JUL. 26 - AUG. 3, 2023
THE MOTHERLAND OF BEER
TOUR OVERVIEW
When most people think of German beer culture, they picture southern Bavaria, and Munich. But for us, beer nirvana is found several hours to the north: Franconia, and Bamberg. If we make one beer pilgrimage per year, this is where we go. Franconia boasts more artisanal breweries per mile or capita than any place in the world. Farmhouse, tavern, and monastery brewhouses dot the landscape, as they have for centuries. Medieval alleys and trails lead to ancient beer halls, kellers, and summer festivals. And true craft brewers — some carrying on centuries-old family traditions — secretly conjure up authentic old-world lager, via time-honored methods.
There’s Germany, and then Franconia. Other Germans come here for old-world beer culture; international craft brewers come for brewing inspiration. We’ll show you why as we bus, hike, train and swim our way through the world’s Motherland of Beer.
DAY 1
WEDNESDAY JULY 26, 2023
Malt, Mahr’s & More Bier
Pre-tour arrivers can kick off their week with various brewery and pub visits in Bamberg, and we hope to also schedule a tour this afternoon at Malzfabrik Weyermann (TBD in early 2023). But the tour officially begins in the evening with an outdoor full-group dinner at either Mahrsbräu, its neighbor Keesmann, or Klosterbräu, in Bamberg’s old town. Wherever we decide to launch the tour, we’ll enjoy a traditional Franconian meal, world-class lagers, and a great summer night in one of Germany’s most beautiful small cities. Post-dinner there will be unlimited options for more beer and perhaps a bit of schnapps!
DAY 2
THURSDAY JULY 27, 2023
WOODLANDS, FARMHOUSES &
SLOW FOOD
Today the group is off on its first road trip, rolling through the placid Franconian countryside west of Bamberg before arriving at our favorite German farmhouse brewery, Zehendner. Here we’ll drink the amazing Mönchsambacher Lagerbier, tapped and poured (often by the house matriarch) straight from the cask. We’ll tour the small brewery, have at least one more beer and shoot some hoops in the biergarten before heading into the forest to commune with flora and fauna at the winding, wooden observation tower Baumwipfelpfad Steigerwald.
Having worked up our second thirst of the day, we’ll then head to roadside-village brewery Bayer. Here we’ll quaff the sublime, unfiltered Landbier and savor the family restaurant’s Slow Food-approved seasonal Franconian cuisine. We return in the evening for another optional late night out in Bamberg.
DAY 3
FRIDAY JULY 28, 2023
Exploring Fränkische Schweiz
This is our big hike day. Heading south from Bamberg, we enter the scenic, wooded Fränkische Schweiz (“Franconian Switzerland”) region, stopping first at GenussHof Pingold, a beautiful family hop farm and one of the world’s largest organic hop growers.
From there it’s a quick ride to the magnificent Klosterbrauerei Weissenohe, the world’s second oldest brewery, where we’ll tap a special rare keg selected for our group before sitting down to a fairly epic beer lunch. And this is just the starting point for the Fünf-Seidla-Steig (“Five ½ Liters Trail”), a six-mile, day-long ramble that leads to three local breweries before finishing with a bang at Elch-Bräu, whose biergarten has the feel of a botanical paradise. Speaking of botanicals, those with an interest in German kräuterlikor may get a private tour of the brewer’s onsite distillery
DAY 4
SATURDAY JULY 29, 2023
Only In Franconia
This is a day of exclusives. After a late morning of rest or Bamberg sightseeing, we’ll board the bus and head once again to the countryside, with special American-expat guest Jim “Bocky” Barnes aboard. We’ll visit the small village of Schlüsselfeld, where we’ll taste beers at Bocky’s two adopted breweries, Hertl (the tiniest in Franconia) and Scheubel, the very epitome of a classic Franconian small-town brewery/gasthaus/garten.
Then we’re off to a very special, hidden gem: the Brullikeller, a centuries-old private woodland hideaway where a secret society of beer enthusiasts taps its own cave-fermented lager just for us. Guests will have the option of draining the keg or going for a swim in the nearby lake. Or both, as beer steins are allowed in the water! In the evening we return to Bamberg and an array of free-night options: dinner and beer at a scenic hilltop keller, craft cocktails, late night café drinking on the river.
DAY 5
SUNDAY JULY 30, 2023
Festival Sunday
This morning offers a choice of free time in Bamberg or a short train ride to the half-timbered village of Zeil, whose annual summer Zeiler Weinfest will be in full swing. Beer purists could also make the trip, as local brewery Göller has a large, beautiful cloistered biegarten nearby.
Whatever choices are made, in the late afternoon we’ll all take a short train ride from Bamberg to Forchheim, scene of the sprawling, mountainside-forest spectacle that is Annafest. This massive summer celebration features the world’s longest beer caves, multiple bandstands, carnival amusements, and a cast of thousands whooping it up in one of several local brewery-run kellers. As good-natured chaos generally ensues here, we’ll plan set meeting places and times for the short return commute back to Bamberg.
DAY 6
MONDAY JULY 31, 2023
The Secret Capital Of Beer
In the morning we depart our Bamberg hotel for the last time, making the trip to Kulmbach, where we’ll set up for a couple days. Though the small town will be right in the middle of its busiest week of the year, we’re invited to an exclusive tour of Kulmbacher Brauerei with a master brewer. This is our only inside look at a large-scale Franconian brewery, and the company’s massive presence and history here make for an interesting visit.
After checking in to our hotels and grabbing lunch we’ll have several options for the rest of the day: a lively shopping trip for dirndls and lederhosen, a refreshing dip in the town pool, or a sightseeing excursion to the historical (and brewing) city of Bayreuth. The evening is free for bar crawling, or people-watching at the Bierwoche festival in Kulmbach’s old town.
DAY 7
TUESDAY AUGUST 1, 2023
Big Castle, Big Tent
Looming over the town of Kulmbach and dominating the local landscape from its mountain perch is the massive Plassenburg Castle, Franconia’s largest and best-preserved fortress. Having worked up a healthy thirst (which will come in handy) hiking up, we’ll get a private tour and marvel at its impressive military artifacts collection.
Then we’re back into town for some last-minute souvenir shopping, or to rest up for our tour’s main event: Kulmbacher Bierwoche. We’ll arrive at the fest site at 4:00, optionally decked out in our traditional Bavarian garb, to take over several coveted VIP tables. We’ll then proceed to stomp, sing, eat, drink and whoop the night away, to the thumping sound of an energetic German party band and the unison singing of thousands of happy Franconians.
DAY 8
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2, 2023
Escape From Franconia
After going at it this hard in the provincial motherland of beer for seven days, it’s time to make a clean break, get back to the cosmopolitan city of Frankfurt and begin to return to some semblance of a normal life. Or maybe to take in one last night of Teutonic debauchery? Your call.
Having arrived in the early afternoon at our hotel, guests will have the option of laying low in preparation for early morning flights or hopping over to Frankfurt’s old party-neighborhood of Sachsenhausen to partake in the city’s gift to the beverage gods, apfelwein. While totally optional, this excursion will include an apfelwein tasting, dinner, and maybe more apfelwein, or beer, or cocktails. Sachsenhausen’s abundance of late-night international fast-food options offers the perfect close-out to our journey.
DAY 9
THURSDAY AUGUST 3, 2023
Auf Wiedersehen
Frankfurt being a world transit hub, guests will be perfectly situated this morning to either catch their flights home or continue on to other German, European or intercontinental destinations by air, rail, bus or rental car. ICBT staff will be on hand for anyone needing assistance, ensuring that a great trip ends with a non-stressful departure day.
FRANCONIA TOUR PRICING
$1950
PER PERSON, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
(ADD $300 FOR SINGLE OCCUPANCY)
INCLUDES:
8 Nights of hotel accommodation
Ground transportation to and from all experiences listed in itinerary except where noted.
15 Meals
– 8 Breakfasts
– 3 Lunches
– 4 Dinners
**Tour prices are per person and do not include airfare.
*Single occupancy rooms are limited.
More information about the destinations
we'll visit on our Franconia Tour
**Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented on this webpage. Inner Circle Beer Tours (ICBT) is not responsible for errors in or damages resulting from use of the information contained herein. Information contained on this webpage is subject to change without notice.**
