It always seems like a whirlwind on Monday for me–today was no different.  Started with a busy day at work … then went to a solemn memorial service for a soldier and played my bagpipes.  A time to reflect on life and death–and to continue to live by my mottoes: “Live Life 2 the Brim” and “Each Day is Meaningful.”

Every day I wake up and try to match these mottoes … no matter how big or small any of the activities I’m participating in that day, they are meaningful and I try to enjoy them to the fullest!

Today was no different and I wrapped it up with one of my favorite styles of German beers — a Hefe Weizen.  This one was from Hacker-Pschorr and it definitely hit the spot.

What a great way to close out a busy and meaningful day.

Beer Mentor

Today we returned to Stuttgart from the Mosel … via Trier with a quick stop through Annweiler.

What can I say about Trier … search for the reference to it on a previous post.  I did go see the Roman Ampitheater and St Paulin’s Cathedral this time.  Wow.  Well worth a trip and another reason this is my favorite city in Germany.

From Trier we drove down through the Rhineland Palatinate Forest (Pfaelzerwald) to Annweiler and had a cake/coffee under the castle of Trifels.

Oh, I went ahead and had my beer for the day here too.  It was the Karlsberg feingold.  I’ve had a Karlsberg before, but it was the Ur-Pils.  This was a very nice beer–and a pleasant location to enjoy it!

Beer Mentor

Today I traveled up to the Mosel Valley in Germany and stopped in a little village called Piesport.  This village is well-known for their wines–there is evidence that they’ve been making wine here for 2000 years — not 500 yards from our hotel was a Roman-Celtic wine cellar from the 3rd to 5th Century.

We went to a wonderful wine-tasting at the Spaeter-Veit Vineyard.  If you happen to be in Germany, on the Mosel, in Piesport — I highly recommend you stop at this place and sample their excellent wines.

Even in winter, the Mosel is a magical place…and even though I was feeling good from the wine-tasting, I still followed through with my mission and drank a beer. LOL!  What was it you ask?  A Kulmbacher Moenchshof “Original” Pilsner … sorry, no good description for this one … it’s probably pretty good, but I did drink it after about 2 liters of wine … sooooo …. because I’m dedicated to this task … here are the pictures!

Beer Mentor

Eichbaum (Oak Tree) brewery makes a very nice beer with their Rotes Raeuberbier.  Of course, they too have been brewing for over 300 years … so the experience helps.  However, I can’t for the life of me tell you why they named it “Red Robber.”  I assume this guy is supposed to be a Robin Hood — but I could be wrong.

Either way, this is a very nice amber-colored beer with a creamy head and excellent flavor.

Yes, recommended …

Beer Mentor

There’s a pretty neat little Mexican restaurant near where I work — and they make pretty mean Mexican food … which is slightly humorous because the owner/cook is from South Africa.  But, hey, you can’t fault determination and quality … everything at this place is good.  He makes a pretty mean Margarita … yes!

However, this day their CO2 tanks were out of “gas” so they only had bottled beer.  What did I decide to have you ask?  Oh, just a Dos Equis … but the dark one.  You can’t go wrong with the dark one–but of course, there are a lot of others you could go better with! LOL
Beer Mentor

Laundry?  Why am I doing laundry.  Oh, I need to.  Ok, well at least I can enjoy a nice beer while I’m at it and today’s beer is a Zischke — actually a beer from the Koenigsbacher brewery.  Not only is this a Kellerbier … which means unfiltered … but it is a Dunkel too — yes!  The “Original” doesn’t get a very good rating, but I think the “Dunkel” would do better … Nothing like this kind of beer to take my mind off my socks in the dryer! LOL

I was so hoping we wouldn’t have six more weeks of winter, but I ruined that by seeing the shadow of my beer today.  Dang.  Oh well, I will have to drown my winter blues with this really nice brew …the Kloster Ettaler Dunkel. My friend and I passed through here in the middle of January and picked up a six pack of assorted brews.

It was impressive on the outside AND on the inside.  This church was in the Baroque Roccoco architecture style.  Oh, and they’ve only been brewing beer here since the 1500s.  I guess they may know what they are doing. Ha ha.
Not only is it Groundhog Day today, but this is also my 90th beer.  Sweet.  Too bad about my shadow.

Nice.  This dunkel is a good beer.

Beer Mentor

Ok, I know I’m being somewhat optimistic, but I am ready for the winter months to be over.  Two things I’m tired of: Cold and Darkness … hmmmm, something very common in winter.  I’m definitely planning my retirement home somewhere below the frost line … that may be way south, but that’s ok!  As long as I have some nice brews … maybe some like today’s beer … ha ha — the Zwiefalter Festbier … their winter fest bier.  ha ha.  I can think of winter while I’m sitting in my hot tub/swimming pool … yes!

I bet you’re glad I didn’t have a picture of me sitting in the hot tub, right?

Beer Mentor

Today was just a relaxed day. I went for a 5 mile run and then took care of a couple of minor things … I had another Zwiefalter bier — their Hefeweizen Dunkel … it is good, but I find myself liking the wild yeast in the darker beers … a la, Orval or some of the other Trappist dark beers … but for a Hefe, this one was nice…

Beer Mentor

Today I took a little trip to a small town named Tiefenbronn.  The distinguishing characteristic of this town is a church built in the 1300s … with an “Altar” made from wood and built in the early 1400s.  Wow … here’s a couple of pictures of this Altar.  It celebrates Mary Magdalene — and the legend of how she went to France.  Don’t ask me why — it was a cool experience.  There were several other “altars” in this church … and the stained glass windows were made in the 1300s …

When I went to this town I thought I might have to eat at a “fast food” place — called an Imbiss usually.  However, there was a wonderful restaurant right downtown and I had a wild game plate with red cabbage and homemade noodles.  Yummy!

The restaurant didn’t have any beers I haven’t had soooo … I drove through a little snow and …

…when I got back to the room, I capped off my trip with a nice brew.  I realized I hadn’t had the Westmalle Dubbel yet, so it was an excellent treat.  A nice beer to cap a great day.

Beer Mentor