Bamberg, Nuremberg, Annafest and in search of Zoigl Beer

Wednesday 21 July/Thursday 22 July to Monday 26 July/Tuesday 27 July 2010

Self service for the group at Barfusser, Nuremberg

Wednesday 21 July
Most of the group will be flying Air Berlin from London Stansted to Nuremberg on flight AB8461 leaving Stansted at 07.50hr arriving Nuremberg at 10:25hr. However it is possible to join us in Nuremberg the following day. We will be staying for two nights bed and breakfast at the four star Hotel Merkur which is very close to Nuremberg Central Station (Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof). We will be having a beer reception in the huge medieval cellars of Barfüßer (The Barefoot Brewery) in the heart of Nuremberg, where one of you will have an opportunity to tap the oak barrel of unfiltered beer brought to our table, to share*. In the early evening, we have a guided tour* of the 600 year old cellars beneath the streets of Nuremberg, left when citizens dug out the sandstone for building material. The cellars are perfect for cool beer storage and we will be visiting those under Altstadthof Brewery at the foot of the Nuremberg Imperial Castle. Hausbrauerei Altstadthof has been brewing since 1386 and some of the stone cellars are still used for lagering beers. We will also visit the brewery and taste a couple of their beers*. The rest of the evening is at leisure in this beautiful city, armed with a copy of Podge’s Nuremberg Bar Guide*.

Relaxing after a tour of the cellars in Brewery Altstadthof, Nuremberg

Thursday 22 July
Following the arrivals of any travellers joining us on the morning flight we will take a train journey* out of Nuremberg to visit various beery sites in the region. A brewery visit* has been arranged for the highly acclaimed St Georges Brewery in Buttenheim (brewing since 1624, been in the same family since 1814) as well as visiting the esteemed Lowenbrau brewery next door. This will probably be followed by a short journey to Brauerei Kraus in Hirschaid. Other beery stops may be made later before travelling back to Nuremberg.

Brewery Kraus, Hirschaid

Friday 23 July
Following breakfast at the hotel we join our coach in search of Zoigl beer. Since the Middle Ages, Zoigl beer has been brewed only in brewhouses communally owned by the town. It is now made only in the northeastern region of Bavaria, known as the Oberpfalzer and although there were once many, there are now only five communal town brewhouses left. We hope to have Zoigl encounters at Parkstein, Altenparkstein, Falkenberg, Neuhaus and finally in the village of Windischeschenbach where we overnight and breakfast at the Hotel Oberpfalzer Hof. Included in the day is all travel with the group plus a beer at each of the five Zoigl destinations. To improve your education on Zoigl beer and find your way around ZoiglLand have a look at these Zoigl Beer Info pages.

Zoigl Beer at Neuhaus

Zoigl beer being served for breakfast at Wolframstub'n, Windischessenbach

Saturday 24 July
After leaving the Hotel our bus will take us through the Bavarian countryside to the village of Neuhaus an der Pegnitz where we will get a chance to sample the beer brewed at one of the three pubs who rotate in selling beer from the fantastic local Kommunbrauhaus. From here our bus moves on to the beautiful town of Pottenstein and the Brauerei Hufeisen and Brewery Mager for a beer and lunch. Suitably refreshed we travel to the world-famed Annafest. Annafest is an annual ten day Franconian festival held about 26 July (St. Anna's day) in the Kellerwald (Cellar Wood) on the outskirts of Forchheim. The modern festival dates from 1840, but its roots go back to 1516 when a chapel was consecrated to St. Anna near Forchheim. Pilgrims to the site would stop for a rest in the Kellerwald to regain their strength with beer from the cellars under the woods. Local breweries Hebendanz, Greif, Eichhorn and Neder all brew a strong Bock beer especially for this festival, the so-called Annafestbier. This is stored for several weeks before the festival in caves under the wood, from which you can see people appearing and disappearing armed with huge steins full of beer. From here, we are driven to our hotels in Bamberg for a three (or two) night stay, arriving in the early evening. The main hotel we will be using is the Hotel Alt Bamberg, in the centre of the town and we also have a limited number of rooms at Brewery Fassla. Bamberg, as many people will know, is one of the world’s great beer cities and home to nine breweries. We will have an evening at leisure in this fantastic beer paradise, armed with a copy of Podge’s Bamberg Bar Guide*. We also hope to have copies of the new edition of John Conen’s Bamberg and Franconia: Germany's Brewing Heartland for sale, brand new, hot off the press.

Theresa attacking a litre stein of beer at Annafest, Forchheim

Sunday 25 July
Following a leisurely breakfast in our hotels, we board our bus for a day’s travel round the Franconian countryside, calling in at seven breweries, including a few surprises. We arrive back in Bamberg dropping off at the Wilde Rose Keller for an evening exploring the hillside beer gardens.

Beer keller season in full swing at Lieberth

Group enjoying a beer at Brewery Zehendner

Monday 26th July
A free day to get down to some serious beer investigation in Bamberg, or a flight home if you are leaving us early.

Siobhan enjoying a beer at Brewery Hennemann

Tuesday 27 July
We will be making our way by train* back to Nuremberg airport for Air Berlin flight AB8594 to London, Stansted leaving at 18:40 and arriving Stansted at 19:15.

The price of the full seven day tour is £480 per person based on sharing a twin or double room. There is a single supplement of £100 if you want your own room. If you want to shorten your tour from the full seven days, please contact me for a reduced price. Flight costs are not included in the price of the tour, but all other transport within Germany with the main group is included. Please note it is each traveller’s responsibility to book and pay for their own flights. Travellers may choose which hotel in Bamberg they would like to stop at, but this is on a first come first served basis. Personal insurance is not included but is strongly advised, as is carrying the European Health Insurance Card. Apply online, by phone or via the Post Office. All above times are local and approximate. Food, drink, passport and insurance costs are each Traveller's responsibility. The items marked with an asterisk are included in cost of the Tour.