Brewery – Hofbräu
Address – Am Platzl, 80331 München
Date of first visit – July, 1976
Most recent visit – 13th November, 2023
Ruhetag – Nil
URL – http://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/
For twenty years Hector played ping pong in München between the Mathäser and the Hofbräuhaus.
By the 1980’s trips were biennial at best. Michael arranged a very cheap trip for Neil and I and the three of us had a ball. Easter in Deutschland used to be a warm affair, we arrived in the snow. We had insufficient clothes to wander long outside and so we stayed in one of the two venues early afternoon, had a wee lie down and went to the alternate for the rest of the night. This was the beginnings of Hector managing all day stints.
Bier Notes
Hofbräuhau Original 5.1%
Helles, the classic Deutsche Bier, bottom fermented, a lager to those brought up in the UK. It still holds its own.
Dunkel 5.1%
By the early 1990s the Dunkles was the first Bier consumed on each visit to the Hofbräuhaus. The palate was shifting away from Helles, little did Hector know what would happen by late 1996.
Münchener Kindl – Weizenbier 5.1%
My first order of Weizenbier secured a half litre. Given the time it can take to get served this was frustrating. Obtaining a litre is no longer a problem.
Hector rates Münchener Kindl very highly indeed among Weissbiers. In the formative Wessbier days in the Athena Greek Taverna (Glasgow), this Hofbräu creation never made it it on to the Board. Richard would tell us what Olaf had brought, we would destroy it before the mob got a whiff of its existence. The Hefe content is most satisfactory. Since I re-acquired my taste for Helles during my first visit to Frischeisen (Kelheim) in 2003, The choice of Bier in the Hofbräuhaus is now regarded as excellent. Pity about the politics.
For the first thirty years of visiting the Hofbräuhaus, every night was a party. Banging the glasses on the table, recognising the traditional tunes mixed with more international sounds. Reinhold Frank, the Kappelmeister for many years would recognise me on arrival. He even began to greet me by name.
The budget airlines meant that trips to München became more than once a year, not once every two years. Then it all changed. I was surprised when the smoking ban as adhered to, however the means of enforcing it, as far as I can interpret, was to ensure that everyone remains seated. Visit any Fest-tent and observe the law being broken. Now the band can only play traditional tunes, many of these are obscure. The atmosphere has been deliberately altered. The bands play no more than three or four pieces then stop for lengthy breaks – there is no chance of the Bierfest atmosphere taking over. As one reaches a certain age, the days of standing on benches may becoming to an end, however, it is good to have the choice.
The Upstairs
The cabaret upstairs is worth a visit once. Hector has been twice. In a large mixed group it is a lot of fun, here one can still party.
