The Pyraser is at The Doctor's

The Fridge of Havelock is accommodating.

Over and Out

So that's it for another year - the last person is heading home; the Happenstance is over!

Thanks, as always, to Hector - without his organisation, the trip would not have happened. It is, of course, easy to talk about planning a trip abroad, but how many take it beyond that?

Looking back, I suspect too much bier was consumed - particularly in a certain tent in Hilpoltstein... It might be some time before I attempt another 0730 bier!

We are, of course, already planning next year - it will be a different trip! Details will leak out in due course.

I'm sure it won't be too long before there are other entries here...

One for the Road…

The 2010 Happenstance is definitely coming to an end! Everyone except Bernard and Steve left Berlin today. Most people flew back home - I got the train to Dortmund to collect my car. The remaining two leave Berlin tomorrow.

Having arrived in Dortmund, and having found my hotel, I had somehow to fill my last evening in Germany. What should I do…

At Hector's insistence, I made my way to the only brewpub in Dortmund, Hövels, where the options were a Zwickle and their Original. Both were pleasant and drinkable - I can easily believe that they are the best Dortmund has to offer - although this is perhaps not the strongest compliment that one could pay…

As tomorrow consists of a drive to Amsterdam before getting the ferry home, I did not stay out too late - perhaps a sign of a good holiday!

So Here's to You…

Sunday morning, Berlin. What to do? After their heroics last night, Hector, Robin and Dr Stan's answer was sleep! This caused me no problems at all… On leaving, we were heading towards a curry when the offer of an all you could eat brunch was just too tempting!

Afterwards, we made our way into the town centre to meet Howard, Bernard, Craig and Yvonne at the Lemke brewpub. Sadly, this was to be Craig and Yvonne's last drinks before they made their way to the airport to go home with the brothers McVey.

Once we had finished at Lemke, there was a schism - people being forced to choose between bier and history! In particular, one could either visit a display on the Topology of Terror - effectively, the Nazi's methods of control - situated on the site of the Gestapo headquarters, or one could travel out to Wedding to meet the brewer at Eschenbräu. Such choices! I went with Bernard and Dr Stan; Hector, Robin and Howard went their own way - to meet Steve and the brewer! I am advised that Steve's rendition of Mrs Robinson was well received by everyone apart from the owner of the guitar, who played no more that day…

After visiting the museum, we made our way to the Potsdamer Platz version of the Haus der 100 Biere - there were indeed 100 bottled biers on the menu - although these did include Newcastle Brown and Guinness! From there, we entered the Sony Centre to visit Lindenbräu for a quick weiβebier before going further into the Tiergarten to finish off this part of the day at Brewbaker - when this closed, we left Bernard and made our way back to Wedding, where we decided to visit Eschenbräu for the first time today.

There, Hector joined us (Robin had sensibly gone to bed as he has an early flight in the morning), and we were advised that he had spent the afternoon at the original, Charlottenburg version of the Haus der 100 Biere… Apparently, he saw no need to move from there!

Currying favour - or not!

The pre-published itinerary suggested we meet up at the biermeile at noon. Hector decided to go for a curry at that time instead. Did he tell everybody? It seems not…

Anyway, sampling various Czech biers en route, we eventually met up at the Augustiner tent on the biermeile - handily placed for Reissdorf Kölsch as well.

When we eventually left the festival, the 4 of us who were Wedding-bound (Hector, Robin, Dr Stan and me) decided to pay a quick visit to the local microbrewery, Eschenbräu. Imagine our surprise when we found out that there was a special, additional seasonal bier - a Weizen Bock at 6.8%. As we were sampling this, reports were coming in of an incredibly hot curry being consumed by Bernard, Howard, Tracey, Craig and Yvonne. To his credit, Hector stuck with the bier!

As you might suspect, the quick visit became somewhat longer… This may explain Dr Stan's decision to rescue a cat from a tree outside his bedroom - although I didn't see this myself, I'm told it involved Dr Stan leaning out of the window, being held by Hector who in turn was being held by Robin…

The Romans don't have a word for "Delerium Tremens"...

Time for another change of locus - from Nürnberg to Berlin - and a chance to meet up with Steve, Bernard, Howard and Tracey.

Although most travelled directly, I took my car to Dortmund first - thinking of the return journey home. Despite heavy rain and being held up by an accident, I made it with plenty of time to spare.

I met Dr Stan in Berlin (he had been on a later train that was delayed), and together we made our way to the biermeile - the Berlin Bier Festival that takes place along Karl Marx Allee. After some rather aimless wandering, we met Howard and Tracey (briefly - they were on their way home), then Bernard and Steve. All had been looking for Hector, without success.

Having successfully decoded the cryptic text message, we were able to join up with Hector, Robin, Craig and Yvonne at the Delerium Tremens stand. We eventually left…

Hector's Trials...

Today was the day of the "Ricky Holden Excursion' - Hector-style.

Craig and Yvonne love Nürnberg so much, they stayed here all day, leaving the 5 remaining to follow Hector to Gräfenberg and Weiβenohe - he claimed that the breweries we were meant to visit were recommended by the eponymous Mr Holden.

Just to fill in time, we were taken to the artificial beach that had been placed beside the river close to the Wöhrder Wiese. There may have been another purpose to this visit, but it escaped me...

First stop on the journey proper was Gräfenberg - I'm sure this is a lovely town, perched high above it's railway station. When we alighted from the train, a bus was waiting. By the time it was decided we should get on this bus, it had departed - this seemed to set the tone for the day.

Tired and thirsty after the steep ascent to the village, we discovered that the Friedmann brewery was shut on Wednesday's and Thursday's... Next came Linden-bräu - we entered the open door, selected seats and waited for service. When a person appeared, she simply stated that the pub was closed. The day was going downhill as rapidly as we would be later...

The only place we found open was a small bistro, where bottled bier was all that was available. We did not stay long...

Next stop was the Wirtshaus Klosterbräuerei in Weiβenohe. Surprisingly enough, this was open, and serving bier and food! The biers were worth drinking, although it was reported that the Weiβ was a touch on the thin side. As the house speciality biers - the Kloster-sud and the Eucharius Märzen - were bottled, rather than draft, we tried these before departing - it was worth it!

Having persuaded us to go for a bier then a curry, on our return to Nürnberg Hector lead us first to a closed pub then to ma closed Indian restaurant. Giving up, we retired to Andechs - guess who were there? If you said Craig and Yvonne, you would be correct...

Never one to give up, Hector then tried to phone a curry house - how we laughed when he told us it was closed for two months!

Hector was last seen leading Robin,Craig and Yvonne towards a curry house - for some reason, I decided not to follow on...

Sad to say they must be on their way...

Today was the last day of the Happenstance for Neil and Marg. As they were travelling home from München, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss...

Hector accompanied them on an early train - this was to allow him to have another curry... I followed slightly later. Craig, Dr Stan and Robin visited the Deutsche Bahn Museum. Yvonne went shopping...

First port of call in München was Andechs am Dom (seems familiar, somehow...) The service there was not great, although the bier was as good as always (at least the Weißbier was - despite ordering helles for my second drink, I was given another Weißbier...)

From there, to celebrate Dr Stan's absence, we went to the Hofbräuhaus for a quick maß of their rather thin helles - Neil's last drink of the holiday.

The time came for Marg and Neil to go off to the airport. Myself and Hector had to go to the Augustiner brewery just to ensure the Edelstoff was up to scratch. It was...

Arriving back in Nürnberg, we joined Dr Stan at Andechs to end the day with more of their spezial helles. Craig and Yvonne had departed before we got there - it seems that 8 hours in the Andechs haus in Nürnberg is enough for anyone!

Rallying in Nürnberg...

After a leisurely morning, we left Hilpoltstein to travel the short distance to Nürnberg, our home for the next few days. I suspect the change of scene did us good!

Our first port of call was the Andechs house - Craig was getting desperate for their spezial hell... He wasn't the only one, either. From there, we split up nand made our separate ways through the Altstadt before meeting up again in the shadow of the castle. There were some signs of problems - it being reported that both Hütt'n and the Altstadt brewery appeared to be closed for the summer.

Sadly, the Schlenkerla Schranke was no longer in existence either - although it's replacement, the Augustiner Schranke, serving draft Edelstoff and draft Schlenkerla more than made up for this!

In search of some local bier, the next port of call was Steichele, where the Linden-bräu kellarbier was adequate - not a good enough recommendation for Craig and Yvonne! From there, Hector and Marg headed off in search of curry.

We made it to Tucher-Bräu am Opernhaus - just across the road from our hotel - to meet Craig and Yvonne again, and to finally drink some bier from a Nürnberg brewery! Good reports were received about all the biers sampled.

It's 0730 hours. What does the 0 stand for?

Both last year and this, we were strongly advised to go to the festzelt on the Monday morning. Today, Hector and I took up this challenge...

Arriving at the festzelt at about 0730, we were able to find spaces at a table. The first maβ of festbier arrived almost immediately. It did not vanish quite so quickly, though... I'm not saying Hector was slow, but I had finished my second maβ before he finished his first!

During the course of the morning, we were visited by Marg, Craig and Yvonne. None were tempted to join us, though - I wonder why...

I am pleased to to confirm that, despite it being prohibited, some brave souls did lift their tables up above head-height. We also met our local friends - although the high point for Hector was being introduced to the town's mayor. I don't know what the poor man did to deserve that. I can advise those interested that the chickens were dead and that we were in the zone...

At about 1300, honour satisfied, we took a wee break. Hector eventually joined up with the others in Roth. I thought I had better guard Hilpoltstein, and waited till the group returned before meeting up in a local bar, somewhat akin to a dungeon, for a meal and a last few drinks.

Thanks, again, to the Fanfare-group for their friendship and hospitality. We will return to the Burgfest.

Nürnberg tomorrow!

A Tale of 2 Cities

In a lot of ways, Sunday is the main day of the Hilpoltstein burgfest. As last year's readers will recollect, this is the day of the historical pagent. This caused our happy band to divide - Craig, Yvonne, Dr Stan and Robin, all veterans of last year, headed off early to Weissenburg. Marg and Neil, both first-time visitors, stayed with Hector and myself.

After visiting the horses (and finding a Greek restaurant for a quick bier...) we headed back to the town centre just in time to see the parade. It was good to see our friends from last year, the fanfarenspielern again. The bier they provided was most welcome on a hot and sunny day!

Afterwards, we headed to Weissenburg to meet up with the others. First stop for us was Sigwart. Unfortunately, their helles is one of the blandest biers I have tasted in a long time. The kellerbier was better, though.

The advanced party had said good things aqbout Schneider - they were right! The märzen bier hit the spot, and the staff were extremely friendly. Unfortunately, we could only stay a short time before the last train called.

Back in Hilpoltstein, a quick bier was followed by an Italian meal. We stopped early - some of us had plans for tomorrow morning...