An afternoon in Wunderburg

A short distance east of Bamberg, along the line of the Main-Donnau Kanal, lies the suburb of Wunderburg. It is almost a self-contained community with its own church and shops, but of more interest to the beer lover, it is also home to two breweries. What’s more the breweries are on opposite sides of the same street. On the second full day of our stay in Bamberg, and on a day which was perfect for drinking,  our tour group visited both establishments

Many UK beer enthusiasts will be familiar with the name Mahr’s, and it was in the courtyard beer garden which fronts the brewery that we later ended up but, as the beer garden doesn’t open until 4pm, our first port of call was at the lesser known Keesmann Brewery.

We sat outside in what in effect is the brewery yard, where there are a number of tables and benches laid out for those who
enjoy al fresco drinking during warm weather. There was a bit of disgruntlement from a  couple of group members, as they wanted to sit inside, but they were persuaded by the majority of the group that they should join us out in the sunshine.

Sitting in the courtyard brought back memories of that first visit in 2010, when Matt and I sat there watching the brewery staff getting things ready for the local Wunderburg Kerwa; an annual celebration which has religious origins, but nowadays seems just an excuse for a get together accompanied by plenty of beer drinking. This time though the  activity in the yard seemed much more workaday, although that routine was shattered when several cases of bottled beer came crashing to the ground, due to the actions of a careless fork-lift driver.

Keesmann are best known in Bamberg for their Herren Pils brand, which probably is one of the best pilsners in the local area. I also enjoyed the brewery's Helles and their Gold. We had eaten earlier, at the nearby Fässla Keller (more about that another time), but some of our party were getting impatient, and having drank their way through the Keesmann range, were keen to move across the road to Mahr’s Bräu and start on their beers.

An advanced party were therefore sent over, with instructions to secure a table with sufficient space for all 13 of us. Matt and I wandered over later, with the stragglers, and

found the other ensconced at a long table, sheltered from the fierceness of the afternoon sun, at the far end of the courtyard. The garden was relatively empty when we arrived, but by the time we departed, it was packed.

We joined our comrades and got stuck in with the sampling of several of the excellent Mahr’s Bräu beers on offer. This obviously pleased the “Untapped” contingent, who had several more beers to tick-off electronically. As I hinted earlier, Mahr’s are quite familiar to UK beer enthusiasts, and the brewery has even gone as far as launching a collaboration with an English brewery.

The pub attached to the brewery is also well worth a visit, although it was deserted whilst we were there, as everyone was outside enjoying the sunshine.  I popped inside a couple of times, in order to visit the toilets, and managed a look around and also took some photos.

I have been inside the Mahr’s pub during the depths of winter, and it is a lovely old, comforting sort of place, with a real timeless feel about it. During that visit, in late December 2010, one of the beers “Ungespundetes”, was being dispensed direct from a wooden cask, perched up on the bar counter, but I understand this practice has unfortunately ceased.

The temperatures during May’s visit were at the opposite end of the scale and we were glad of the large, square umbrellas which provided adequate shade for the entire table. I enjoyed both the Mahr's Ungespundete Lagerbier, known as "U" and the Helles.

As the late afternoon gave way to early evening, most of the party headed back to the hotel. Matt and I still had some beer left in our glasses and not wishing to rush decided to make our own way back. The only trouble was that despite having been to Mahr’s several times, we couldn’t find the bus stop.

We decided to follow the course of the Main-Donnau Kanal back into the city centre, but rather than walking along the bank, we kept to the road which runs parallel with the canal. We eventually came across a bus stop, but discovered that it was only two stops away from the central bus station. It still provided some welcome relief from the sun which, even at 7pm was still very fierce.

Later that evening Matt and I joined three of our companions for an Indian meal. It was an old friend’s birthday, and instead of pork knuckles and Schnitzels, he fancied a curry. We’d been discussing this earlier, whilst still at Mahr’s, and the consensus was that Germans didn’t really do hot and spicy food; how wrong could they be!

It was quite a hike to the curry house; the Germans haven’t really taken to curry in the same way that us Brits have, so there are only a handful of Indian restaurants in Bamberg. With one of our party following the route indicated by Google Maps on his phone, we found our way to the restaurant via a maze of back-streets which afforded a totally different view of Bamberg.

Indisches Restaurant Swarg was certainly worth finding, and looking back at the map, it wasn't far from Bamberg's main shopping area. As it was Monday evening, it was virtually empty and we almost had the place to ourselves. We were handed English menus, although I imagine the German version would have been quite easy to decipher.

Matt and I both went for a Jalfrezi; lamb in my case, chicken in his. The waiter asked how spicy we wanted it, so we both said "mild". Our companions are seasoned curry lovers, so opted for chicken vindaloo each. They also decided to share a bottle of Burgundy between themselves, but Matt and I stuck to beer - Schlossbrauerei Reckendorf.

We should have gained a hint from the curry paste which accompanied the poppadom starter, as it was exceedingly hot. That cold glass of Helles was already coming in handy. When our main course arrived, it was anything but mild, although I have to say it was extremely good. It certainly put paid to the myth about Germans not liking really hot curries!

We spent an enjoyable couple of hours at Restaurant Swarg, reminiscing over old times and having a good laugh remembering shared experiences. We made our way back to the hotel, by a slightly different route, joining the rest of the group in reception for a couple more beers. They had dined at Cafe Abseits; Bamberg's premium beer cafe, just a short distance away on the other side of the tracks. It had been a good day, but I certainly felt that curry the following morning!

Turning the Page

Following the fallout from the Campaign for Real Ale’s recent AGM, which saw the organisation moving to support  types of beer which don’t always meet the criteria for “Real Ale”, CAMRA finds itself mired in another controversy.

This follows the recent resignation of Chief Executive, Tim Page, who has been at the organisation’s helm for the past three and a half years. Tim was appointed in 2014 to succeed Mike Benner, who without doubt was the most successful CEO in CAMRA’s history. Mike moved across to the independent brewer’s organisation  SIBA, in order to take on the role of Managing Director.

Mike Benner was always going to be a hard act to follow, so Tim Page was almost certainly on a hiding to nothing when he stepped into Mike’s shoes. Coming as he did from the Charitable Sector, Tim had little experience of campaigning, although he did have considerable skills in fundraising and signing up new members to the charities he worked with.

His appointment certainly raised a few eyebrows at the time, and ruffled a few feathers as well, but by concentrating too much on increasing CAMRA membership, there were concerns that Tim was missing the bigger picture. There was also criticism, which was not entirely unfounded, of a lack of direction within the organisation and, on a more personal level, he was accused of having too cosy a relationship with the Pub Companies.

Just over a year ago, I wrote a post entitled “It’s more than just a numbers game,” in which I criticised CAMRA’s obsession with increasing membership numbers and asked just how many of these new members would play an active role within the Campaign? Unsurprisingly there have been no answers to this and other questions, which does rather turn the spotlight onto the departing Chief Executive’s decision to step down after just three and a half years in the role.

Page is reported as seeking to return to the Charitable Sector for the last few years of his working life, so that he can help those most in need, and in a statement, CAMRA’s National Chairman, Jackie Parker said, “Tim has made a considerable impact during his time as our Chief Executive. The past three years have seen the Campaign engaged in a major strategic review of its purpose and positioning within the sector, and Tim has provided advice and support to the volunteer leadership throughout that process”.

The national press were not so charitable, if you’ll pardon the pun, and pinned the blame for Page’s departure on the failure of getting all six of the Special “Revitalisation”  Resolutions passed at April’s AGM.

Away from the press spotlight, Ms Parker was also rather more forthright. In an email to members she said, that whilst Tim had been instrumental in executing a major strategic review of CAMRA, this action had aroused strong passions and unsettled many members.

She countered this by saying that, “The decisions taken at last month’s AGM and Members’ Weekend mean that the Campaign will be in a stronger position to recruit active members, and to continue to campaign effectively.” Jackie went on to thank Tim, on behalf of the National Executive for his contribution to the Campaign during his time with CAMRA and wished him all the very best for the future.  

So where now for CAMRA? There are those in the Campaign who will be glad to see the back of Tim Page, as he certainly aroused strong passions. On the other hand there are many who are grateful for the drive and determination he showed in championing the “Revitalisation Project”, which was aimed at modernising CAMRA and bringing the organisation into the 21^st Century.

So let’s leave the final words to Mr Page, who said in a statement, “I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to be part of CAMRA, which is a truly remarkable organisation. The past 42 months have seen the Campaign maintain its effectiveness in campaigning and lobbying for real ale, cider and perry to be available in every community across the UK; and for those communities to continue to be served by pubs, which provide wide range of benefits for individuals and society as a whole”.

“I am grateful for the friendship and support that I have enjoyed from people across the sector, and look forward to keeping in touch with friends within and outside CAMRA”.

 

Klosterbräu - Bamberg

Well after that longer than intended interlude, we return to Bamberg for a look at another of the city’s pubs. Like the previous example, this one too is a real cracker.

There’s another Bamberg watering hole which is well worth mentioning as well as visiting, and this was where Matt and I headed after leaving Greifenklau.  Klosterbräu is the oldest surviving brewery in Bamberg and also one of the smallest. The brewery is located in the Mühlenviertel area, close to the River Regnitz, in a maze of quaint and narrow lanes.

The picturesque brewery, which is one of Bamberg's oldest timber-framed buildings,  has been brewing for over 450 years, and can trace its history back to 1333. This is when the premises were first recorded as a brewery. Klosterbräu was named after a nearby Franciscan monastery, and was founded as a "dark beer house" in 1533. Until 1790, the Bierhaus was owned by the Prince-Bishops, who were the city's religious rulers.

The brewery was secularised at the end of the 18th Century and passed into private hands. It has been owned by the Braun family since 1851, but just over a year ago was sold to Kaiserdom, who operate the largest brewery in Bamberg. The annual output is about 4,000 hectoliters. 

It is perhaps surprising that despite the obvious age of the building,  there was no brewery  tap until 1998. The pub, which was created in stages,  is just around the corner from the main bulk of the brewery.

 The sign Lagerhaus Klosterbräu is painted on the stonework above the ancient wooden door, but ignore this and turn the corner into Concordiastraße, where you will find the pub, plus a couple of areas for outdoor drinking.

The entrance to the pub is though a wide arch, which formerly provided access to the brewery at the rear. There is a room on either side, but the larger room to the right is where the bar counter is situated and is where Matt and I headed that afternoon.

The interior is simply furnished, with dark-wood panelling, a wooden floor and furniture to match. On an overcast day, with the ever present threat of showers, it was the perfect place to sit. Apart from an American couple who popped in looking for smoked beer, we more or less had the place to ourselves. I persuaded the Americans that they ought to stay and enjoy at least one of the Klosterbräu beers, and they heeded my advice.

We ordered a beer each, with me opting for the Kellerbier; a relative newcomer to the Klosterbräu portfolio, whilst Matthew opted for a Gold Pils. The friendly waitress asked if we wanted to eat, but I told her we'd eaten a short while ago. I purchased a bottle of Schwärzla, which is a dark lager, to take home with me, but writing this I'm wondering why I didn't go for a bottle of the seasonal Maibock instead.

Before leaving I needed to use the toilets, which were further along the passageway. On the way back I took a peek inside the brewery, which is situated behind the main bar.  As mentioned above,  I knew that Klosterbräu had recently been acquired by Kaiserdom, so I wanted to check that brewing was still taking place at the Mühlenviertel site. I am pleased to report that it is, and the brewing process appeared to be in full swing.


It's worth recording that Matt and I visited Klosterbräu on our first to Bamberg in July 2010. On that occasion it was a baking hot day so  we sat outside, at some tables (with pub umbrellas), just around the corner. Later on the same trip on a very humid evening, following a thunderstorm with torrential rain, we sat inside and enjoyed an excellent meal of Schnitzel and chips. Gold Pils and Schwärzla were again our tipples of choice, but Klosterbräu also produce an interesting Braunbier, as well as a number of seasonal specials.

Like Greifenklau, Klosterbräu comes highly recommended, and like the former, it takes a bit of finding, despite being in the heart of the city. However, if you want to escape the crowds, and it's food and a friendly welcome you are after, then it's well worth making the effort to find what is probably the most picturesque of Bamberg's many pubs.

Dry run

Here's something a little bit different as it’s a post without any beer. There might have been beer, and it was my every intention that there would have been beer, but the best laid plans and all that!

To elaborate, it was the Late Spring Bank Holiday Monday, and I decided to take my bike for a ride. The household chores were up to date, it was too hot for gardening and whilst we were planning a barbecue for later on, it seemed a good idea to get out into the countryside and enjoy a slice of the great outdoors.

There’s a new cycle-way opened locally; actually there are two cycle-ways, as I discovered earlier. To set the scene it’s worth looking back to the long-awaited opening of the new section of the A21; the London to Hastings trunk road. For years motorists travelling between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells had to put up with a two and a half mile section of single carriageway. Seeing as the aforementioned settlements are the largest towns in the area, this was not a good state of affairs, and the congestion along that stretch of the A21 was never good, and often appalling.

Starting with the Blair government in 1997, successive administrations  played political football over widening the so-called “missing link”. A scheme would be agreed, the necessary planning consent approved, funds were made available, and then there would be a change of government. The project would be cancelled, as part of a spending review and it would be back to square one.

So when work started back in 2015, there was some optimism locally that at last it would be possible to drive between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, along a decent, dual-carriageway road, free from any hold-ups. After a few delays, the new section of road finally opened late last year, and straight away it brought a massive reduction in congestion and a significant reduction in journey times between the two towns.

Driving along the old road, and watching the new one slowly taking shape, did show the construction of what looked like some sort of “service road” running alongside the new dual-carriageway, and it was later revealed that this was to be a new off-road, cycle path, between the two towns. Actually, the path runs from the edge of Tonbridge to the top of the North Farm Industrial Estate - Tunbridge Wells Retail Park.

Once the landscaping work along the road had been completed, news broke that the cycle-way was now open, with the official opening taking place a couple of weekends ago. The MP’s from both towns, were photographed at the opening ceremony, riding their bikes at least part of the way along the path' although I wonder how far they actually went, once the photographers had disappeared!

If they could do it, then so could I, so on Bank Holiday Monday, I set off on my rather basic hybrid bike which I bought 20 years ago from Halfords, to see how far I could get along this new, and very welcome local amenity.  The sun was shining, and with hardly a cloud in the sky, temperatures were already in the mid-twenties by midday. Fortunately, there was a bit of a breeze blowing, but in sheltered spots the sun felt really fierce.

The cycle-way begins a short distance away from the Vauxhall roundabout, and almost straight away it starts to climb. As mentioned above, the path follows the A21, and as this road passes Tonbridge, it climbs steeply up Castle Hill; the site of a former Iron Age Hill-Fort. Monday was the first time this year that I’ve ridden my bike, so I was a little out of practice. I therefore don’t mind admitting that there were at least three occasions when I dismounted and pushed.

Despite the noise of the traffic, just a few feet away but behind either an embankment or a fence, it was great being able to cycle without fear of being tailgated or even getting mown down by irate motorists in a tearing hurry. As the route took me nearer the summit of Castle Hill, I turned round to enjoy the view back towards the outskirts of Tonbridge.

Eventually I reached the top, where the path flattened out and then began to slope away slightly. At this stage I was on the old part of the A21, which is now used solely as access to the farms and cottages which look out onto the road. With the new dual-carriageway hidden behind an embankment, the occupants of these dwellings  must surely be enjoying a much deserved boost in the quality of their lives.

I carried on until I reached a newly created underpass, which allows access from both sides of the carriageway, to a side road which leads down towards Capel. Rather than carry on to the end of the path at North Farm, I decided to dive under the carriageway and see where the route led.  This was because the first option meant a downhill ride thereby losing  much of the height I’d gained.

Taking the second option led me to an alternative, off-road route first to Pembury Hospital, and then to the large village of Pembury itself. In the future this would be a good route to follow, especially as there are three reasonable pubs in Pembury. Yesterday though, I decided I’d come far enough and it was time to retrace my route and head back down towards Tonbridge. I had a few items of shopping to pick up in the town and after my exertions, I also really fancied a beer.

I turned the bike around and sped off, confident in the knowledge that the vast majority of the route home would be downhill. You get a real smug feeling when free-wheeling downhill, especially when you meet people puffing and blowing, as they struggle uphill in the opposite direction. To give some idea of how good the return journey was, it took me just over 5 minutes to get back to the Vauxhall roundabout, compared to over 35 minutes on the uphill, outward stretch!

I headed towards the centre of Tonbridge, via the “mini-bypass”, using the completely pedestrian-free pavements as an impromptu, off-road cycle-way. There are plans to extend the new cycle-path into the town centre, but for the time being I’m completely at ease in breaking a rarely-enforced, 19^th Century law, than risk disappearing beneath a juggernaut.

Once I reached Cannon Lane Bridge, I used the tow-path which runs alongside the River Medway to take me into the heart of Tonbridge. The developers have been at work here, with rows of expensive-looking houses lining the opposite bank. Fortunately the massive gas-holders, and the old gas works site on my side of the river, preclude, for the time being at least, further houses being built.

After a brief pause to admire the scene at Town Lock, I made my way to Tonbridge Castle, fully expecting the town’s Food & Drink Festival to still be in full swing. Fuggles had a stall there, so I was really looking forward to enjoying a nice refreshing pint in the courtyard beneath the ancient castle walls.

Imagine my disappointment then at discovering the festival had finished the previous day. All the tents, stalls and other associated items had been cleared away, leaving nothing in the way of refreshment or sustenance for a tired cyclist to enjoy. There was nothing for it, but to pedal across the busy Sports-ground to the Nelson Arms, which I was sure would be open.

It was a double whammy then to find the pub well and truly closed, but at least there was a note on the door informing thirsty customers that the place would be opening at 4pm. I was 90 minutes too early, so gave up. I could have cycled back to Wetherspoon’s, but Bank Holiday Monday in a garden full of screaming kids and loutish blokes stripped to the waist, had about as much appeal as a wet weekend in Bournemouth.

Instead I called in at Waitrose, for few bits of shopping, picking up my “free” cup of coffee on the way out. So as you can see, there should have been beer, and a nice, long, cool and refreshing pint (or two) of beer would have been the perfect way to end my cycle ride; but there’s always next time.

For the statistically-minded amongst you, my bike ride was 9.16 miles in length and my average speed was just under five miles per hour. However, it did peak at 23 mph on the long downhill stretch. I also gained 350 feet in height, and burnt off  1,000 calories.

These stats come from an App on my phone, called Map My Walk. I use it regularly to monitor my lunchtime walks. It’s a bit of fun really, as I don’t take it too seriously, but it’s a useful guide, all the same.

Brauerei-Greifenklau - Bamberg's hidden gem

We left it until our final day in Bamberg to visit what I regard as one of the city’s best pubs, and one of my favourite drinking establishments as well. Situated slightly out of the city centre, on the old road to Würzburg and right on the summit of the Kaulberg, Greifenklau is a lovely old pub and it is well worth taking the bus (or walking, if you’re fit enough), in order to spend a few hours there.

Greifenklau was the nearest pub to the rented apartment which Matthew and I stayed at back in 2010, when made our initial visit to Bamberg. We called in on our first night and sat out in the attractive and shady beer garden behind the pub, and put away a few mugs of the tasty Lagerbier brewed on the premises.

The pub, and brewery, is named after its founder, Freidrich von Greifenklau, and the present building dates back to 1719. The name Greifenklau, comes from the founder’s coat of arms, which depicts a griffin’s claw. Much to son Matthew’s annoyance, I sometimes refer to the pub as Gryffindor, after the Harry Potter novels.

Greifenklau has been owned by the Brockard family since 1914, and is now run by the fourth generation of the family. Until the opening of the Ambräusianum brew-pub in 2004, Greifenklau was for many years, the smallest brewery in Bamberg. The brewery itself was re-built in the 1950’s, and whilst Rauchbier was produced up until the 1930’s, this is no longer the case – or at least it wasn't until just a few years ago.

Greifenklau produce a very tasty pale Lagerbier, and also brew a Weizenbier and a Bock. The latter appears for a short season from November to December. As mentioned above, they have just re-introduced a smoke beer, known as Grief-R, and we were able to enjoy a couple of glasses on our recent visit.

As mentioned above, we left that visit until our final day in Bamberg, stopping off there on a bus journey back into town. We’d travelled out to the village or Bug, about three kilometres from the city centre, in order to visit the Buger Hof Gasthaus. Like many Brits, we found the name of this establishment highly amusing, but it’s the setting of this pub, overlooking the River Regnitz, which is the main attraction; that and the beer from Schlossbrauerei Reckendorf.

The threat of rain had been in the air all morning, and when we reached Greifenklau’s beer garden, the waitress advised us to sit at the tables closest to the pub, as these were protected with some large umbrellas. Her advice was well heeded, as shortly before finishing our meal (Bratwurst mit Pommes), the rain began and we had to move, taking our mugs, plates and thoughtfully provided cushions with us.

The garden can accommodate up to 500 people, and is very popular on warm summer evenings. I find it particularly pleasant as there are a number of mature trees, which provide just the right amount of shade, and the garden overlooks a wooded valley behind the pub. From your table, you can see right across the valley to the picturesque, old Altenburg castle, on the other side, right on the crest of the hill.

Apart from walking through the hallway, in order to access the garden, I have only once actually drunk inside the pub. That occasion was during my visit to Bamberg in late December 2010, when the snow was several inches deep and temperatures were well below freezing; definitely not beer garden weather!

After finishing our meal and our drinks, we reluctantly left. There was one other Bamberg brew-pub that I wanted to re-visit, and I also desired to pick up some bottles of Rauchbier, from Schlenkerla, to take home with me. Before we paid the bill, I bought a couple of Greifenklau from our friendly waitress. One was the brewery’s standard Lagerbier, whilst the other was a bottle of their recently introduced Helles. I haven’t opened them yet, but I’m sure I will do soon.

To sum up, if you ever find yourself in Bamberg and have visited all the "must-do" beery attractions the city has to offer (Schlenkerla, Mahrs, Spezial, Klosterbräu etc), do make time for a visit to Greifenklau. If you do, then I’m sure that just like me, you will be smitten with the place.

Bamberg - a brief over-view plus some new pubs

May’s trip to Bamberg was my sixth visit to the city and my third actual stop-over. My first visit was a brief morning halt as part of a whistle-stop coach tour, which involved a visit to several German Christmas Markets, in 2007. Whilst most of the coach party headed for the market, I made a beeline to the world-famous Schlenkerla tavern, where I sat in the lobby enjoying a few glasses of the equally famous Rauchbier.

Three years later, Matt and I ended up renting a holiday apartment during one of the hottest July's imaginable. During that holiday we must have visited virtually all of Bamberg’s brew-pubs, as well as two of the three Bierkellers up on the Stephansberg.  The only brewery who’s tap we failed to visit was Kaiserdom who, despite being Bamberg’s largest brewery, seem to have limited distribution for their products within the city.

I returned for a brief solo visit later that same year, when the contrast with the summer could not have been more vivid. Those few days in late December saw temperatures well below freezing, and an unbelievable amount of snow on the ground. Even the locals were saying they had rarely seen so much of the white stuff. The extreme cold meant ideal conditions for enjoying a few glasses of the strong, seasonal Bock-Biers (Weinachtsfest Bier) which most of Bamberg’s breweries produce, including a stand-out one from Schlenkerla which is brewed using malt smoked over oak chippings, rather than the more usual beech wood.

In 2013, Matt and I spent a day in Bamberg as part of our holiday in Forchheim, and I also treated myself to an afternoon in the city, when I came to Nuremberg in 2015, for the Frankisches Bierfest. Schlenkerla and Spezial were visited on both occasions, and in 2015 I renewed my acquaintance with Café Abseits.

Our May visit took place as part of a group of beer enthusiasts, most of whom are CAMRA members, primarily from Maidstone branch. I have know most of these individuals for many years, and not only are they good company, but we all get on well with one another. The various members of the group made their way to Bamberg by a number of different routes, with most choosing the Eurostar – Deutsche Bahn ICE fast train option.

As Matt and I had decided to stay to stay on in Bamberg after the main group had left, we chose to fly, and I mentioned in a previous post that it is relatively easy to take the train from Munich to Bamberg. However, we did note that with the increasing roll-out of fast ICE Inter-City trains, there has been a cut back in Regional Express services between the two cities. The inclusive and good value Bayern Tickets are not valid on the former, so given this restriction, we found ourselves having to wait for a RE train between Munich and Nuremberg.

These issues aside, we were still in Bamberg by mid-afternoon, and whilst checking into the stylish and ultra-modern IBIS Hotel, just five minutes’ walk from the station, we bumped into a member of the group which had travelled by train. They had arrived about 30 minutes before us and were about to head out into the town. They agreed to wait whilst we dumped our luggage in the room and freshened ourselves up a bit.

Our tour leader was due to arrive in the early evening, and we’d arranged to meet up at the Fässla brew-pub, but with several hours to kill beforehand we decided to visit a few other of Bamberg’s drinking establishments first. We took a bus into town because, as I mentioned before, one of the group members has difficulty in walking. Alighting at the central bus station (Z.O.B. in German), we headed for a nearby pub called Zum Sternla. I’d noticed this place a few times on previous visits to Bamberg, but had never set foot inside. I later discovered that Sternla is the oldest pub in the city.

We entered and found several of the wood-panelled rooms which are so typical of pubs in the region, but before we could sit down we were informed that the bar was closed and we would have to sit out in the courtyard. There were a few mutterings, but this suited me fine as I am a huge fan of outdoor drinking.

The courtyard was long and fairly narrow, but there was a long table capable of accommodating us all. We took our places and ordered some beer. Zum Sternla is not tied to a particular brewery so there were a couple of draught beers to choose from. I went for the Mahrs “U” to begin with, before switching to the lightly smoked Lagerbier from Spezial.  Both were full of flavour and generally rather good.

A quick word here about payment. The general rule, for those who wish to join in, is that a “kitty” system is operated. Participants chip in with an initial payment of €20, and then top up the kitty  in increments of €10, as required. The kitty is purely for beer, although on this trip it was used to cover public transport as well. Individuals pay for the cost of the food they consume. The arrangement works well, providing participants drink at roughly the same pace.

After paying our tab, we departed Zum Sternla and walked back through the bus station to a place called Tambosi. Jon Conen’s Bamberg Guide, describes this place as more of a "lunchtime" pub which caters for the older generation. It was pleasant enough despite the décor being a little dated, and this theme extended through to the gents, where the orange porcelain urinals, and the brown wall tiles, looked very 1970’s. For some reason we all opted for a bottled Kellebier – I suspect this was because several members of the party are avid users of Untapped! The Weiherer Kellerbier is brewed by Brauerei Gasthof Kundmüller in Viereth-Trunstad, a village to the north of Bamberg. The beer comes in swing-top bottles, and was rather nice.

It was then time to move on to Fässla, where we’d arranged to meet our tour leader. The place was packed, and we were lucky to get a table; even so it was rather cosy all squeezing up together. We decided that despite the squeeze, it would be a good idea to grab something to eat. As this was to be my first Bavarian meal of the trip, I naturally opted for roast pork. It came with one of those spongy potato dumplings (Kloß), and sauerkraut. To drink I had a couple of glasses of  Fässla Gold Pils.

One reason why Fässla was so crowded that evening is that Spezial, on the opposite side of the street, is closed on Saturday evening, but whatever the reason, we decided to seek somewhere a little quieter for the final drinks of the evening. The Bamberger Weissbierhaus, a short walk away, provided the ideal in which to unwind. It is a fine old traditional, Bamberg pub with a beamed ceiling and plenty of dark wooden panelling.

There was a choice of several different draught beers, but most of us opted for the Aktien Landbier Dunkel from Bayreuth. It was a full-bodied and satisfying beer on which to finish on, and the Weissbierhaus was a good place to end our session on too.

It had been a good start to the holiday and a good introduction to some of Bamberg's lesser known pubs. For me, Sternla, Tambosi and Bamberger Weissbierhaus were all new places, and with the exception of Tambosi, worthy of a return visit. The next day saw us heading off to Forchheim, but I've already written about that.

A new destination pub for Tonbridge

Several months ago I mentioned that Tonbridge would be getting another “destination pub” , and yesterday afternoon, following one of the worst kept local secrets, the Nelson Arms, a former back-street local, tucked away in a 19^th Century residential area, finally reopened its doors.

The former Shepherd Neame house, closed in February 2017 following a decision by the brewery that it no longer fitted their “business strategy”. It was put on the market with the prospect of being used for residential purposes, but fortunately the local Barden Residents Association stepped in and managed to have it classified as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

This meant the pub could not be sold for a period of seven and a half months. The brewery appealed against the decision, but this was rejected by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. Shep’s then decided to sell the premises as a pub after all.

It was at this point that Matthew Rudd and his partner Emma Cole stepped in with an offer for the pub. The couple had been running the award-winning Windmill in Sevenoaks Weald, but were looking for a new challenge. They had seen the Nelson advertised previously, before they took on the Windmill, but it was only available as a tenancy, and that was not what they were looking for.  

Matt and Emma are aiming to repeat the success they have had with the Windmill, as this too was a closed pub when they first acquired it. They now plan to repeat their formula, the first part of which has been to sympathetically restore the Nelson to its former glory. This has involved completely ripping out the interior, and then installing  new walls, ceilings and various other fixtures. The end result a fine-looking traditional  town pub with three different bar areas.

Unlike the Windmill, which is something of a "foodie" destination, the Nelson will focus on serving high-quality beer, and will only be providing bar snacks. The pub will be stocking up to 10 cask ales, along with a range of craft "key-keg" and bottled beers. Whether this number is too many remains to be seen, but the pub was certainly shifting some beer when a neighbour and I called in yesterday evening.

We met up with friends from West Kent CAMRA; some of whom had been there since the pub opened at 4pm. The latter will be the weekday opening time, with longer hours at the weekends. I have to say that having known the Nelson from its time under both Courage and Shepherd Neame, that I was extremely impressed by the tasteful renovation and restoration work that Matt and Emma have carried out.

Beer-wise I enjoyed Low Rider Citra Amarillo - a 3.9% pale session ale from Bristol Beer Factory;  Magic Rock Inhaler – a 4.5% Pale Ale, before finishing with a pint of Thornbridge Jaipur (a mistake with work the next morning!). There was a good mix of customers in the pub last night, many of whom were local residents, delighted to have their pub back.

When asked by one of the local papers, whether he thought it a risk to run a pub without a dining option, Matt replied that he was really interested in having a go at running a  “wet-led” community pub. He went on to emphasise his belief in the demand for such a pub;  especially in Tonbridge, where there’s a lot going on at the moment. He finished by saying, that the feedback had been really positive and how much himself and Emma were looking forward to running a pub that is an important part of the community.

The pub - prior to restoration

The final words in this story need to go to Barden Residents Association, and its Chairman, Mark Hood, who said, “When we heard that Shepherd Neame was selling our pub we feared the worst. North Tonbridge had lost all but one of its pubs and the Nelson Arms and Barden Stores are the hubs of our community here. We scrambled to register the pub as an Asset of Community Value and that enabled Matthew and Emma to purchase the pub at a reduced price.”

He added: “Now we are delighted that they are bringing their CAMRA award-winning experience to our neck of the woods". Fellow resident Lucy Athey, echoed Mark’s words, by saying, “Matt and Emma buying the pub is our dream scenario: they are very experienced and have some fantastic ideas. They are keen to be part of the community and have already attended our Residents’ Association meetings. It’s been a long refurbishment so we can’t wait to get the first round in!”

I’ll drink to that, and wish Matt, Emma and the Nelson every success. The pub is slightly under a half hour’s walk from my house, so I suspect I will be paying it quite a few visits!