Augsburg

(I'm having some trouble connecting to the hotel's WLAN, so this might get posted later than usual.)

There's a little snow on the ground here in Warthausen this morning. Paris and I are staying in the Safarizimmer at the Knopf & Knopf hotel. It's kind of a weird-yet-fun little place, and it's conveniently located right next to the train station. We got here about 6:00 last night after three planes, three trains, 18 hours, and a beer at Stuttgart airport and another at the hotel. (Follow along on the map.)

The Safari Room at Knopf & Knopf

Two buttons good for two free beers at Knopf & Knopf

So yeah, it's snowing and raining. I waited at Warthausen Bahnhof for the bus to take me to Biberach. Then the train to Ulm was delayed, so I had to take a different train — which stopped at Warthausen Bahnhof — to Laupheim, where I would change for Ulm. While I was waiting at Laupheim for the Ulm train (which was delayed) two more (delayed) trains stopped at Laupheim on their way to Ulm, but I couldn't get to them in time. I eventually got to Augsburg an hour and 45 minutes later than planned. I'll have to rework tomorrow's schedule, and maybe consider paying the extra €15 to take the fast trains. I did have time for a short Gold Ochsen beer at Ulm.

On the walk from Augsburg Bahnhof, I passed Brauerei Hasen. I'll look for an Ausschank tomorrow.

Brauerei Hasen, Augsburg

Augsburg's Brauerei zur Goldenen Gans serves lunch from a buffet. An all-vegetarian buffet. The spinach spätzle and curried broccoli were actually very tasty.

The former Brauerei zur Goldenen Gans, Augsburg

Apparently I was invisible. Other people got beers, water, wine, etc, but I never did. I left my money on the table and hit the road. This is the first time I've been to a Brauereigaststätte (in any language) where I didn't get a beer. But then, their sign says they serve beers from Kloster Scheyern, so I don't think they actually brew here. I'll take them out of my database, and unless you're really in the mood for vegetarian cooking, I'll recommend that you skip this place.

Augsburg's mascot is apparently a guy beating something to death with a stick

I walked right past Gasthausbrauerei König von Flandern, and I almost walked past it again before I found it. It's in the cellar of a building near the north end of the Fußgängerzone, and once inside, it does feel like you're in an old beer cellar. The brewer said he got a late start today, so he was just mashing in when I got there around 2:00pm. Except for the overly-floral Dunkel, the beers were very good indeed.

Gasthausbrauerei König von Flandern, Augsburg

On the way back to the Bahnhof, I figured I had time to stop by Der Commerzienrat for some beers from Brauhaus Riegele. It's a nice place, located in the former Riegele brewhouse, but the bartender didn't seem too happy to have a foreigner ordering small beers. I had a Dunkles and the eponymous Commerzienrat Helles, and he told me the bill was "four yuuuu-rohz and eighty pentz", and "enchoy your schtay in Chermany". According to his conversation with one of the regulars at the bar, they thought I was English.

Der Commerzienrat, Augsburg

Brauhaus Riegele, near the Augsburg Hauptbahnhof

I killed a little time at Ulm Hbf with a Gold Ochsen Pils. If I had my shit together — or at least an Internet connection — I'd know that I haven't taken notes on any Gold Ochsen beers. I should be able to rectify that tomorrow.

Paris wasn't at the hotel yet when I arrived at a quarter to seven*, so I had some Meckatzer Weizen in the bar while I tried to get the WLAN to work.

*It turns out she got to the hotel just a couple of minutes before I did, and she was up in the room during the two hours I was in the bar. Once we finally connected, we went back to the bar and had more Meckatzer Weizenbiere.

Tomorrow: Augsburg again