The texts started to arrive, where is Hector? I had sent ?Stan! a text stating I would be one hour late. DB were not having a good day and Curry for Breakfast was in vogue. That this meant a journey to Erlangen is by the way. I joined The Chaps and Chapattis at 14.05 in Schlenkerla sixty five minutes late. They hadn’t sussed that Curry-Heute was the cause of the delay, curious.
A change of shift left us without a Doris. Ten minutes later the same Doris who had served ?Stan! and Hector last night made an appearance. Hector had more Urbock. Yvonne was sticking with it despite not being her favourite Bier. Juliet gave up and disappeared for a Coffee. For reasons unknown, they would not serve her one at Schlenkerla. Steve, ?Stan! and Craig thought another pint was required and it was so.
On our departure we once again met The Friends of Fred Waltman, it is inevitable that our paths will keep crossing.
Fluid Plans
?Stan! had a plan. His late rendezvous yesterday was due to the limited bus service from Dörfleins back to Bamberg. Today were were seven, a perfect number for a Big Taxi, or so we thought. Having walked to the ZOB, Hector found that the larger taxis in the rank only sat six people. At the back of the queue was our only possible chance. The driver nodded and opened the back of his taxi to reveal another row of three seats. We were mobile, Dörfleins is a few kilometres north of Bamberg.
The Eichhorn Brauhaus is also known as the Schwarzer Adler. The Gastatte was identical to many of the small breweries scattered around the region. Hector alighted from the taxi and prepared for the ritual photographs of the newly painted white exterior. The door of the taxi was slid closed then I heard a disturbance. The three in the back wanted out, on my side. I was only trying to help the driver.
The Schwarzer Adler was busy with gentlemen of a certain age. Give us another ten years. We found a table in the far corner but the Doris insisted we sit at a larger table which had suddenly become free. We were here for the Bock.
The Bock arrived, it was superb. This was dry and hoppy, much more to our collective current tastes than the too sweet Keesmann Bock. More was called for. This was the Bier of the day, if not the trip. Hector believes that at visit to Dörfleins will become another part of our Bamberg ritual.
Hector had dared to suggest that after Dörfleins we recall our Big Taxi and head south to Buttenheim. This would save us much time and save us the walk from the station. Alas some of the company were getting tired. The last bus was at 18.24, we were all on it.
Spezial was named as the next destination of choice. The Jubilaum Festbier had impressed all those who partaken. ?Stan!’s favourite Doris was on duty but she could not provide us with a seat. She suggested we come back later. And so it was back across the road to Fässla for dinner.
Howard went to bed. ?Stan! disappeared momentarily to pay his bill at the Alte Post. Craig and Yvonne went to the Marmaris Kebab House and were not seen again. This left Steve, Juliet and Hector holding the fort.
There appears to be no upper limit as to how large a Wiener Schnitzel can be. At Fässla they hang off the plate. (Whenever I get around to writing up Glasgow’s very own West Brewing I shall be making mention of microscopic Schnitzel.)
Lagerbier was Hector’s choice today at Fässla, dry and very drinkable.
Our itchy feet took us back across the road to Spezial and we were seated in comfort. Howard made his entrance we were quorate again. There is a certain Doris at Spezial who finds ?Stan!’s height to be splendid…
What are the chances that Hector was last to leave the building?
The Brewery Taps visted today:
Schlenkerla – Dominikanerstraße 6, 96049, Bamberg
Brauerei Eichhorn/Schwarzer Adler – Dörfleinser Straße 43, 96103, Dörfleins, Hallstadt
Fässla – Obere Königstraße 21, 96052, Bamberg
Spezial – Obere Königstraße 10, 96052, Bamberg.