.  The Sauer brewpub is a really quaint, very traditional looking establishment.  It's got a small bier garden outside and nice pub with lots of dark wood on the inside.  It's very easy to walk inside from the garden and order a beer at the Schwemme (another of many features I love about Franconian brewpubs).  We had a fairly nice day so we sat outside in the garden.  They've also got a nearby keller that serves only their kellerbier.  I had not visited the keller but it looks worth a stop next time around from what I can see on the website.

EDIT:  My friend Juergen from Franconia has informed me that they do also serve the Braunbier as well at the keller.  Good news indeed!

Here is a picture of the Braunbier in all it's glory.  The krugs in the picture contain the kellerbier.  I don't rate their kellerbier nearly as well as say nearby Brauerei Griess or Roppelt's in Stiebarlimbach but it's drinkable enough anyhow.

Front of the brewpub as approached from the street:

And the wee beer garden next to the building:

Maibock

I'm really sick of Winter.  Here in New England this year it has been particularly rough.  But tommorrow comes the antidote.  I'm going to brew my seasonal Maibock to be ready for the 1st week of May.  A Maibock recipe can be fairly simple.  Yet in the end, if done right, it is liquid gold.  Basically I'll use lots of Pilsener Malt.  For each 5 gallon batch I'll use about 12 pounds of Bohemian Pilsner Malt from Weyerman's in Bamberg.  I'll add just a smattering of Hersbrucker hops and then finally Bavarian Lager Yeast and let nature and 2 months of cold lagering do the rest.  Over the next 2-4 weeks I'll brew 10-15 gallons of this beer and have them kegged and ready to go by May 7th.  Let's hope for good weather because on that day my beer garden will be opened, complete with Maypole, kegs of Maibock, beer soaked Brats, and picnic tables to sit at.  Good times are coming!

And hopefully we'll have decent weather just like in this picture.

Feakle

Today I was talking via email to a fellow Franconian beer lover who also happens to live in Ireland (County Clare), plays the the fiddle, and loves Traditional Irish Music like myself.  We were talking about some of the great music pubs in County Clare and the conversation turned to the village of Feakle in East Clare.  My mind wandered back to a few years ago when Dorothy and I visited this tiny village that also happens to be a mecca of Traditional Irish Music.  It's one of the least likely places that any tourist of Ireland would think of visiting.  East Clare is well off the beaten tourist tracks of Ireland and the trust me the tourist tracks of Ireland are well beaten.  Feakle is in a world of its own though.  It's not far from Shannon Airport, only a 1 hour drive, yet seems a world away by the time you arrive there.  Forget about finding a hotel.  There aren't any.  There's only one B&B still in operation.  There were two when Dorothy and I went several years ago.  But there are pubs!  Four pubs to be exact.  That is if you count the one pub that is really a gas station.  Anyway, pubs appeared to account for half of the buildings in the village.  I will say that in my extensive pub crawls of Ireland (I've easily visited over 100 - trust me I've counted) two of the main pubs in Feakle rank in my top 5 easily and I'd rate Pepper's as #1.

What's so great about these pubs?  Firstly, they are no bullshit Irish pubs through and through.  Not one of these are in any way manufactured super Irish pubs that we have here in the US.  These pubs are like drinking in someone's living room, with a turf fire as a backdrop, and they're that small too.  Step outside of Pepper's and you're looking over unspoiled Irish, rural countryside.  Step outside of Lena's (now called Shortt's) and your standing on main street of what seems like one of the smallest villages in the world.  Then again at Shortt's you might find yourself in a "shut in", as we did, so you may not be stepping outside until 3am.

What you will find in these two pubs is a perfectly poured pint of Guinness and, on the right night, perhaps the best live Irish music session you've ever heard in your life.  Luckily the nights to be there are predictable.  Sessions happen on Wednesday night for Pepper's and Thursday for Shortt's and have been for many years. 

Other than the music and the Guinness, the only thing similar to the inside of these two pubs is the size.  Pepper's Bar is the absolute postcard for the quaint and cozy Irish pub with flagstone floor, warm turf fire, pictures of past musicians that have played there, delicous home cooked Irish food, and a view of the countryside out the window.  Shortt's is no frills.  I felt like I was drinking in a weird cross between Grandma's kitchen and a 1950's diner.  Mind you I was pretty plastered at the time.  Pepper's seemed like it had more outsiders/music lovers whom drove some distance to be there that night, whereas Shortt's seemed more like a locals hangout.  In Shortt's, I vaguely remember a farmer lecturing me about his herd of cows in a mostly unintelligable East Clare accent.  It was at Shortt's around 1pm that we realized we were in a "shut in".  Pubs in Ireland legally close at 11am yet we were still there and the beer was still pouring.  Let's face it there are no police in Feakle and there's no reason for them to go there.

Dorothy and I left the cameras at the B&B those nights so unfortunately I can't share a pictorial of these places but I can link you to the websites that will do them more justice anyhow:

http://www.peppersoffeakle.com/index.html

http://shorttsbar.com/

Also of potential interest is the Feakle Music Festival that happens here in August where many musicians and hardcore music lovers descend upon this small village every year.  Lots of good photos at this website too.

http://www.feaklefestival.ie/

Good times!

Happy Thoughts - Spezial Keller

Okay the weather just keeps getting worse here in Massachusetts.  It's been a real winter and not one of the pussy ass Cape Cod winters I've gotten used to in the past 15 years or so.

Okay so let's think happy thoughts.  Rauchbier in a stone krug, nice view overlooking a medeival city, tasty bratwurst, and happy people enjoying a lazy summer afternoon. 

Spezial Keller in Bamberg:  http://www.spezial-keller.de/

Arguably the nicest bier keller in Bamberg and anywhere for that matter.  Beer from the Spezial brewery on tap (my favorite brauerei of Bamberg).  A mild Rauchbier or Ungespundet Lager.  Both incredibly smooth the way only a Franconian lager can be.  It has a great view from just above the city.  A canopy of nicely kept trees lays over the shady beer garden.  As close to heaven as one can get on any given Summer afternoon.

Just a few pictures from the last couple of years:

Looking towards the main building and Ausschank.  You can either self serve by going up to the windows or take a table with waiter service.  I recommend the self serve option.

Although it was a nice, warm day there was a bit of of thunderstorm rolling in from the west as you can see in this picture overlooking the city.

Just a couple of pictures of the beer garden.

Lastly my 18 year old daughter and her friend Kirsten enjoying their freedom to drink beer legally in Germany.  I am officially the best dad ever for taking my daughter to places like Spezial Keller and Annafest.