Hector had next to no sleep. A combination of a lack of air in the room, a continuous heavy downpour and Chaps moving Barrels early in the morning. I heard it all but still I was not a grumpy old Hector, I am on vacation!
Daytime on holiday with Marg is very much letting her think she is setting the pace. How many Coffee Shops can we visit, how many Shops can we go into that sell the sort of crap, sorry interesting trinkets which Ladies enjoy perusing. Hours of endless fun interspersed with moments of Kultur like the interesting Architecture, Historic Buildings, and when is the first Bier?
We took Tram 1 from our Hotel, the Bischofslinde, to the Ganter Brewery, it was an advertised stop. The largest of the Freiburg Breweries, it was certainly factory-like, the Ausschank was located in the Zentrum, Hector would find it, soon. We crossed the river and found the Panjab Curry House, and kept going. Hector has not been kidnapped by Aliens, there is a plan.
The first purchase of the day was a Panda which Marg felt matches her eyes, well they do at present. This gave way to a lunch of Soup. By now, in the persistent drizzle, Hector had realised that Freiburg im Breisgau is not that interesting in terms of German Architecture. I only had a vague memory of the previous visit and one photograph of a red building adorned with flowers. I found the likely candidate in the Munsterplatz adjacent to the Ganter Brauereiausschank, serendipity once more. The Market was being held today in the Munsterplatz, with the continuing Drizzle, not a lot of fun.
By 15.00 the Bier was calling. The Hausbrauerei Feierling was in a modern building metres beyond where we had our Night Cap last evening. We chose a table upstairs overlooking the Coppers. Doris approached and asked what we wanted to drink. Having no idea I asked for the Karte. A seasonal Bier, the Fruhlingshopf was advertised on the table, this sounded ideal. No Doris, eventually she presented and took the order, promising to return soon. We saw a lot of her in the next ten minutes, Faffing here, Faffing there, but nothing for us.
Eventually the drinks arrived, the Fruhlingshopf was darker than Amber, not quite a Dunkels. Hops really? Fruit was evident. This was the most Banana flavoured Bier I have encountered in a long time. Had I been blindfolded I would have easily mistaken it for a Weizen. The only drawback was the killer home-made Yeast after-taste, however it was almost masked by the Bananas.
Trying to get the Bill was a continuation of the above Saga. Marg eventually gave up and stood at the till, still it took an age. This young lady would fit in well in any Wetherspoons.
It was Marg’s turn for fun, Ice-Cream was calling. The Eis-Cafe Capri was in our path, Mein Host was still on duty. He gave us the warm welcome associated with faces he recognised, we have that effect on people. One of us had a Banana Split, the other a Cognac Becher, you decide.
Freiburg has many Museums, the Augustiner was the one which we considered possibly worth a visit. Augustiner, now would be be Bottles and Barrels or Statues and Bleeders? We left, ten seconds after crossing the threshold.
Our Tram Stop was seconds away, it was at this point I realised that the five Tram Lines all have their vehicles converge simultaneously at the central point of the City enabling people to change if necessary and continue their journey as required. Five Tram Lines, luxury. Joined-Up-Transport, unheard of in the UK.
After a much needed WLD it was back out on the town. The Ganter Brauereisausschank was the venue in Hector’s mind. The Market had been dismantled, we entered Ganter. Every table was occupied, we were offered a raised seat until one became available, by the time it did we felt at home on our Dais.
The Bier
The Urtrunk was an unfiltered Helles, the dryness was perfect, there was even a Citrus flavour, this was s superb and remained the Bier of choice. In the past I would have tried the Dunkels and the Export, but not tonight. The Urtrunk was so good I had negotiated the purchase of the Polo Shirt before I had finished my first.
The Food
As neither of us were flying tonight, we both had Fish. Marg had the Tuna Salad from Hell which soon disappeared into the Abyss. Hector cannot resist the Zanderfillets, when available. This was the best Fish I have had apart from Yadgar, in some time. Great Bier, great Food, Great Service. Marg even had Schwarzwald Kirchetorte, or Black Forest Gateaux as some may call it.
As the venue was closing by 23.00 we decanted to Martin’s a few minutes walk away. We resisted the Olives, but Marg could not resist another Baileys, two on one trip? The so-called Pils was the night cap. Interestingly, it did not impress as much as the Urtrunk, however, two fine Biers in a town of this size? Some people have all the luck.
Breweries and Bar visited today:
Hausbrauerei Feierling – Gerberau 46, 7909, Freiburg
Ganter Brauereiausschank – Munsterplatz, 18-20, 79098, Freiburg
Martin’s Hausbrauerei – Erste Freiburger Gasthausbrauerei, Kaiser- Joseph- Str. 237, 79098, Freiburg.
Eis-Cafe Capri – Gerberau 30, -79098, Freiburg