Visiting Frankfurt, what local beers to drink? EDIT: Frankfurt lacks local beers, so I drank these..

[Jayjay1976]

I'm here for Ambiente, and despite having lived in Stuttgart for some years, Frankfurt is foreign to me. When I asked my cabbie what the local beer styles were, he said "aromatische Pilsner" which isn't much to go by. I've had Kölsch in Köln, Altbier in Dusseldorf, all the Schwabisch and Bavarian styles too, but I just don't know what beer styles are local to Frankfurt. I don't want to miss out on something I can learn from and either way it is so very nice to be home again even if only for a few days!!!! I've already acquired a few kilos of maultaschen to smuggle back to the states, would love to procure a few bottles of an appropriately interesting beer, too.

 

[OswaldvW]

Hessen is particularly known for Apfelwein. I know it‘s not a beer recommendation, but you are in the area for Apfelwein, so you might as well check it out.

 

[tgolanos]

As much as I love Frankfurt, it's not great for beer. Definately try some Apfelwein while you're there, though. I can give you a few restaurant/pub recommendations if you'd like.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Hessen is particularly known for Apfelwein. I know it‘s not a beer recommendation, but you are in the area for Apfelwein, so you might as well check it out.

As much as I love Frankfurt, it's not great for beer. Definately try some Apfelwein while you're there, though. I can give you a few restaurant/pub recommendations if you'd like.

I'll definitely try the apfelwein and I would really appreciate any recommendations.

 

[ESBrewer]

Even if Frankfurt is not a brewing capital itself, you will probably find lots of interesting euro beer from shops.

 

[Soulshine2]

can you find any breweries to tour??

 

[ebbelwoi]

Possmann is probably the best-known apfelwein, if you're looking to pick up some to take home. This video was posted last autumn... I found it worth watching:

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Cold ones.

 

[Veets]

I'm here for Ambiente, and despite having lived in Schwaboland for some years, Frankfurt is foreign to me. When I asked my cabbie what the local beer styles were, he said "aromatische Pilsner" which isn't much to go by. I've had Kölsch in Köln, Altbier in Dusseldorf, all the Schwabisch and Bavarian styles too, but I just don't know what beer styles are local to Frankfurt. I don't want to miss out on something I can learn from and either way it is so very nice to be home again even if only for a few days!!!! I've already acquired a few kilos of maultaschen to smuggle back to the states, would love to procure a few bottles of an appropriately interesting beer, too.

I can't speak to Frankfurt specifically, but when in other places in Germany and neighboring countries lately, I've enjoyed the braufrisch "brewery fresh" versions of bottled beers.

 

[Lefou]

Cold ones.

All of them, but then again, I'm greedy.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

All of them, but then again, I'm greedy.

I prefer to call it indiscriminate.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Okay I picked up a handful of beers from the Rewe down the block. A few old favorites and some I haven't had before. I was glad to see some beers from Mönchshof but they didn't have my all-time favorite, their Kellerbier.
I didn't grab an apfelwein but I'll be going back tomorrow for a Possmann and a couple more to taste.

Here is the first one I'm trying, C&A Veltin's Grevensteiner Original Landbier. Vollmundig und suffig with a pleasing hop character, honey-gold in color with a hint of caramel sweetness and a very fresh, rustic unfiltered flavor on the finish. I'd like to try brewing something like this, I wonder where landbier (country beer) falls in the BJCP style guide?

Edit: Grevenstein is about 200km north of Frankfurt so I wouldn't call this beer local.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Just wanted to add this video which captures precisely how I feel when I create recipes, brew my beer, and then how I feel when people (pretend to) enjoy them. Embarrassing but 100% true.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I can't take the bottles back but I can soak off the labels and keep them
I'm on the second bottle now, a pale 5.5% "Historical" Märzen by Mönchshof, photo below. Warm, malty, biscuity flavor with a sweet honey-kissed note that I recognize from several of their beers. My guess is a healthy dose of crystal malts. Brewed 250km east of Frankfurt, this is even less local than the Grevensteiner...

Edit: Oh this is tasty!! If I can brew a märzen like this I think I'll call it Hysterical Märzen in tribute to Mönchshof.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Next up, Allgäuer Büble Edelweissbier; a really stellar hefeweizen with a decidedly clove-forward ferulic balance, but still plenty of isoamyl banana character make this a real standout among all the hefes I've tasted. Just sweet enough to drink in the morning, this was my go-to for a Bavarian breakfast of weißwurst, brezel and sweet mustard. I wish someone would import this to the states, though the intense flavors would definitely suffer during shipping.

 

[Jayjay1976]

And finally (for tonight at least!) A König Ludwig Weissbier Hell. This was one of my favorites when we lived in Stuttgart, but it seems to lack the characteristic sweet cream note that I remember. Still very tasty, just a bit of a letdown because I used to love this beer.

 

[tgolanos]

I'll definitely try the apfelwein and I would really appreciate any recommendations.

If you find yourself around Frankfurt Süd/Sachsenhausen, go to Zum Gemalten Haus on Schweizer Straße. That whole area is loaded with restaurants as well. Tram, U- and S-Bahn are all within walking distance, so getting to and from Sachsenhausen is easy (especially if you've had a few).

On Berger Straße in Bornheim is Apfelwein Solzer. My wife and I go there everytime we're in Frankfurt. It's a few minutes' walk from the U-Bahn, as well.

What'd you think of the Edwelweiß beer? I want to like it more than I did. Maybe I need another go at it...

 

[GiavaBear]

Ahhh this takes me back 4 months when we traveled from Munich to Berlin to Köln to Frankfurt. This seemed odd to me, but when we asked for a Märzen, we were almost laughed at! Could've been because it was during Oktoberfest, but found it odd. Especially here in the states where craft breweries go with Märzen as their Oktoberfest over the lighter festbier that's the staple in Munich. When in Frankfurt we couldn't find too many Frankfurt local beers, so we went mainly with the festbier. Have a great trip man!

Edit: After looking through pictures, we did end up drinking Frankfurt's Binding Pils or Helles, I can't remember. I believe we found it at a bar in the Frankfurt HBF

 

[monkeymath]

I don't have any recommendation for Frankfurt; it is mostly known for Äppelwoi (which can be quite terrible imo). But I'll try to give some more general recommendations for German beers (although you seem to know your way around anyways).

I don't know how easily available these beers are where you come from, but if you like Weißbier then you need to have Schneider Weiße (TAP 7 is the regular one, TAP 6 "Aventinus" is a dark Weißbierbock, TAP 5 is a Weißbier-IPA hybrid) and - a discovery I only recently made myself - Unertl Weißbier. If you can find it anywhere, Riegele's "Augsburger Herrenpils" and Schönramer's Pils are the best types of German Pils that I know (in particular the latter, but I haven't been able to source it anywhere besides online shops). Riegele also has a delightful series of "modern craft beers", in particular Simco 3 (a Pale Ale showcasing Simcoe hops), Robustus 6 (a porter) and Augustus 8 (a dark Weißbierbock).

Ahhh this takes me back 4 months when we traveled from Munich to Berlin to Köln to Frankfurt. This seemed odd to me, but when we asked for a Märzen, we were almost laughed at! Could've been because it was during Oktoberfest, but found it odd. Especially here in the states where craft breweries go with Märzen as their Oktoberfest over the lighter festbier that's the staple in Munich. When in Frankfurt we couldn't find too many Frankfurt local beers, so we went mainly with the festbier. Have a great trip man!

The landscape of beer is rather limited in Germany, unfortunately. The offer in restaurants and pubs is mostly dominated by a few larger breweries, particularly in Munich. Regarding beer styles, in Munich you can find Helles, Weißbier, Dunkles Weißbier, sometimes Dunkles (which tends to be a Helles which has been coloured), sometimes Pils. During the right season, you can get a Bock in some places. I don't recall ever drinking a Märzen anywhere in Munich.

In spring, some friends invited us to Franconia for a beer tour. I'm looking forward to that, I think they have a lot more intact smaller breweries.

 

[Jayjay1976]

What'd you think of the Edwelweiß beer? I want to like it more than I did. Maybe I need another go at it...

This is one of my all time favorite examples of my favorite beer style, because it is loaded with almost over-the-top characteristic hefeweizen flavors, and to my mind is even slightly superior to Weihenstephaner which is the standard bearer. I'm also a fan of Schneider and Huber, but Edelweissbier would be my first recommendation to someone looking to experience this style.

 

[Jayjay1976]

So as it turns out I am uninformed and a complete tool when it comes to assessing the local beer scene in Frankfurt. I stumbled upon a small craft beer shop that carried a little bit of everything, and when I asked about local beers, the clerk's eyes lit up and he gave me a brief tour of beers brewed by several small craft breweries who operate locally. I picked up four examples to try tonight, photos and my impressions will be forthcoming.

 

[Jayjay1976]

BOAH... Ichj habs ein flasche POSSMANN Klassiker Ebbelwoi... It's already half empty and even my teeth are buzzin'! About to tuck into some Maultaschen, I think they will go well together!!

 

[Shwagger]

Nice glass

 

[Brooothru]

When in Frankfurt, I used to frequent the Basler Eck restaurant, not so much for the beer or the food, but because of the quirky proprietor, Gert.

When taking orders he never wrote anything down, either drinks or entries. Nevertheless, you always got exactly what you ordered. When it came time to settle up after dinner, he appeared tableside and wrote out your bill from memory, and always accurate down to the number of beers each person had drunk.

I've been there numerous times with as many as 10 people in our group, and never a question on the bill. Nothing short of amazing.

The food and beer are 'good' if not unremarkable, but you should go for the 'theater'.

I'd recommend the schweinhaxe und eine pils. Das schmact gut!

Brooo Brother

 

[Jayjay1976]

Sadly, I'm back in the states now, but more pics and details to come. I did find some great local craft beers in Frankfurt, and on my layover in Copenhagen I tasted a bunch of wonderful beers by Mikkeller.

 

[6Tap]

Sadly, I'm back in the states now, but more pics and details to come. I did find some great local craft beers in Frankfurt, and on my layover in Copenhagen I tasted a bunch of wonderful beers by Mikkeller.

Welcome back Jayjay!
Looking forward to seeing the pics of your trip.

 

[Brooothru]

Sadly, I'm back in the states now, but more pics and details to come. I did find some great local craft beers in Frankfurt, and on my layover in Copenhagen I tasted a bunch of wonderful beers by Mikkeller.

Ah, yes. I spent the better part of the 90s to the 2000 'teens' (retired 2013) traveling to a lot of major cities in western Europe. Deutchland was always my favorite. Dusseldorf and Koln, with their competing styles topped the list. Munchen was great, but Oktoberfest in Zurich was better without all the crowds and drunk tourists.

Brussels and Amsterdam? Faggetaboudit! Had some memorable pub crawls in London, as well as an 'interesting' beer (Boykapeb; sorry, can't do Cyrillic) in Moscow that tasted amazingly like Budweiser. Also had an original 'Bud (Budvar) in the Czech Republic once.

The whole reason I got into Homebrewing was a vain attempt to replicate continental lagers. I've had some successes during this 25 year apprenticeship, but they pale in comparison to the centuries-old traditions in the Old World.

Man, I sure do miss traveling to Europe.

Brooo Brother

 

[deadwolfbones]

You can find Grevensteiner in cans in the US and it's still pretty good!

 

[Shwagger]

Ah, yes. I spent the better part of the 90s to the 2000 'teens' (retired 2013) traveling to a lot of major cities in western Europe. Deutchland was always my favorite. Dusseldorf and Koln, with their competing styles topped the list. Munchen was great, but Oktoberfest in Zurich was better without all the crowds and drunk tourists.

Brussels and Amsterdam? Faggetaboudit! Had some memorable pub crawls in London, as well as an 'interesting' beer (Boykapeb; sorry, can't do Cyrillic) in Moscow that tasted amazingly like Budweiser. Also had an original 'Bud (Budvar) in the Czech Republic once.

The whole reason I got into Homebrewing was a vain attempt to replicate continental lagers. I've had some successes during this 25 year apprenticeship, but they pale in comparison to the centuries-old traditions in the Old World.

Man, I sure do miss traveling to Europe.

Brooo Brother

I had Budvar in Kyrgyzstan along with different ruskie beers. Budvar wasnt all that special, but baltica 6 and 9 were great. I had a few of the original labels in Russian but that was 15 years ago. Also had a beer that had a crown on the label that eveyone called corona.

That's all I got

 

[Jayjay1976]

Welcome back Jayjay!
Looking forward to seeing the pics of your trip.

I really only took photos of beer and the convention center where the trade show was held. Didn't end up having time to get out of that neighborhood to visit the more interesting parts of Frankfurt. My colleague went last year and said Frankfurt's red light district was a fun time. Not sure what kind of fun he had, but he did come back all smiles...

 

[Jayjay1976]

I really need to update the thread title, Frankfurt DOES have a craft beer scene and I don't want to mislead others who may be traveling there in the future.