Do we even need beer alongside Baden wines? The answer was quite controversial around 1780: Back then, many Freiburg residents were even against the establishment of more brewmasters. Fortunately, they did not prevail; today, Freiburg has really good beer to offer alongside top wines. You can find out how well the two go together in the House of Baden Wines: with the "Wier", an aperitif of wine and beer.
One of Freiburg's beer pioneers of the 18th century was the 24-year-old Ludwig Ganter, who founded the Ganter Brewery. One of his innovations: He bought Freiburg's first refrigeration machine to brew beer all year round. The brewery is still family-owned today and still delivers its draught beer to the Ganter restaurants in Freiburg's old town centre by horse and cart. Another traditional brewery also played a part in Freiburg's beer evolution: Julius Feierling offered the city's first light-coloured beer at his brewery, Hausbrauerei Feierling, founded in 1877. And for some years now, thecity's craft beer scene has been creating new pale ales, IPAs, stouts and more.
Four beer enthusiasts from Bavaria and northern Germany, Australia and California have been brewing Freiburg to the top of the German craft beer scene for several years: their brewery collective Freiburg successfully focuses on strongly hopped beers - and on shared enjoyment. The brewing collective regularly organises craft beer events, often together with Decker Bier, a network of microbreweries in southern Baden. The lively scene and the proud number of eight craft beer breweries have earned Freiburg a reputation as the German craft beer capital. Further tips for beer fans: at Brauhaus Martin's Bräu at Martinstor ( Martin's Gate), the master brewer creates a new craft beer every month. And there are regular craft beer tastings at the Craftbeer Lodge or in the beer shop .
The German craft beer capital of Freiburg has such exciting breweries, such charming beer gardens and, above all, such delicious beer that a whole day here can easily revolve around just that. And if you still need a nice souvenir to take home: In the market calendar , beer sommelier Jan Czerny gives his beer recommendation for a recipe every month. You can get the calendar at the beer shop, one of the stops on our day trip around beer:
