The Staggs – Making Plans with Nigel

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Hector

We enjoyed ourselves so much at The Staggs aka The Volunteer Arms on our last visit we promised ourselves a return. Nigel, Mein Host, evidently appreciates all that is currently splendid about British Ale. ‘Tell me when you are next coming through and I’ll get you in whatever you want.’ He knows his customers will also lap up the finest of Ales. We had missed his Festival weekend by one week, unfortunately Hector was in München last weekend.

Howard had been in contact and the man was as good as his word. Ales from Thornbridge (Bakewell, Derbyshire), especially Kipling, have been high on our favourite list for some time. Jaipur has had its day, Thornbridge it appears, can no longer reproduce the tart, grapefruit juice bitterness of yesteryear. Those who were at the Troon Beerfest this year raved about a new release from the Tempest Brewery (Kelso, Scottish Borders). Their Long White Cloud was asked for, unfortunately it could not be guaranteed.

Yvonne had taken on the role of hector today. We were to assemble at Queen St Station at 10.40 for the 11.00 to Edinburgh. Why we were so early was never ascertained. The eight of us purchased two group tickets to Edinburgh. The saving was significant. Not as perfect as a Deutsche Landeskarte, but a start. Our railway companies have much to learn.

?Stan!, Robin and Jonathan took the bus for the last part of the journey to Musselburgh. Mags, Howard, Craig, Yvonne and Hector took the train and rolled down the hill from Musselburgh Station. Somehow, despite taking an hour, we arrived first.

Hector was first at the bar: ‘ A pint of Long White Cloud please.’ Four more were poured. The rearguard arrived, only ?Stan! opted for something different, he had the very last pint of Oakham’s JHB. Normally Robin and Hector would start the day on something less demanding. The Tempest Ale at 5.6% is a good way to get the party off to a fine start. For Mags, Jonathan and myself, this was our first experience of this much talked about Ale. It is not too shabby.

 Tempest’s Long White Cloud – an excellent Ale!

Craig held his glass up to the light. The yellow nectar looked perfect. ‘This is excellent!’ he exclaimed. I was disinclined to agree, ‘Its all right I suppose.’ was my reply. The Long White Cloud is a truly superb ale. The powerful citrus is perfectly balanced by the dry hops. This is a Bier brewed exactly to our requirements. ‘This Bier is excellent!’ Craig assured us once again.

Craig had not finished his first pint when he mooted the possibility of relocating our group to Leith.

Hector had to question this. ‘Surely we are going nowhere until this ‘Excellent Ale’ is finished?’

Craig I believe was missing Kipling, I think. A few moments later Craig was once again extolling the virtues of the Long White Cloud. Once the second pint arrived there was another reason to remark on the excellence of the Ale. Indeed, we were soon in double figures now, I was running out of toes. We think Craig liked the Bier? We had some more, just for quality control purposes.

‘This has always been my favourite Bier.’ I announced just to see if Craig still thought the Long White Cloud to be less than excellent.

Craig is in Heaven

‘I think I’ve died and gone to Heaven.’  so Craig decided to inform us.  This must have been something to do with the Ale being excellent, so he told us again.

Mein Host, Nigel appeared. He told us he had put Kipling on the previous evening and it had ‘evaporated’. There was another in the cellar which would go on later. It soon made its appearance.  Hector made a complaint: ‘We are all too happy.’

Currently on offer: Long White Cloud and Kipling.  The Jaipur has not even rated a mention!

Another Ale was announced, Oakham’s Citra. (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire). At 4.2% this Ale packs as much flavour as most Ales in the 5+% range. Once the sublimely excellent Long White Cloud had been polished off this was the obvious replacement, except for those who moved on to Kipling.  Given the photographic record, this flew out the tap…

The locals were by now engaging us in conversation when we took the required rest breaks. They were loving the range on offer too and could not believe that there was not a single pub in Glasgow who can can supply their customers to this level of satisfaction.

The new battle-cry

‘We must come through here once a month!’ Craig announced with his customary conviction.

It would be difficult to decide if the number of times the excellence of the Bier was announced matched the intensity of the desire to make our trips to Musselburgh a monthly event.

Hector has not been to Leith in some ten years. Whatever happened to Leith?

The time was coming for us to take our leave. The afternoon had been perfect, sorry, excellent.

The final service

As we stood up a new Ale was presented: Dark Star’s American Pale Ale (Partridge, West Sussex). This is yet another Ale on our current jungle drums list. Why did we go through to Musselburgh so early? The party was really getting under way.

 It was a very relaxing journey back to Glasgow. Craig, Yvonne, Mags and Howard caught an earlier train. Howard had to make a speech. Good luck. I had to wait with the other ticket for the bus crew. Robin went straight home, ?Stan! headed west with Jonathan and Hector to Partick. ?Stan! Went to the Three Judges, Jonathan and Hector made a long overdue return to Papa Gill’s for a Curry-Heute.

By default, the first Glasgow pub to be mentioned in these humble pages is The Three Judges. With nine Ales on offer it was a typical scene, nothing much to choose from. I selected the best of a bad bunch and waited for Marg who fortunately arrived soon from her own Saturday rituals.

 Musselburgh, once a month? Excellent!

The Pubs Visited today:

The Staggs – Volunteer Arms  – 81 North High Street, Musselburgh, Scotland EH21 6JE

The Three Judges  – 141 Dumbarton Road, G11 6PR

 

Posted in Glasgow, Musselburgh | Comments Off on The Staggs – Making Plans with Nigel

On the second day in München…

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Hector

Marg and Hector went down to breakfast in the Hotel Royal and found the ladies.  The Chaps had, and would not, surface this morning.  There was an announcement that the Englischer Garten would be a good place to go for a walk.  The ladies were going to walk there and take the U Bahn back, as I was buying tickets for the day anyway I suggested the opposite.  There was compliance.

At the entrance to the Englischer Garten was a strange Café with a Seilbahn carriage.  For some reason Hector had to pose in front of it.  At the Chinesischer Turm the Gluhwein was waiting.  Now this is a good way to get back into the game.

With geometric precision, Hector and Marg headed west in the direction of a certain Curry Haus, now which one could that be?  At the edge of the park we spotted guys surfing, yes surfing in the park.  Yes, way!

Let’s decant to Herrsching by which time we had abandoned Al who had arranged to meet his pal Robert.  Thanks, Robert for the Bier publication.  A Big Taxi took us up to Kloster Andechs, the source of Andechs Weizen the best Weizen vom Fass, official.  Their other Biers are not too shabby.  They might have the Spezial Hell, time to contact Howard to share my pleasure.  It will make his day.  Others must suffer.

As Marg was the only person in the group who had been here before it was mandatory that we all go to church.  The only church in all of Bayern that Hector has entered.  We paid homage to Carl Orff, who?  Short of singing the first twenty minutes of Carmina Buruna, I think they got the message.

Time for Bier

The Weizen Hell was bought by all, well almost.  Marg had Coffee, Marg had Hot Chocolate.  Good girl.  Dom and Hector moved on the Spezial Hell, hi Howard!  Al appeared but due to the lengthy journey back he did not imbibe.

This was a very restrained afternoon; there was a dinner appointment which we could not be late for.  We were too early for the optimum S Bahn and so we found ourselves in the Station Bar, drinking Spaten Hell.

There may have been a zzz … or ten on the way back to München. We were given the choice of tables at the Augustiner Bräustuben, but not our Silvester table of the past two New years.  The Edelstoff was ordered.  Food was ordered.

Weniger Ente

The Bierkutcherpfandl (€13.95) was great value.  More Duck and more Pork than a man could eat, topped with two Sausages, insane.  The Edelstoff went down very well.  Let’s go?  What?  What is it with people who always want to move on?  I never do that to people.

Andechser am Dom was the obvious draw.  The oldies departed at the Hauptbahnhof and the rest of us carried on down to Marienplatz.  They shut early on a Sunday.  There was time for a Weizen Hell and the thought of the Doppelbock Dunkles.  Half of the latter was left.  The Sports Bar was calling, again.

The Good Boys Club

Mein Host, aka Rod Stewart, is now the manager it appears.  The new waiter shook our hands as we sat down, us regulars…

Hector had one, Al produced Schnapps, and it was time for bed.  Who knows what time these guys stopped.

 Brewery and Brewery Taps visited today:

Kloster Andechs  –  Bergstraße 2,  82346, Andechs

Bahnhof Herrssching  –  Bahnhofsplatz 1, 82211,  Herrsching am Ammersee

Augustiner Bräustuben, Landsberger Str. 19,  80339, München

Andechser am Dom  –  Weinstraße 7  80333, München

Sport-Café Schiller  –  Schillerstrasse 3,  D-80336, München

Posted in München, Herrsching am Ammersee, Kloster Andechs | Comments Off on On the second day in München…

On the first day in München…

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Hector

Day 2 – München at last

A 05.00 taxi took us back to Gatwick.  I felt as if my head had just touched the pillow when the alarm went off for the early morning rise.  Whose idea was this?  I watched the sun rise in the moments between open eye and shut eye.  I read the newspaper.  Six hours into the flight we had only be airborne for a half hour.  How can easyJet call this a two hour flight?  This was turning into the longest European flight ever.  Eventually we landed in  München and took the S Bahn into town.

Knowing we were scheduled to reach the Hotel Royal just after 10.00 I had emailed to ask if any rooms could be ready.  Three out of four were and so we checked in.

We arrived at Marienplatz just as the 11.00 Glockenspiel got under way.  It’s what one does in München.  We retired en masse to the Cafe Piemonte (Petersplatz 9  80331) for the ritual hot orgasm: hot white chocolate.  Well two of  us shared this pleasure, dont go there…  The rest had coffee…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A noon Curry-Heute had been written into the Tin-Tinerary, only Eleanor was up for this and so we left the others at a bright and sunny Viktualienmarkt and strode down in the direction of Isartor.

Afterwards we rendezvoused at the same place and some went off to the Stadt Museum.  Marg and Hector toured some shops before Hector realised that shopping can be very tiring.  If quality Bier was to be consumed later today, a WLD was required, now.

In München Steht Ein Hofbräuhaus

There was a plan to meet up after 16.00.  Marg and Hector arrived at 16.30 and toured every seat to establish that we had arrived first.  Actually Emma had been on time but chose to wander off.  Eleanor soon joined us and we were four balanced on a table of eight.  The others arrived and squeezed on to an adjacent table before we were all joined together.  A band I had never see before played the Tirolean Schuplatten, my favourite all Bayerische tunes, I suppose it must actually be Austrian.

A litre of Hofbräu Helles was the starter for ten.  By the time we were quorate a litre of Dunkles had been ordered.  Marg had a Bier!  Her second ever Bier in the Hofbräuhaus, the first having been bought by Rheinhold Frank the band leader. She even drank it.  Now this must not be encouraged.  This union needs one of us to be sensible.

Our dinner reservation had been booked online by Hector at the start of the week.  All part of the service.  The food at the Pschorr Haus is always excellent despite not being Curry.  Eleanor walked up the road enthusing wildly about the Wiener Schnitzel that would await her.  She had me sold on this.  Marg joined the Veal party too but asked for the smaller portion, one huge slice instead of two.  Winnie also ordered the Full Monty.  Dom ordered the full Schweinhaxe.  There were audible gasps when it arrived, who could eat all this?  Al had a Schnitzel variant, Emma had the Fisch.

The food was mostly washed down with Pschorr Helles (Dir) served straight from the large wooden Barrel on the counter.  Whether it had a plastic lining, Hector knows not.

Our waiter came over as a bit churlish.  He did not look too happy when asked to provide cups of tea for Marg and Emma.  It was just his way.  I hatched a plan to get our own back.  As a linguist, Emma speaks German.  I suggested she ask for a tea to take out after we had sorted the Bill.  This forced a smile. He was worth his generous tip after all.

There was a decision to move on.  The Augustiner Großgaststätte was around the corner, well almost.

Hector went on to find the group a table.  But half the group disappeared off to church.  WTF? We were all re-assembled and then the usual folk started to disappear.  Emma was wondering if she could have a Bier smaller than a half litre.  ‘Have a Schnitt!’ I suggested.  ‘What is a Schnitt?’  And these people think they speak the language?  Maybe of the textbook, not of the Bierhaus.

The Bad Boys Club

Dom, Al and Hector bade the ladies farewell as we turned on to Schillerstrasse, The Office was calling.  For some there was a kebab to be consumed later.

 

The Brewery Taps visited today:

Der Pschorr München Wirtshaus  –  Viktualienmarkt 15,  80331, München

Hofbräuhaus  –  Platzl 9  80331, München

Zum Augustiner – Neuhauserstr. 27 – 80331 München

Sport-Café Schiller  –  Schillerstrasse 3,  D-80336, München
Posted in München | Comments Off on On the first day in München…

München via Crawley, a November Weekend

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Hector

Day 1 –  a night with ‘Danny’.

 At the start of this year Emma approached Hector in the staffroom and said: ‘We need another staff trip.’

We compared diaries and the St Andrew’s Day holiday Monday weekend was free.  I had a look at all possible destinations from Scotland to Germany, nothing was on.  I could get us back from München for a modest sum, but it took me a couple of weeks to stumble upon the indirect route.  A Friday night in Crawley would enable is to catch the 06.25 flight from Gatwick, sorted.

We were a party of eight, including Winnie whose retirement trip to München some three years ago, was our last mass movement.

We had all checked in to the George Hotel on the Crawley High Street by 21.30.  There was no time  for a superb Crawley Curry, instead we had a Bier Rendezvous with Olive and Maggie at The Swan.

This is Clive’s local.  The pump clips of what has been cover the walls and the ceiling.  Tonight the choice was not that outstanding.  The Dark Star (Partridge Green, West Sussex) Winter Meltdown at 5% satisfied abv requirements, but after a couple of pints of this Hector was making enquiries about the Cider.   Niall, a friend of Clive, had already gone down this road. There was a choice of two, let’s be sensible, sleep will be at a premium tonight…
Gwynnt Y DDraig’s Fiery Fox at  6.5%  Llest Farm, Pontypridd, RCT, CF38 2PW) was apparently a Welsh Cider.  I don’t know what gave this away.  We all know what Robin thinks about Welsh Ale, one suspects he may make the same conclusion about the Cider.  This was not particularly wonderful.  Niall was waving this glass of cloudy something under my nose.  It could have passed for a perfect Weizen Hell.  It was Weston’s  (Ledbury, Herefordshire) Old Rosie at 7.3%.  This  Cider hit the spot.

The party was well underway, so Emma and Eleanor departed, something about an early rise.  The rest of us sat at the big table with Clive, Maggie and Niall and the party took care of itself.  Marg, Winnie and Jo retired, Al went too.  This left Dom and Hector to stay until the bitter end.  Dom had Kebab #1 of the trip, it was Curry!

 The Pub visited today

The Swan  – 1 Horsham Road  West Green, West Sussex, Crawley RH11 7AY

 

Posted in Crawley | Comments Off on München via Crawley, a November Weekend

The Bon Accord winds up Hector

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Hector

Hector’s Ale

Being a Professional, Hector does not consume Ale midweek. This did not prevent the biggest wind up in the history of the Bon Accord. Thanks, Paul. This is the photo that was posted on Facebook/Twitter today. My own Ale and I was not there to taste it. Alas, John tells me it has gone…

Posted in Glasgow | Comments Off on The Bon Accord winds up Hector

The return to München

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Hector

Howard has a bad shirt day, again…

Yvonne was astonished that five of us could travel from Bamberg to München for €6 each. Such are the joys of DB and the Bayern Ticket, amongst others. There was a mandatory change of train at Nürnberg and so there was only one place to spend the next ninety minutes or so: The outlet for Kloster Andechs, where they of course do sell the Spezial Hell. Well they did on Wednesday when we were last there, so there was a good chance. Hector had a lemonade, far too early for Bier.

Having checked in after a noisy second leg on the train, we went in search of Spaten Oktoberfestbier. Craig and Yvonne had located this by chance on Tuesday whilst Howard and Hector were at St. Jacobus. The official Brewery Tap was closed and so we followed our experienced Festbier Drinkers to a wooden pub called Funkstadl, quaint.

The Spaten was easy to quaff, but best not to. Having had some over-sweet Bocks in Bamberg this week this Bier was a pleasant change. However, Hector feels it was not that distinctive. Perhaps his tastebuds were already salivating at what was to follow – the return to Indian Mango for Curry-Heute.

With our Bayern Ticket still valid we jumped on the S Bahn from Hackerbrucke to Isartor and back. The Augustiner Tap where we have brought in Silvester (New Year) for the past two years was the aim. They were wedged. Still ticketed, we moseyed back down to Karlsplatz-Stachus and made the short walk to Zum Augustiner.

This was also wedged but Hector did his job and found us a table with a family on the verge of departing. Unfortunately, there were adajcent tables with Fitba’ Fans. For the best part of the next hour we listened to a handful of FC Bayern fans taunt the Hertha Berlin fans seated two metres apart. Noisy, disturbing, but never the threat of anything taking off.

There was no Oktoberfestbier left, we were told. Just as well. We settled for Edelstoff.

We left to find somewhere quieter, we had to. It was also Craig’s bedtime.

Downstairs in the Glöckl am Dom there were no seats. For the first time ever we sat upstairs. This is one of ?Stans! favourite outlets as they always have Augustiner Helles from Holzfass. This he prefers to the Edelstoff. Hector finds this Bier to be pleasant but not demanding. There was conversation for the first time in an hour as we could here ourselves think.

Having had a slow start to the day, Hector was now approaching the zone. Where next?

At Silvester Hector and Marg had spent the afternoon in a new or recently refurbished place towards Sendlinger Strasse. This turned out to be a Paulaner outlet, I remembered it as Hacker. And so we walked on to find the Altes Hackerhaus.

Outside were a group assembled on the pavement doing a night tour. They came in and headed towards the table which we had selected. Unperturbed, we relocated to the back area which was indoors but technically outdoors. It was covered and warm. The walls were adorned with old Bier signs. Was this simply a recreation of what had been? This was our first visit, a pleasant atmosphere for food, but the menu was not extensive and the prices were a bit steep. The Bier was Hacker-Pschorr Helles, again not too demanding.

?Stan! was fading, Howard could not go to bed without completing the daily ritual, so two of us headed back to Andechs am Dom. It was farewell to ?Stan! who was staying an extra day before his leisurely trip home via Koln and Brussel.

‘Do you have the Spezial Hell?’

We actually ordered the Weizen Hell straight away and then asked the question once settled. This is still the best Weissbier of the all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Reader, I had to look at this shirt all day long…

Time for bed, no Kebab. 

 

The wonderful pubs visited today:

 Kloster Andechs – Das Wirtshaus – Königstraße 55, 90402 Nürnberg,

Funkstadl – Arnulfstr 44, 80636, München

Zum Augustiner – Neuhauserstr. 27 – 80331 München

Nürnberger Bratwurst Glöckl am Dom – Frauenplatz 9, 80331, München

Altes Hackerhaus – Sendlinger Straße 14 8033,1 München

Andescher am Dom – Weinstraße 7, 80333, München

 

Posted in München, Nürnberg | 1 Comment

More Bamberg Bockbier

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Hector

Once again Hector proved that Curry comes best before Bier. After another solo trip to Erlangen to visit Sur Mandir, a Curry House, the S Bahn was taken back to Buttenheim. Howard had sent Hector a text in the morning stating that he was doing his own thing today. This was further qualified with the amendments that he may join me on the Erlangen trip and possibly see us at Buttenheim. Having made no sense of this, there was no reply to the text. So unbeknown to Hector, Howard had taken the earlier train to Erlangen in order to find the Kitzmann Bewery Tap, he did.

Craig and Yvonne had gone up visit the hilltops of Bamberg and had sat in the Keller outside Greifenklau. They later watched Steve and Juliet pass by in Altstadt area around Schlenkerla. ?Stan! had made his way out to Buttenheim and gone for a constitutional n the woods. Both the Löwenbräu and St Georgen Kellers were reported open. There was heat in the sun, it was a thoroughly pleasant day to sit outside, but the rendezvous was elsewhere.

As Hector approached Löwenbräu Buttenheim, Hansi Modschiedler, the owner, was walking in my direction. ‘Guten Tag‘, was my polite greeting. Hansi always takes few moments to remember which of the many foreign visitors he receives, we might be.

I found an empty table in the Gastatte and ordered the famous Kellerbier. ?Stan! was still finishing the equivalent next door at St. Georgen. Once united we found Hansi and friends embarking on a game of Canasta at the adjacent table. By now he had remembered who we are. Who are we?

We had one eye on our timepieces as it was essential we be back in Bamberg around 16.00. We discussed the imminent tapping of Mahrs Bock and told Hansi ‘we had to be there.’ ?Stan! asked when the Löwenbräu Bock would be tapped. ’11/11′ was the reply. ?Stan! is considering whether or not he can make it. Hector will be in München that weekend, but this would be beyond a day trip.

Shaking our hands at the main door, Hansi opened a cupboard door and handed ?Stan! and Hector a bottle of Bier each. It was the Bock, and this year’s. Not available to the public but now in our possession.

The Mahrs Bock

?Stan! and Hector arrived at the Mahrs Brauhaus bang on 16.30. At this time last year we had gained entrance to the courtyard before the gates were locked. The queue had already formed, about fifty folk were in front of us. Yvonne texted to state that she, Craig and Howard were at Mahrs. A further text told me that there was no queue, they wondered why we were not there. ‘Shall I tell the five hundred people outside with us tat there is now queue?’ Howard replied with a text stating that it was quieter than last year. Another spurious text from Howard today.

At 16.45 the bells started to peel. Yvonne texted to say the Bock had been tapped. Stan! and Hector stood outside for a further half hour before the queue started to move. There were now one hundred and fifty people in front of us. Still no word from Steve and Juliet.

We were channelled to the rear courtyard of the Brewery where a large serving hatch revealed a huge Fass: Mahrs Bock (Direkt), we were there!

Craig was disappointed, he thought it too sweet. Hector does not regard it as sweet as Keesmann, but the Bock of the week (apart from the unflappable Schlenkerla) has to be the Eichhorn.

Steve and Juliet gained access just as Steve was giving up. Having bought two portions at a time we did not have to fight for Bier. There was no chance of the Bier becoming warm either, the temperature was plummeting. Juliet pronounced the Bock as tasting metallic. Hector tatsed it, it was different. We then realised that the serving hatch in the main courtyard was serving the Bock under pressure. The difference was significant.

Howard disappeared. Later he revealed that he gone across the road to Keesmann and that the main Doris had found him a seat. Doppel Bock?

Craig and Yvonne headed back to Spezial, Steve Juliet and Hector followed ten minutes behind. ?Stan! stayed for more.

Entering Spezial, Craig and Yvonne were seated at the end of a busy table. Luckily the adjacent party had just paid and were leaving, in we go. Craig was put out by the fact that he and Yvonne had sat on the bench for twenty minutes waiting for a table and we walk in and are seated instantly.

One can never have enough Croquettes

Food was brought to the table, people ate it.  The midnight Kebab was on Hector’s mind again.  Where was Howard?  The man who appreciates Croquettes the most was not there to appraise them.

There was a change of shift, or so it felt to Hector. It was Craig’s bedtime, he left with Yvonne in tow, or is that the other way around?

Juliet and Steve then became the companions of Hector. Once again we were in the same locus as Fred Waltman who came over and said farewell before withdrawing to his room upstairs. Howard and ?Stan! were the final shift by which time Hector had ordered his final Bier, back to the more traditional Lagerbier.

There was only one way to complete this stay in Bamberg: back to the Marmaris …

The Breweries visited today:

Löwenbräu Buttenheim  –  Marktstraße 8, 96155, Buttenheim

Mahrs  –  Wunderburg 10, 96050, Bamberg

Spezial  –  Obere Königstraße 10, 96052, Bamberg.

 

 

 

Posted in Bamberg, Buttenheim | Comments Off on More Bamberg Bockbier

Dörfleins, where ?

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Hector

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.

Posted in Bamberg, Dörfleins, Hallstadt | Comments Off on Dörfleins, where ?

Bring on the Bamberg Bock

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Hector

The 11.06 is the fastest RE which Die Bahn run between München and Nürnberg. We had a very useful 58 minute connection time before proceeding in a disorderly manner to Bamberg. The Andechs House in Nürnberg does sell Spezial Hell, there was just time for a swift half.

‘Do you have Spezial Hell?’

Steve and Juliet were not with us tempoarily, they were off doing other things. At 14.30 we arrived in Bamberg, rain. The walk to Fässla was at a very brisk pace. Herr Kalb greeted us all with a firm handshake and issued the keys for the three rooms. Steve and Juliet had stayed longer at Bamberg Bahnhof, doing other things.

We assembled downstairs in the main room of the Bierhalle, Yvonne ordered Pils, Pils!? Steve and Craig had the Lagerbier, Howard and Hector had the Svergla (Fl). Where was Juliet?

Eventually ?Stan! joined us, he had been in the sticks exploring a new venue which he may take us to.

It is a long walk in the rain from Fässla to Spezial, even though they are directly across the street from each other. At Spezial, the Jubilaum Festbier was available. Lighter than Schlenkerla but still distinctively smoky. This was within Yvonne’s taste range.

Three citizens of the USA sat at the adjacent table. The largest of the three Chaps looked familiar. I asked Howard if he recognised him. Howard asked ?Stan!, ‘that’s Fred’. Hector attracted the Chap’s attention with the immortal line: “Did you write a book?” “Sort of.” was the reply.

This was Fred Waltman, author of the Franconia Bier Guide. How had I recognised him? Perhaps being in Bamberg so regularly, but not as often as Fred who gets across to Europe a few times each year. His group were staying at Spezial, I have never managed to get a room here.

The conversation opened up to include us all, another Festbier was called for.

It is a twenty minute walk to Keesmann from the middle of town, in the continuous rain it was horrible. ?Stan! and Hector arrived first, but by different routes. There appeared to be no room at the inn. I asked the Head Doris if there would be space for seven of us, she made an attempt to clear some space but the locals were not for budging. Craig, Yvonne and Howard entered to find ?Stan! and Hector still standing in the middle of the room, they were soaked through.

Doris finally got two Chaps finishing their coffee to depart and we had a table, albeit reserved in an hour. This was soon sorted and we squeezed in. Howard’s jacket was a sieve, his shirt was soaked. Yvonne’s pullover was heavy and wet. Craig was dry and so insisted in giving Yvonne his Hector’s Hollandisch Hootenanny polo shirt. Craig spent the rest of the evening with his jacket covering his now naked torso, ooh er missus.

We gave our food order and were then relocated to the Stammtisch where there was even more space. Steve and Juliet had finally caught up wit us. So what about the Bock?

Two years ago Hector declared that this was the best Bier on the planet. Last year the Keesmann Bock was a major disappointment, far too sweet. Tonight it was still too sweet but had a drier aftertaste. Good, but not stunning. The body was wholesome, this Bier needs to be treated with respect.

Steve received phonecall and he and Juliet departed to Bamberg Bahnhof, their day was all about DB. Howard disappeared, never to be heard of again, Craig and Yvonne set off in the rain and got lost. They eventually hailed a passing taxi and ten minutes later were back at the brewery with the wee man rolling the barrel. They could not remember where they lived.

?Stan! and Hector arranged a taxi for 21.45 and headed to Schlenkerla. The Urbock is likely to be the best Bock we taste this week. ‘Kippers in a glass’ is how I normally describe the king of smoked Bier, this is something very special.

?Stan! and Hector sat for an hour with their Bier, a couple of locals acknowledged our presence and that that we had ordered the Urbock. It is most evident that in these smaller brewery houses, the locals like you to enjoy their Bier.

The walk back to Fässla was across the river and the canal during which Marg phoned. I bade farewell to ?Stan! who typically was staying elsewhere. There were a few people sitting in the main room but no Friends of Hector. I went back out to the adjacent Marmaris and had a Kebab.

The Breweries and Bier Houses visited today:

Kloster Andechs – Das Wirtshaus – Königstraße 55, 90402, Nürnberg.

Fässla  –  Obere Königstraße 21, 96052, Bamberg

Spezial  –  Obere Königstraße 10, 96052, Bamberg.

Keesmann  –  Wunderburg 5, 96050, Bamberg.

Schlenkerla  –  Dominikanerstraße 6, 96049, Bamberg

 

Posted in Nürnberg, Bamberg | Comments Off on Bring on the Bamberg Bock

The arrival in München

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Hector

It is that time of year again, the Bocks of Bamberg are being unveiled, Hector is Bamberg bound in October for the third consecutive year. ?Stan! awaits, Mr. Strang and co. will be in town the following week when we would have chosen to go, alas the school October week is strangely early this year.

Craig has remarked not for the first time that it takes exactly six hours from his door to München Hauptbahnhof. He is right, it is. Having checked in painfully slowly at the Hotel Dolomit, a money saving choice given that Howard and Hector required single accommodation, the two Bad Boys left the company and headed straight for Perlach.

Perlach, a  München suburb, is the home of the Forschung Brauerei, or St. Jacobus as it is more likely known. Here the Blonder Bock is on tap and is a perfect anaesthetic for a day when one knows our friends in Englandshire will be on the wind up. Drinking this Bier makes it a draw, which is much better than Scotland were to fair against the mighty Spain.

Hector had phoned last week to ensure that the venue was open today. At this time of year they close for the winter and the great brewing experiments get underway. Hector, Howard, Steve and Marg were present two years ago for the final night of the season, a good Fest.

The normal Doris was serving the outside tables, yes people were outside. The temperature today hit 20C, but outside is of course unhealthy in present times. Indoors is much healthier – smoke free.

Our new Doris was most amenable and offered to take our ritual photo. She came back later for a chat: Forschung is under new management. They are not closing until mid December, and only for about six weeks. It was also evident that the new regime had abandoned the half litre rule. Formerly half litres were only sold until 16.00, this is why Yvonne was not keen to join us. Heaven help us on Saturday on our way home.

The Sensible Chaps

Howard and Hector limited themselves to a portion and a half of what I regard as the finest Bier brewed in München. A second litre would have put us in party mode, we would never have left. There was a Curry-Heute arranged at Mango, another priority of the day. As our visit was drawing to a close, Hector recognised a local and then another.

The octogenarian that Craig had arm-wrestled with a few summers back was in the house. I waved, he came over and I re-introduced myself. There was some sense of memory on his part, these guys are happy to share their great Bier with us and appreciate the fact that we foreigners are aware of it.  We both spoke, simultaneously, a perfect understanding therefore of my improvised Deutsch.

The Curry at Mango was magnificent.

Steve and Juliet turned up eventually, Craig and Yvonne were a few minutes after the rendezvous time. We then all walked back up to the Augustiner Großgaststätte where Steve had confirmed the Festbier was available.

The Bert brought six Festbier in Edelstoff glasses. Hector sent three back. These are empty I said in no uncertain terms. A short measure in a litre has always been a Bayern tradition, but this was blatant theft on the house’s part. When the order was repeated there was no nonsense.

Craig and Yvonne had been to a Spaten outlet earlier and claimed that it is still the best of the Oktoberfest Biers. This was very easy to drink after the demands of the St. Jacobus Bock.

The couples claimed to be tired, so Howard and Hector took their leave.

The Bad Boys’ Club

The BBC, München branch, reconvened at Andechs am Dom. Do you have Spezial Hell? We asked, as we always do. We know the answer, we have to explain every visit to the new staff that the Helles they sell is not the one we want. It never makes an impression, such is the indifference of the Andechs regime in general.

The Weizen Hell, vom Fass, is IMHO the best Weizen sold on draught – on the planet. It is a pity it is always gas pumped, Hector has served it by hand pump at his Clydebank mansion. The Bad Boys were aware of the fact that we had behaved ourselves too well today and so another Weizen was called for before the mandatory Doppelbock Dunkles was ordered. By this time we were alone. The rest of the punters had gone home, maybe they had work in the morning.

Whilst Howard was downstairs, I spoke in fluent Deutsch to a Doris, she complimented me on my German. It was only after midnight and that which normally takes until 03.00 was already in motion, my Deutsch Kopf had returned. It is strange how one reaches a stage where one just speaks without any planning, as in conversation. I have no idea how this happens, my Deutsch is limited, but within certain topic parameters, out it flows.

Scotland were humped, to rub salt in the wound further, the Czechs had won comfortably too. Lord Clive sent the inevitable wind up text suffixed with a remark about his envy. He knows you know, in München there is no pain.

The Brewery and Brewery Houses visited today:

St. Jacobus  –  H. Jakob Forschungsbrauerei und Bräustüberl KG, Unterhachinger Straße 76,, D-81737 München

Zum Augustiner – Neuhauserstr. 27 – 80331 München

Andescher am Dom – Weinstraße 7, 80333, München

Posted in München | Comments Off on The arrival in München