One Day All About Beer in Freiburg

The people of Freiburg can hold their drink – and not just when it comes to Baden wine. Beer is also a popular drink in Freiburg, the country’s craft beer capital. So, are you thirsty? Then dedicate at least one day of your visit to Freiburg to beer! We take you with us and show you which stops you can’t miss!

Our tip: there are also delicious, non-alcoholic versions for many of them!

Glas Bier - © FWTM-Antal

Morning:

A day for Freiburg beer is going to be long and smooth. For that reason, you should take the opportunity to build up your strength at the first top, the Cathedral Market, with a Long Red sausage. If a sausage is too much for you in the morning, you can sit down in a cozy café with a view of the Cathedral – Freiburg’s landmark. Speaking of food and beer: Have you heard about the homage to the Cathedral Market? Since 2016, four Freiburg residents have been designing the Freiburg Market Calendar year after year. Every month there’s a new seasonal recipe you can cook yourself. Beer sommelier Jan Czerny recommends a beer to pair with each recipe, one you can purchase at the Bierhandlung beer shop.

Münstermarkt - © FWTM-Baschi Bender

From the Cathedral Market we continue to the House of Baden Wines, which enjoys an eventful history and opened in 1997. Now you may be asking yourself: ‘What does Baden wine have to do with Freiburg beer?’ It’s very simple: The operators of the House of Baden Wines joined forces with the Ganter Brewery to develop “wier.”

The new drink, which is neither beer nor wine, but a delicious aperitif, scores points with the tart note of beer and the fruity freshness of wine. See for yourself and try a glass of wier in the House of Baden Wines.

Frau mit einer Flasche "Wier" - Kreation aus Bier und Wein - © FWTM-Antal

Now you’re well fortified and ready to discover medieval Freiburg on foot. In the “Schneckenvorstadt” (“Snail Suburb”), numerous craftsmen worked along the former commercial canal. On a beer tour while enjoying a delicious beer and a small snack, you will learn interesting and entertaining stories about the barbers, brewers, and tanners who worked there in the Middle Ages; for example, on a Historix tour.

Want to learn more about delicacies such as the Gugelhupf bundt cake, the Markgräfler, or the Black Forest ham? Then you should join the gourmet tour through Freiburg. Psst! You can also taste more than a few specialties!

Bier mit Brezel und Kartoffelsalat - © Bernd Juergens - Shutterstock

Midday:

If you’re still hungry despite the delicacies, it’s time for a lunch break. Once you’ve made it back to Cathedral Plaza, the Ganter Brewery bar in the “Haus zum Roten Eber” (“House of the Red Boar”) will lure you in with hearty dishes and regional beer specialties. During a small digestive stroll through Oberlinden, you can enjoy the ancient charm of Freiburg’s oldest quarter. It’s worth a look down here: One of the Rheinkiesel mosaics shows a beer mug, and is perfect as a photo motif.

Bier Mosaik in Freiburg - © FWTM-Antal

Of course, you can’t leave without a little shopping! At the Craftbeer Lodge or the aforementioned Bierhandlung beer shop, you can buy delicious regional souvenirs like local craft beer for your loved ones at home. If the weather permits, take a breather at the Stühlinger Kirchplatz and enjoy the view of the Sacred Heart Church.

Große Auswahl in der Craft Beer Lodge - © FWTM-Cozort

Shopping works up a thirst – off we go to the Feierling Brewery! During the warm summer months, you can find a nice spot in Freiburg’s oldest beer garden – which can accommodate around 700 guests. If you can’t find a free table, you can buy a two-liter bottle in the restaurant, have it filled, and simply look for a shady spot by the Dreisam. The beer garden is open from March until late autumn. However, you can try the bottom-fermented beer brewed here even in the winter. The “Inselhopf” – the house specialty – is a fresh, full-bodied beer that is served naturally cloudy and brewed with ecological raw materials.

Evening:

In the evening light, take a walk along the Dreisam to the Ganter Brewery. On the way, you’ll walk through a pedestrian underpass, the so-called “Hall of Fame,” where you can admire multiple colorful graffiti pieces.

If you visit the Ganter Brewery on a Friday, plan your arrival so that you can take part in the open tour of the traditional family brewery. It's held every Friday on the hour at 6:00 or 7:00 pm. After that, it’s time for a little break: Stop off in the brewery’s beer garden and try a real “Freiburger” or one of the many other Ganter beers.

For a hearty, Freiburg-style dinner, it’s best to head back to the heart of the city. The Martin's Bräu brew house is located directly next to the Martin’s Gate and the Markthalle (Market Hall). Here you will find all kinds of regional delicacies such as suckling pig or the Black Forest plate. And don’t forget a good beer, too! Try a craft beer – the master brewer creates a new specialty every month.

A long, eventful day focused on beer comes to an end. For the perfect finale, we recommend visiting one of the most beautiful beer gardens in the region: the Kastaniengarten on the Schlossberg. From there, you can enjoy the heavenly view.

Tip: To experience a view of the Old Town bathed in red sunlight up to the Rhine plain, come in time for sunset. Bands, who often entertain Kastaniengarten visitors with live music, provide the perfect evening atmosphere.