Best Beer in Berlin for Birthday Boy

[robyn]

We're leaving for Germany this weekend. Will be in Berlin on Monday for my husband's birthday. He is a real beer lover (except for wheat beer) - and I think nothing would make him happier than lunch/dinner (depending on our jet lag) at a place with great beer - and decent food (doesn't have to be fancy). Does anyone have any suggestions?

I realize that Berlin in a big city - but it's smaller than Tokyo (where we were last year). So I reckon we can get around. In terms of neighborhoods - we'll be staying at the Ritz Carlton - but I think that since Monday is a national holiday - and a lot of places will be closed - we'll go to the zoo - and see the famous polar bear cub . I'm not exactly sure where the zoo is - but we will be in that neighborhood on Monday (as well as at the Ritz Carlton - sleeping off our jet lag). Robyn

[cdh]

Even the New York Times thinks that Berlin is not a good beer town. Check out this very current story on unusual beers in Germany.

Dynamic, bustling Berlin may be many things — an Old World capital of cool, the home of a vibrant literary and artistic community, Eurotrash style central — but it is not generally thought of as a city with great beer.

You're really out of luck, as Berlin's specialty is a very sour and sort-of funky mostly-wheat beer.

Edited May 24, 2007 by cdh (log)

[Stephen W]

Difficult to argue with as definitive an authority on Berlin as the New York Times...

However:

Mommsen Eck has a large range to choose from - don't remember much about the food (but it was a couple of years and many meals since I visited). They also have a branch near Potsdamer Platz.

The Schiffbauerdamm street (near Friedrichstrasse station) has several places to sit by the river. Personally I'm a fan of StaeV because I like Koelsch and their flammkuchen but there is the Berliner Republik nearby (and several others).

Can't personally recommend either Brauhaus Lemke or Brauhaus Mitte as I haven't been to either yet but they would also seem worth a try.

[robyn]

Thanks Stephen. These places all look in the ballpark. Think the ultimate decision will be based on where we are when we get hungry (always a question mark when dealing with jet lag). FWIW - I took my husband to the Anchor & Hope (in London) for lunch on his birthday a few years ago - and he loved it. Robyn

[robyn]

Even the New York Times thinks that Berlin is not a good beer town.  Check out this very current story on unusual beers in Germany.

Dynamic, bustling Berlin may be many things — an Old World capital of cool, the home of a vibrant literary and artistic community, Eurotrash style central — but it is not generally thought of as a city with great beer.

You're really out of luck, as Berlin's specialty is a very sour and sort-of funky mostly-wheat beer.

←

Thanks for the link to the article. There's some useful stuff in it (like the protocol relating to Koelsch). My husband will probably try the Berlin wheat beer (on the theory that perhaps it isn't like the wheat beers we get in the US).

I'm not sure the New York Times is in a position to set itself up as an arbiter of beer. I think there are more micro-breweries in the greater Jacksonville FL area (where I live) than in NYC . Robyn

[glauer]

not in Berlin...but I know you will be in Koeln as well

go to Pfaeffgen Brauhaus

http://www.paeffgen-koelsch.de/

in Friesenstrasse

This is the real thing! they will serve you one after the other of their small Koelsch beers, until you stop them. Inside it is smoky, loud and everything else a real brewhouse should be. And the beer is great. Dont expect great food. Stick to a "Halver Hahn" (Gouda on a rye roll) or a sausage with the beer. This will be a very unique German experience.

[legourmet]

We're leaving for Germany this weekend.  Will be in Berlin on Monday for my husband's birthday.  He is a real beer lover (except for wheat beer) - and I think nothing would make him happier than lunch/dinner (depending on our jet lag) at a place with great beer - and decent food (doesn't have to be fancy).  Does anyone have any suggestions?

I realize that Berlin in a big city - but it's smaller than Tokyo (where we were last year).  So I reckon we can get around.  In terms of neighborhoods - we'll be staying at the Ritz Carlton - but I think that since Monday is a national holiday - and a lot of places will be closed - we'll go to the zoo - and see the famous polar bear cub  .  I'm not exactly sure where the zoo is - but we will be in that neighborhood on Monday (as well as at the Ritz Carlton - sleeping off our jet lag).  Robyn

←

Some breweries

"Brauhaus in Spandau" Neuendorferstraße 1

is a brewery with beergarden and restaurant. I have been there once and it wasn't bad

"Brauhaus Johann Albrecht" Karolinenstraße 12 (im alten Fritz)

Here you might meet Berlin Originals. I liked it.

"Georg Bräu" Spreeufer 4 Nikolaiviertel

Speciality: 1 meter pils

"Luisenbräu" Luisenplatz 1

Speciality: unfiltered beer >die gute Luise<

Regards Heinz

[robyn]

A quick beer report. Keep in mind that I don't drink beer - and am just reporting on what my husband's reactions were. He liked the wheat beer in Berlin a lot more than he likes wheat beers in the US. Wasn't his favorite - but he developed a real taste for it. Munich was a problem. Perhaps the local beers in the beer gardens and other places are great - but they tend to be served in 1 liter mugs. An enormous amount of beer - and not an amount he usually likes to consume.

His absolute favorite was the Kolsch in Cologne - which he described as a refreshing but nicely hoppy beer (his first love is hoppy beers - and it didn't hurt that when we were in Cologne - it was hot). Those .2 liter glasses are great. He could have 1 - or 4 . Once he had a taste - it was all he would drink in Cologne. One of the more traditional places we went to have it was Malzmuehle - a brewery/restaurant. Another traditional place was a small brew house in the town of Bergisch Gladbach.

We've learned that this beer is sold here in the US in bottles. We've also been told it doesn't travel well. We'll buy some this weekend and see for ourselves. Robyn