Ulm's Fishermen s Quarter
So much good beer yesterday – can we really get up and do it again?
Mauricio shows the 1999 Flood Level
Petra met us from breakfast at Hotel Goldenes Rad and took us on a walking tour around the Fischerviertel in Ulm. We stopped into a place that specialties in German pancakes and learned it is where the mayor of New Ulm, MN likes to hang out when he is there. We walked along the Danube a bit and by the Metzger Turm before heading to Wolfgang and Rosie’s.
Wolfgang and Rosie, who we really got to know last year, invited us all to enjoy Leberkäs in their apartment along the Blau, right next to Kunsthaus Frey. The living room was set up with two tables and 2 cases of beer stood out on the balcony. It was a real treat to enjoy the morning with the two of them in their home.
Kronen's Natual Ice System
Taking the tram out to the Söfling district of Ulm, we stepped into the Kronen
Kronen's Ice Cellar
Brewery. We’ve enjoyed the beer from this small brewery several times with our friends and were anxious to see it firsthand. We orde3d a round of drinks and then arranged for an impromptu tour with the owner. Kronen’s unusual feature is that they produce natural ice in the winter and shovel it into their cellar to keep their beer cool all summer. The Wirt explained that they spray a mist over a metal apparatus, thus forming icicles. The icicles are then crushed by hand and shoved through a trapdoor into the beer cellar.
Ehingen's new Marketing Symbol
After our visit to Kronen, we met up with Jeff Gray, an American now living in Ulm with his German wife. He and a partner rented to Mercedes Sprinter Vans for our excursion to Ehingen. Only a 20 miles or so south of Ulm, Ehingen is a surprisingly large and active village. Thanks to their tourism and marketing person, Rolf Koch, the Ehingen boasts a new marketing image – 43 beers, 5 Breweries, 1 City. After touring some of the breweries, meeting two of the brew-masters and Rolf, we heartily approve of the new concept!
Our first stop was the Berg Brewery. Still in the hands of the Zimmerman family, we enjoyed their small brewing museum while we waited for our tour guide. She arrived along and she was a shocked as we that so many other people came along. There were reporters from SWR4 Radio and from the Sudwest Presse in Ulm.
Our tour began with an official greeting from the current owner, Ulrich Zimmerman. This brewery
Joy struggles to get a Zwicklbier!
has been in his family since 1757! Amazingly, this region was once under the control of Austria and the family coat of arms still depicts Austrian symbology. We learned that his brewry really strives to deliver a quality product with beer that is slightly different than the others. Like Schneider, they use open fermentation vats and we got to taste their organic Kellerbier direct from the Zwickl. The other interesting feature was their offering of a “green” Weissbier. The idea is to get a bottle with a swivel top, fill it with freshly brewed Weissbier, and then take it home to finish the bottle conditioning process. This requires 7 days at room temperature, followed by 7 days of refrigeration before the been is ready. We debated about trying this, but decided that with our travel we just couldn’t handle the beer properly.
Berg Brauerei
At the end of the tour, we got to taste several of Berg’s beers at their Gaststube next door. Herr Zimmerman joined us as did the press. A young man from SWR4 interview Mark, Chuck D, Herr Zimmerman and me for a radio story. We ended the interview with all of us singing, “Ein Prosit” The radio interview can be heard here: SWR4 Radio Story. The next day we were also in the press: tageblatt
Our next stop was the Schwanen Brewery in downtown Ehingen. This small brewpub does a fine beer and many other interesting items: Schnapps, Beer soap, beer jelly, and beer mustard to name a few. The owner speaks excellent English and happened to be conducting one of his beer seminars in the next room. We were able to get him to break a way for a few moments and he show us his Sudhaus and explained a bit about his business. This will be a definate stop for BayernTrips sometime in the future!
Sadly we had to leave Ehingen before we could sample the other 3 breweries. We had an appointment
Herr Kolb from Messhofen
over in Messhofen. Last year, Wolfgang took us to Messhofen, billing it as his favorite beer. We were not disappointed and simply had to go back. Messhofen is located in a small farming village in the middle of nowhere. Herr Kolb offers just two beer styles, but they are produced to the old standards.
We arrived at the small brew pub around 7:30 PM and Herr Kolb met us on the frot doorstep. He was holding three ceramic Masskruege (beersteins) filled with his beer. We had to pass them around and drink all the beer before we were allowed to enter! Great Bavarian hospitality!
Even on a weekday evening, the place was really jumping – the locals were laughing and having fun in the next room and another nearby table was playing a game of Schafskopf – sheepshead. We settled in for a few great beers and then ordered our dinner. The menu consisted of simple “Abendsbrot” choices. I ordered the Swiss Wurstsalad and was surprised at the quantity. It was excellent and really hit the spot.
Jeff and his buddy took us back to Ulm and dropped us off at the Zunfthaus. It was pretty late already, but Hans met us quickly at the door and we enjoyed a nightcap together before calling it a night.
It was a 6 liter day! Shared with great friends – both old and new.
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