Rhineland-Palatinate (Pfalz); borders with North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, France, Saarland, Luxembourg and Belgium. It is one of Germany's most picturesque states.
The main axis of the state is the Rhine river, that forms the border with Baden-Württemberg and Hesse in the southeast before running across the northern part of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Rhine Valley is bounded by mountain chains and forms a fascinating landscape containing some of the most historically significant places in Germany.
The Eifel and Hunsrück mountain chains are found on the west bank of the Rhine in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, while the Westerwald and Taunus mountains are found on the east bank. The hilly lands in the southernmost region of the state are called the Palatine Forest (Pfälzerwald). These mountain chains are separated from each other by the following tributaries of the Rhine: the Moselle (Mosel), the Lahn and the Nahe.
It has 6 of Germanys 13 wine growing regions that produce almost two-thirds of the country’s wine. Most towns & villages have wine festivals, were each vineyard has a hut selling all these wines by the bottle, we have been to at least 5 of these festivals, before our beer renascence!
These are now over 40 breweries in the region now with over half being micro/brew pubs. So plenty to go at, and you can get a DB Rheinland-Pfalz day ticket for 23 Euro for 5 people, but you need to check the times before planning long route.
The largest brewery is;
Bitburg, Romermauer 3, Bitburg.
A Huge brewery on the south of the town. You might of come across the Pils which is there main brew, they also have a tap in town Zum Simonbrau in the Am Market. Which is well worth a visit. The tour is pretty cool and there are free samples afterwards which are definitely cool.
One of the first brew pubs we visited in this region was;
Brauhaus am Markt, Stiftsplatz 2, Kaiserslautern.
In the city centre they brew up to 3 beers a Hell, Dunkel & Weizen plus a seasonal. Landau Brauhof at Industriestraffe 10 Landau is in a former warehouse, easy to find between the station and town centre again the Hell, Dunkel & Weizen are supplemented by a number of seasonal beers.
Well worth a visit is Pirmasens, just off the shopping centre is;
Kuchems Brauhaus am Schlossplatz, Hauptstrasse 13, Pirmasens.
Located just off the pedestrian zone downtown (just look for the giant bull statue). This is quite a large glass fronted building with a patio that has views over the main square and the water fall, good food and they also have beer festivals There were four excellent beers on offer when we visited one wet Bank Holiday, They do an excellent Bock beer in the spring.
Also in Pirmasens is the;
Parkbrauerei / Park & Bellheimer AG, Zweibruecker Strasse 3-5, Pirmasens
A large brewery to the north of town, the best of there brews being the Schwarzbock 6.9% and the Pirminator 6.9% You can try these at Park Platz on Zweibruckerstraffe 1-3 open from 7pm daily.
Another wet and windy day took us to Grunstadt;
Hausbrauerei Grunstadt, Turnstrasse 11, Gruenstadt. NOW CLOSED!
Located on the corner of the main square. An excellent pub. With large barrels that you can sit around, plus good service. Beers are seasonal plus the regular Hell, Dunkel & Weizen. If you plan ahead and go on market day this is an excellent place to visit lots of small shops hid away in alleys also there is a train station 5 mins away from the brauhaus.
BrauArt Sausenheim, Angelgasse 2-4, Gruenstadt.
New-ish brauhaus, we have not visited as yet, so any reviews of the place are most welcome, please email me the details.
Another interesting place to visit is Hinterweidental;
Brauhaus Ehrstein, Im Handschuhteich 3, Hinterweidentha.
This pub is a rambling maze of small rooms with open fires there are two main ales a very suppable black Dunkel & a Hell’s plus if you are lucky in the spring a Bock and later in the year a Weizen. There are some good walks around this area and also a large stone that stands precariously on its end.
A visit to Rheinland-Pfalz can not go by without a trip to the;
Kloster Machern, An der Zeltinger Bruecke, Bernkastel-Wehlen.
A brewpub built in a former monastery, it’s annexed to an abbey, even if it has the classic bräuhaus decorations (hanging branches of hop, a lot of cooper and wood etc). On the opposite bank of the Mosel to Zeltingen, A nice atmospheric building serving Hell, Dunkel & Weizen - all quite good.
Frankenthal;
Brauhaus zur Post, Neumayerring 45, Frankenthal
Is worth a trip all the brew equipment is on show, and you can watch them brew. This is a large old building with two floors again serving Hell, Dunkel & Weizen, they also had two seasonal on when we were there. It is south of the main station.
Only room for one more this time and is in Jockgrim;
Jockgrimer Froschbräu (Frogbrew), Buchstrasse 5, Jockgrim.
A classic village restaurant, with a kitsch tree in the middle of the room (and German flags all over it; I haven’t seen so many flags any-were outside of Denmark). In addition to the usual 3 beers there is a Dunkel Weizen. Most excellent food, and they do accommodation. Easy to find just over the level crossing from the station. You can watch the beer brewed, or sit outside on the sun terrace. Even buy souvenirs from their shop.
Wormser Hagenbräu Gasthaus Brauerei, Am Rhein 3, Worms.
Large old building on the banks of the Rhine, just next to the Nibelungen bridge, about 15 minutes walk from the center of Worms. A nNice interior, a lot of wood but not dark. Lots of space inside and out, with view towards the river. Three standard beers, plus a monthly changing specialty. Good food, and the special beers can indeed be out of the ordinary (for Germany).
Brauhaus Goldener Engel, Neisser Strasse 1, Ingelheim.
Open: 11 – 1 am - Closed Monday?
Wow this is a large modern place with beer garden. Located on the edge of town on a new industrial park. The place is just one large room with a mezzanine over the main bar for extra seating. The brew kit is located in the center of the building. Plus just to the left of the main door is a nice cosy seating area, (possibly for locals only). The the bier choice is the standard three plus seasonal. IMO its is average. There are no soft furnishings so the place can get very noisy when busy at main times. Worth a visit if you are in the area. Free Wi-Fi!
Privatbrauerei Sander, In den Weingarten 11, Mettenheim.
WOW. What a great find by Bernie via Untappd. A modern German brewery brewing IPA's Indian Pils, Pale Ale's as well as new take's on traditional German styles. They only open on Saturdays in the Summer months, so be sure to check their web site first. A small inside bar area with barrel tables and tall stools. The brew dude is very friendly and will happily chat about his beers. Outside there are tables and chairs and a portable bar serving up six of their bier's. Bottles, t-shirts etc are available for take out. Well worth a detour if you are in this area. I know we will be visiting here again. A must do.
Volker-Bräu, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 57c, Alzey.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Mahls Kleines Brauhaus, Koblenzer Strasse 14-20, Bacharach.
A quirky little brewery with a biergarten with an old fairground carousel to sit in. Nice little set up with 4 brews: light, weizen, dark & doppelbock.
Brauwerk, Saline Karlshalle 11, Bad Kreuznach.
A very modern and nice place. It sits on the Nahe River and has a great biergarten as well. Inside is very modern and has currently four beers on offer. Food is a mix of modern and old German. Service was very good and they had enough staff. As soon as I asked questions about the beer a brew master came to the table. A nice place for sure.
Neuenahrer Brauhaus, Hauptstrasse 112, Bad Neuenahr.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Bells Weinrestaurant & BierGarten, Niederhutstrasse 27a, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler.
Located in the picturesque town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, a restaurant with it’s own brewery. The equipment is not visible, although that might change in the near future. Three beers, Pils, Dunkel and Weizen, plus Kölsch are available. Very good food, large biergarten. They offer brewing courses.
Peter Mertes Weinkellerei, In der Bornwiese 4, Bernkastel-Kues.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Büttenhof Bräu Volz, Ausserhalb 9, Biebesheim.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Alt Budesheim "Tap for Stromberger", Burgstrasse 24, Bingen.
All the Strombergers are here.. It is the only place to get them on tap. They have a lot of room, patio, and good local food. They are very friendly and the service is good as well.
BeSte Bräu, Endertstrasse14-20, Cochem.
BeSte Bräu is a recently-founded brewpub in the old premises of the fire department of Cochem. The place known also by the name "Brauhaus Feuerwache", which translates loosely into "Brewpub Fire Department". This theme is reflected also in the bright red leather sofas of the interior. The standard beer selection consists of the three safe bets of practically every German brewpub you go into: Pils, Dunkles and Weizen.
Kornkammer-Bräu, Truppacher Hof 3, Contwig.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Wentzler-Bräu, Pirmasenser Strasse 102, Contwig.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Bierbrüderschaft Duzenowe, Ackertspforte 2a, Dausenau.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Jäger Bräu Edenkobener Hausbrauerei, Staatsstrasse 18, Edenkoben.
Located across the road from the station. Indoor and outdoor seating. Food is a choice of German, Italian (pasta and pizzas) and Turkish! Beers are the usual unfiltered helles/dunkles/weizen. Also do the odd seasonal (Maibock and Landbier). Worth a visit if passing!
Göcklinger Hausbräu, Muensterweg 2, Goecklingen.
A great place in a quiet village setting. Inside seems to be very small and modern, while the biergarten is merely a small yard. They usually have 3 beers, of which both the Dunkel and a lovely unfiltered hells, and the food on offer is both cheap and top quality.
Stadtbrauhaus Hagenbach Hermannbräu, Stixwoerthstrasse 2-4, Hagenbach.
Huge open brewpub not far from the Rhein. A huge playground out front and a couple of nice copper kettles converted into outdoor serving areas and bars. Inside is also large with a more intimate upper deck area. Lots of parking space. Standard German fare. Beer is nice but just the regular German styles. A nice stop if in the area.
Nassauische Privatbrauerei, Rosslerstrasse 3, Hahnstaetten.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Hämmscher Bier, Bergstrasse 7- 11, Hamm an der Sieg.
Hours: Mon - Fri 12:00 - 18:30 Sat 8:00 - 15:00
The brewery is located in one of the oldest half-timbered houses in Hamm / Sieg. Here also small quantities of beer can be brewed from 50l. Awareness is a lot of manual work done to connect traditional brewing styles and recipes with modern technology and hygiene. Limited accommodation is also available.
Prinz Ludwig Hausbrauerei, Kirchgasse 128, Hassloch.
Hours: We-Su 11:00-14:30, 17:30-23:00
Located 25 mins walk from station : straight down Bahnhofstrasse, road conveniently becomes Kirchgasse! Standard range of 3 biers all unfiltered. German and Thai food.
Brunnenbräu Hausbrauerei, Im Auengarten 23, Hilgert.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Zur Scheune Hofstätten, Ortsstrasse 33, Hofstaetten.
Hours: Mon 18-24, Sat-Sun 11-24
Way up in the hills of the Pfaelzerwald is this nice little restaurant. Food is solid regional fare and have a nice selection of homemade desserts. Beers are not mind-blowing but are nice enough. Worth a stop if you happen to be in the area.
Privatbrauerei Bischoff Winnweiler, An den Hopfengarten 6, Winnweiler.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Windesheimer Brauhaus, Kreuznacherstrasse 6, Windesheim.
Hours: Freitag 14:00 – 18:00 Samstag 9:00 – 14:00
This place has a strange history. At one time there were two brewers in Windeheim, Guldenbacher and Präsidenten. Both some years ago went out of business One stopped brewing altogether and the other was brewed at a couple of different places for awhile. Now they both brew again and have a combined shop where they sell them. It is just an old warehouse selling their beers now. No frills, just beer.
Kraft-Bräu Blesius Garten, Olewiger Strasse 135, Trier.
Open; Sun-Thu 11.30-01.00, Fri-Sat 11.30-02.00
The brewpub (or Hausbrauerei) is situated in nice surroundings in the outskirts of the beautiful German town Trier, one of the oldest in the whole country. It’s a bit far off the beaten tourist path, on the Olwigerstrasse that houses a lot of wineries and hotels, right next to the Reislingstrasse. To get there from the city centre, Trier Porta Nigra, it is about 30 minutes walk to Trier-Olewig weinort where the Kraft-Bräu is located next to the hotel Blesius Garten. It is possible to take the bus (no.6) from the railway station to the Olewig, but if you walk you can always visit the old Amphitheatre. Next to the brewpub there is a lovely beer garden where the three brews can be enjoyed. Their regular beers are a Weizen, a Hell and, the most interesting one, a Dunkel. The brewpub is also an outlet for their beers on bottles, which come in different sizes. Kraft-Bräu, is definitely worth a visit in this wine dominated part of the country
Trierer Petrusbräu, Windmuehlenstrasse 21, Trier.
Open;Tue-Thu 17-19, Fri 15-19, Sat 10-15
Located in the beautiful, ancient city center of Trier, this is possibly the tiniest brewery that one can visit in the whole country. A nice garage-like place where the brewers work and chill-out at the same time. Open and friendly. There is no place to sit and enjoy a drink! The only room the visitor sees is rather small and filled with brewing equipment. Beer for sale is available just there, while one is standing outside on concrete steps and chatting with the friendly brewer. Only one beer brewed and sold at any given moment.
Zum Petrusbräu, Kalenfelsstr. 3, Trier.
Open: Daily 12pm - 12am
Great beer garden, in the middle of the city, excellent home-made beer, which is really very tasty. The menu is concise but perfectly adequate. The service is very attentive and very friendly. You can even see the brewery in operation, it runs almost perfectly.
Hausbrauerei Domhof, Grosse Himmelsgasse 6,Speyer.
Domhof is located on the southwest side of Speyer on Grosse Himmelsgasse. The inside houses several rooms, with a small bar in the back. Large collection of breweriana throughout the space. The brewing equipment is visible behind windows, and there are hanging hops garlands around, plus some tapped barrels. The place has a lot of wood, stained glass,a brick floor and a lived-in feel. Domhof has four of their beers on tap, including a Helles, Dunkel and Hefe. There are a few bottles available as well. Service is good, the bartender is very friendly. Overall this is a nice spot to visit in Speyer.
Hausbrauerei Mario Miedl, Deyertstrasse 23b, Schweppenhausen.
Another nice small brewery in Rhineland-Palatinate. If you contact them they might let you do a tour? But visit their tap "Alt Budesheim" in Bingen. Over all Mario has some nice beers.
Hof Schauferts Gasthausbrauerei, Hof Schauferts 1, Schoenborn.
Hours: Tue-Sun 17.00-24.00; We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Braulini / Hotel am Markt, Am Markt 10-12, Saarburg.
Open:Daily 11-22:30
Large hotel-brewpub in the center of town, very popular with locals and visitors alike. Standard three German biers plus seasonal brew's.
Brauhaus am Turm, Schlossstrasse 1, Kirchheimbolanden.
Open:Daily 1130-14 - 17-until the party ends!
Small brewery in downtown area, around a 10 min walk into the center of town from the station. A nice multi-roomed old venue with a beer garden out back to enjoy the beer. Upstairs is the restaurant with several separate rooms serving a choice of regional food and international buffets on the weekend. Very nice food, cozy atmosphere. Three regular beers with a rotating specialty. Not far off the Autobahn, and has FREE parking a block away. Definitely worth a stop if nearby.
Kirner Privatbrauerei, Kallenfelser Strasse 2-4, Kirn.
Tours by appointment only. A must try for Pils fans. A very nice tour although only in Deutsch, then unlimited tasting. It is nice to see a big private brewery the battles the big international ones and wins the local loyalty.
Koblenzer Brauerei-Ausschank (Brewery Tap), An der Koenigsbach 8, Koblenz.
Located on the outskirts of town you can catch the 650 bus from Koblenz Hbf which drops off across the road. It's a massive building overlooking river and railway. There is an outside terrace. Beer is decent and a reasonable range.
Neustadter Brauhaus, Martin Luther-Str. 60, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse.
A Brewpub tucked away behind a Lidl grocery store! A nice building with a pleasant patio/garden outside, especially if you like bees! The interior is interesting, recalling some Middle Ages hall. They have three beers, of which the Hell is decent and the other two are forgettable.
Brauhaus Zils, Waldstrasse 1, Naurath.
The place is a typical German brewpub/distillery, not too traditional, not too modern, for the people in the village. The beers are quite simple, even if must be said that the Helles is more bitter than the average sweet Helles around in the region. The staff are very friendly and the prices are not bad. There is a hotel attached and a small patio outside as well. Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in the Eifel region.
Vulkan Brauerei & Brauhaus, Laacher See Strasse 2, Mendig.
Very easy to get to, right off the autobahn north of Koblenz. Decent parking. Service isvery quick (for Germany). Food is excellent and they have four average biers. Also a good brauerei shop inside, where you can buy almost the full range from the brewery. Small playground outside for the kids. A nice stop if you’re driving south of Cologne.
Marienstatter Brauhaus, Kloster Marienstatt 1, Marienstatt.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Maximilians Brauwiesen, Didierstrasse 25, Lahnstein-Niederlahnstein.
It is indeed a Gasthausbrauerei in a small castle on the banks of the Rhine. There is a newer building attached to the side that houses the brewery. The inside of the place is really cool. They have a huge bar with two big copper kegs behind it, and there's hops and beer glasses hanging from the ceiling. They also have a huge Biergarten right on the Rhine. The prices are fantastic for the portions and quality. Three standard beers, six seasonal. Not outstanding but above average? The food is quite OK also. Great place in good weather especially. About 10 minutes from Niederlahnstein station. Don't pass this place up!
Braustube Rheinhessen-Bräu, Reiterweg 15, Mainz-Ebersheim.
Small little restaurant on the edge of the village and part of a horse arena. Only about a dozen tables but very cozy. Good selection of Flammkuchens, schnitzel, and rumpsteaks, nothing spectacular but nice home-cooked food. There beers are some of the best in the entire area. Prices are very cheap.
Privatbrauerei Gebr. Mayer, Schillerstrasse 8, Ludwigshafen-Oggersheim.
Open: Thu-Tue 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-24.00, Wed closed
About a 10 min walk from station, Mayer’s is a commercial brewery, not a traditional brewpub, and this is its Ausshank (taproom), attached to the brewery, with a large terrace outside on two levels. The look of it goes from "traditional" to "old", all timber, and at times a bit claustrophobic. They actually have seven draught beers and a few bottles. A place to go just for the ticks.
Brauhaus Weißes Häusl, Grosswiesenweg 3, Ludwigshafen.
The place is quite hard to find. The interior is quite small, and every side is busy with a myriad of classic objects for decoration. The service is ok, but no English spoken. They have four beers available. Worth a stop to "tick" the biers if you are passing.
Brauereischänke der alten Steffens Brauerei, St. Severinsberg 1, Linz am Rhein.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Braumanufaktur Durke, Industriestrasse 10, Landau.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
Lahnsteiner Brauerei, Sandstrasse 1, Lahnstein-Oberlahnstein.
We have not visited as yet, so any reviews are most welcome, please email me the details.
A big thank you to all the fellow "bier rambles" who have emailed me their reviews
I hope this has given you some ideas for a beer vacation.
Otto says try dark beers, you know it makes sense.
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