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Culture
Beer City Bamberg
The brewing tradition in Bamberg dates back to almost 900 proud years, if monasteries are taken as the first breweries. As early as in the 12th century, beer from Bamberg was exported to places far away.
In Bavaria, Beer is considered as the fifth element along with earth, water, air and fire. And indeed, beer has an outstanding importance in Bamberg. Beginning in May or, depending on the weather, even at the end of April, people in Bamberg head for their favorite "Bierkeller", which is the local variation of the famous beer gardens. There, they enjoy the first freshly tapped beer barrels of the summer. The "Bierkeller", literally translated a beer cellar, was the place where breweries stored their products at a stable low temperature. On top of the cellars that were dug in the soft sandstone, it was common to have an inn. This old tradition has been kept alive until nowadays, and the Bamberg's citizens and their guests enjoy the fresh beer and the scenic settings of the "Bierkeller" that often reward the walk up from the old town with a great view of Bamberg.
Today, ten breweries are still to be found in the city. Each of them produces an average of three sorts of beer. As a consequence, visitors are spoilt for choice. The most famous one is the Bamberg smoky beer that is served for example in the traditional inn "Schlenkerla" in the Old Town (Sandstraße)
As a tribute to the brewing tradition, brewery master craftsmen came together in 1972 and formed the society to promote the "Franconian Beer Brewing Museum in the Beer City of Bamberg". The Beer Brewing Museum is located in rebuilt historic caves of the former benedictine monastery's brewing cellars on Michelsberg. On 900 square metres of exhibition area, historic machines and developments in relation to beer brewing, malthouses and barrel production are on display.
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