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Bayreuther HELL beer

My wife is an international US based pilot. She recently returned from Germany with a few great tasting beers named Bayreuther HELL. She couldn't recall if they were purchased in Frankfort or Munich. I have e-mailed the Maisel Brewery in Bayreuth but received a confusing response. They listed a Munich address that supposedly distributes this particular beer but the building is now abandoned.

What brewery in Bayreuth makes Bayreuther HELL? Is it made at the Maisel Brauerei? To me anyway it seems the Maisel’s Weisse dominates beer talk regarding Bayreuth but I would like to purchase some Bayreuther HELL on my next Munich visit this March. I e-mailed one of that areas larger beverage chains, Orterer, to no avail, regarding the availability of Bayreuth HELL. Does anyone here pass on any info on where I can find this great tasting beer and if so do you know if it’s available in keg form? Thanks for any input.

Posted by
12040 posts

The beer market in Germany is very regional. There's a handful of brewers that distribute nationwide, but most are only available within a limited geographical area... some don't even leave their home town.

I had to look up Bayreuther Hell, and I think I've tried it (I recognize the label)... at a restaurant in Bayreuth. I lived in Germany for several years, and the last several months was just to the south of Bayreuth, and I don't think I ever saw it in stores. I doubt you will find it stocked in any store much further south in Munich. I think if you wanted to get some more, you would have to take a trip to Bayreuth.

Also, I've never seen a beer distributor that supplies kegs to the general public.

PS- It's produced by a different brewer than Maisel, called Bayreuther Brauhaus.

Posted by
8889 posts

Hell is German for light, it just means it is a clear lager-like beer. Most breweries in Germany produce a Hell beer, but they all taste slightly different
The opposite of Hell is Dunkel (=dark). Dunkel Bier is just as common.

Posted by
296 posts

Emily: I did e-mail the address you listed and they sent me a building location (that I googled via their maps) which is about 25 miles NW of Munich. As to where to go from there regarding contacting the folks inside this building regarding this particular beer it's like good luck. I need an e-mail not a location.

Posted by
1289 posts

I can buy the Bayreuther Hell beer at the link below here in Grafenwoehr at a Cash Getränke (beverage store). Cash is a local firm though. They also have the Bayreuther Weissbeir. Looks like you can buy it on Amazon.de, but don't know if they would ship to the USA. I called the Brauerei and they are the same firm as Maisel. I asked where you can buy it near the Munich Airport. They are supposed to get back to me...

http://www.bayreuther-bier.de/unser_bier/bayreuther_hell_63.html

http://www.amazon.de/Bayreuther-Bierbrauerei-Hell-vol/dp/B00I32BFIS

Posted by
4407 posts

"Also, I've never seen a beer distributor that supplies kegs to the general public."

I've never known one that didn't. But that could be a state-by-state thing. The northeastern part of the country has some quite 'different' rules and regs for alcohol...

Jerry, good luck on yet another beer hunt! Let us know if you two ever find this beer. And buy your wife a beer journal, for heaven's sake ;-)

Posted by
12040 posts

"Also, I've never seen a beer distributor that supplies kegs to the general public."

Perhaps I should have added "in Germany". I asked about this once when I was planning a reception. The store clerk asked if I had an operator's license, which of course, I didn't. I don't know if this was just a law of the particularly Bundesland where I lived (Hessen) or a federal law, but I heard of the same thing applying in Baden-Württemberg.

Posted by
1289 posts

The Brauerei called back. They told me that the Bayreuther Hell can be bought in Freising about 5 miles from the Munich airport at:

REWE (a chain grocery store)
Bahnhofstraße 7
85354 Freising
+49 8161 50315
https://www.rewe.de/

Getränke Fleischmann (a chain beverage store)
Landshuter Str. 23
85356 Freising
+49 08161 665 41
http://www.getraenke-fleischmann.de/

Search Google Map and I would recommend calling ahead to make sure...

Posted by
4407 posts

Woo-hoo! Party at Jerry's...

And thanks, mchpp, for all of your work on this :-)

Posted by
296 posts

Mchpp: Can't thank you and all others enough for all of your legwork.

I have e-mailed many entities and was told the Kraemer group stocked this particular beer in Olching (20+ miles train ride from Munich) from that respective brewery but received this response at (info@getraenke-maerkte-kraemer.de):

Dear Jerry,
Sorry we don´t have Bayreuther Hell.
Kind regards
Katharina Krämer

Looks like we'll be taking a ride to Freising now. And yes I would invite all if logistics allowed for such.

Posted by
296 posts

REWE (Bahnhofstraße 7 85354 Freising) to the airport on BAHN 635 bus service which occurs every 20 minutes. About a 17 minute ride so says google. I'll contact the REWE folks and see what they have to say.

In all of this research for a one beer brand I was informed, on a beer rating website, that the beer in question, Bayreuther HELL, is basically their (Maisel, which is also Bayreuther) old Aktien Hell re-branded and filled in retro-labeled bottles. And I was also informed they fill kegs. This guy used to live near the brewery, they had it on tap at their huge beer garden.

So we'll see in late March how this all plays out. Can't wait.