729a. Sun 16/6/19 Ambräusianum GmbH, Bamberg

Beer: Ambräusianum Bernstein Weizen 5.3%

A second visit, and a second time meeting at Ambräusianum. It’s a great place. I’m with SDK and Candida, who are leaving today. SRW and AW are also off. We’re joined by TPK and SA.

SDK’s set his heart on an Ambräusianum beer glass. He has a token and some wild notion that this token entitles him to take a glass home. He (SDK) was given this token last night as a deposit on a glass which, he explains, can either be redeemed or swapped for a souvenir glass. The server hears him out patiently. 

‘So,’ SDK concludes, having made a watertight case, ‘can I buy this glass?’

‘No,’ the barman replies.

Things go downhill after that. SDK and the barman come to some kind of arrangement viz the procurement of a glass, and there’s much chat about the Six Million Dollar people.

726a. Sat 15/6/19: Ambräusianum GmbH, Bamberg

Beer: Ambräusianum Hell Ungefiltert 5.4%

First pub in Bamberg, on recommendation from AW. Who, as expected, is spot on.

Ambräusianum is a twenty first century establishment and – from what I can tell – is well regarded. I arrive at about the same time as SDK. Actually, I think he’s in a little earlier, as he’s got his first beer.

The German drinking experience seems to be about doing simple things well. The unfussy fittings, fixtures and menus, the purity laws, the uniformity of type. It could be dull, but it really isn’t. There’s enough difference within the restrictions for people craving change. Though if you’re after a Smirnoff Moscow Mule, you might want to look elsewhere.

Ambräusianum is really excellent. They even manage to make surly service proper fun.

The players in the drama of not letting TPK know about his birthday gather fairly close to 6pm – me, SDK, CJ, JtCFH, Lidia, Candida, SRW and AW. TPK and SA arrive bang on 6pm. We already know that TPK knows where he’s going, although it had been a close run thing.

729. Sun 16/6/19: Ambräusianum GmbH, Bamberg,

Beer:    Ambräusianum Hells 5%

Day two of my birthday holiday jaunt in Bamberg, with Steph and various siblings and friends. We’re up late. We wander into town, meet the others, go and have breakfast.

Meet back with the others. We wander around the little islands, over bridges in the picturesque centre of town; taking photos etc. Steve and A are off home – so bid them farewell, see you for the Brickies quiz a week Monday (#756), and wave as they cross the river en route for the station,

The rest of us take our walking tour back over bridges and onto the cathedral. It’s about two-ish before we make our way for the first beer of the day. Goes down nicely.

Slim and Candida show off the “Abfelweibla” mould they’ve bought. It’s shaped like a doorknob… and has a literary significance which I’ve since forgotten. We found the original doorknob (attached to a backstreet door) earlier. Slim also buys a beer glass.

John and Lidia pop in. They haven’t been to the cathedral – so nip off to go there. Those who remain get involved in a conversation about The Six Million Dollar Man. And The Six Million Dollar Woman. And toilets in Wixams.

The beer listing above looks to be erroneous (despite being listed in the notebook). Hells is light, our beer wasn’t. It was good though, and brewed on the premises.

726. Sat 15/6/19: Ambräusianum GmbH, Bamberg

Beer: Ambräusianum Dunkel 5.4%

First beer in Bamberg. Surprise 50^th birthday shindig for me. The surprise – lessened a little by an errant Facebook posting I picked up just before we went to the airport – is that family and friends are in Bamberg too.

Lovely to see them, although I wonder – had I been entirely oblivious to their presence – whether my levels of whelm might have disappointed Steph, who has put a huge amount of effort in getting so many folk here in absolute secret (until about eleven hours ago)… Anyway, there are several here I didn’t expect to see – both me brothers, Candida, CJ, Steve and A, John and Lidia – and John McCoy and a couple of his mates: obviously here primarily for the beer, but lovely to see them and… hey, I love these guys…

That said, what with being socially awkward by default – being the centre of attention and all, is a bit much; a dilemma which A nicely identifies. I’m happier once the evening gets into its natural beery rhythm.

This is a brilliant brewpub, in a town seemingly full of brilliant brewpubs. There are nine breweries in Bamberg. I suggest to Steph that she’d have maybe persuaded fewer to attend had she booked a surprise trip to Benidorm. We have a few here and then make our way to another brilliant brewpub.