When I’m far from home, I become a cultural chameleon. I eat and drink regional specialties with gusto, feasting on steak and red wine in Tuscany and stuffing down tapas at midnight in Spain. So when I travel to countries that are known for their beer, I morph into the best beer aficionado I can be.
Germany is synonymous with beer, and there’s no better place to drink up than in Bavaria. German beer is regulated by the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Decree) of 1516 — the oldest food and beverage law in the world — which dictates that only four ingredients may be used: Malt, yeast, hops, and water. You can order your beer helles (light but not “lite”) or dunkles (dark).
Beer gardens go back to the days when monks brewed their beer and were allowed to sell it directly to the public. They stored their beer in cellars under courtyards kept cool by the shade of chestnut trees. Eventually, tables were set up, and these convivial eateries evolved.
My favourite beer garden (and German beer) is an hour’s drive outside of Munich at the Andechs Monastery. The stately church stands as it has for centuries, topping a hill at the foot of the Alps. Its Baroque interior — and its beer hall — both stirs the soul and stokes the appetite.
The hearty meals come in medieval proportions. Belgians would argue that they, not their German neighbours, have Europe’s best beer. With about 120 varieties and 580 different brands — more than any other country — locals take their beers as se.
