Zoigl continues a 600-year-old tradition whereby towns and citizens are given brewing rights and share a brewhouse, making beer for themselves or selling it to other non-brewing citizens. Neuhaus was granted rights to brew in 1415, with six brewers remaining there today, while Eslarn, which has one brewer, is the most recent to get brewing rights—that happened back in 1522. There’s also Falkenberg, which has two brewers, while Mitterteich has three and Windischeschenbach has seven brewing families. The brewers, who also typically have regular day jobs, pay kesselgeld or “kettle money” each time they use the brewhouse and then sell their beers (for around €2 for 18 oz/500ml). You can only get genuine Zoigl in the Zoiglstub’n run by the brewers, as they aren’t sold anywhere else.

It’s a unique story in the beer world: a small pocket of Germany where this system still exists and thrives. Also unique is how the beers are made: all the brewhouses are wood-fired, except in Mitterteich where they are heated by coal; the beer recipes have been passed down through the generations and use local barley and hops; once brewed, the liquid transfers to large, open cooling trays where the temperature drops overnight, before the brewers collect the liquid and take it back to their homes to be fermented and conditioned until it’s ready for serving. All the locals will have their zoigltermine, which is a calendar that says which Zoiglstub’n are open each weekend.

Traditional Zoigl is a bottom-fermented beer that’s unfiltered and unpasteurized. Because of the processes used, and with each of the brewers having their own recipes, every Zoigl is different. However, there are similarities: it will be a hazy, copper-colored beer; it will have a toasty, full, and sometimes sweet malt flavor (a richness of malt typical of the lagers in this part of Germany); there will be a spicy, grassy hop quality, which might be gentle or very bitter; and they’ll often have a rough edge from the fermentation, a hint of fruity-floral esters, or even buttery diacetyl. But Zoigl is far more than just the liquid: Zoigl is a community experience and one you can only get in the five Zoigl towns.

A night spent in Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus, which are neighboring villages, was one of the most fun drinking evenings of my life. Two Zoiglstub’n are open year-round in Windischeschenbach: Oberpfälzer Hof (Hauptstraße 1, 92670) and Zum Weißen Schwanen (Brunnenstraße 4, 56338), making this the best place to guarantee drinking Zoigl. Over in Neuhaus we drank in Lingl-Zoigl (Burgstraße 1, 92670)—the beer was pretty bad when we went, but the place was busy, warm, and welcoming. Back in Windisheschenbach we walked past the communal brewery, a yellow building in the center of town, before finishing in Fiedlschneider (Stadtplatz 15, 92670), a small, cozy bar packed with people. The beer was great, the service was friendly, the beer snacks were delicious, and we talked to people all around us. As others arrived and departed, they addressed the whole room, saying hello and goodbye to everyone. It’s unlike anywhere else I’ve drunk beer before and that’s what makes Zoigl such a wonderful experience. It is a community drink; it maintains centuries-old traditions; it’s something to share with others; and the beers are unique in their varying tastes. Go and drink Zoigl at least once in your life.

All the information you need about Zoigl is on the official website: visit www.zoiglbier.de.

The Lowdown

WHAT: Zoiglbier, a bottom-fermented beer unique to the Oberpfalz region of Bavaria

HOW: Nüremburg is the nearest airport to Oberpfalz, then look for the sign (see right).

WHERE: Visit the towns of Eslarn, Falkenberg, Mitterteich, Neuhaus, and Windischeschenbach, Germany

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There’s singing and laughter; it’s always busy; and it’s enormous (there’s a capacity of around 5,000 people). You can drink their Helles or Dunkel; the latter is a great version of this type of lager, which most of the world thinks is rich and chocolatey with a roasted coffee bitterness, but it doesn’t taste like that; it’s like the easy-drinking Helles, just with a dusting of toast and a savory quality, almost as if the dark malt is only there to give the auburn-brown color. It’s great with sausages, but that’s basically true of every German lager…

The Hofbräuhaus is infamous because of its place in Hitler’s history (he held early Nazi meetings and later rallies there), but it’s also famous for being a remarkable pub that serves excellent, traditional Munich lagers in a rarely rivaled atmosphere. None of those Beerhouse pretenders even comes close to this place.

Münchner are justifiably proud of their brewing heritage, as demonstrated by the thousands of locals who gather to celebrate Munich beers at the Hofbräuhaus every week.

The Lowdown

WHAT: Hofbräuhaus

HOW: www. hofbraeuhaus. de

WHERE: Platzl 9, 80331 Munich, Germany

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Augustiner Hell is one of my favorite world lagers for how the malt is so powerful, yet so restrained, and for how the hops are deeply tucked within the beer, giving their bitterness and flavor without ever being overt—it’s a lesson in balance and elegance, the kind of beer that can only be perfected after decades of dedicated brewing. It’s also a quintessential taste of a real German Helles.

To be properly understood, you need to drink it on tap and near where it’s brewed. When it comes from the wooden barrel—vom holzfass— there’s a softness to the body, which makes it incredibly easy drinking and also enhances the fine Germanhop aroma, easing the edges of bitterness and carbonation that a keg brings and giving it all a comforting roundness. After one gulp you’ll already be contemplating your second glass.

There are several Augustiner pubs in Munich. The original Augustiner Keller (Arnulfstraße 52, 80335 Munich), which is a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof railway station, is a favorite in the summer, while the cavernous Zum Augustiner (Neuhauserstraße 27, 80331 Munich) in the center of town is a must-visit bar (look out for the Beer Hall side, as well as the different restaurant spaces).

Munich is one of the world’s greatest beer cities. We all know that. And we all know that every beer-lover needs to go to Munich at least once in their lifetime to drink the different beers in the different beer halls and beer gardens, ticking off the “big six” Munich brewers. I want all of the other beers in Munich as well but, for me, Augustiner Hell is the one I want to drink first and the one I want to drink the most of.

Ask many beer geeks and they will tell you Augustiner make arguably the best Helles lager in the world.

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