Only after doing the usual forced march around the train station in Bamberg did we learn that at long last, there's an exit from the tracks opening at Brennerstrasse, making it far easier to access the myriad joys of Cafe Abseits, which might be thought of as the "Rich O's" of German beers.
In the photo above, you can see the long way, with the world-famous Weyermann malting house looming in the distance.
Another first: My previous visits to Cafe Abseits were in winter, so this was the first opportunity to sit outside. It's a comfy, welcoming beer garden, filled with laughter from customers and children at the adjacent school (to the left).
Owner Gerhard Schoolman joined us during a delightful lunch for an instructive chat about the current state of beer in Bamberg, Bavaria and the rest of Germany. Joe selected a beer from the Weyermann malting house's test brewery, Cafe Abseits being the only establishment outside of Weyermann's building to serve "test" beer releases. Joe's smoked lager was tasty indeed.
I drained a few glasses of regional Helles beers, savoring the smooth expertise, and hoping that they never, ever, undergo a Kafkaesque metamorphosis into IPA. Some things just need to be left as they are. Gerhard confirmed the existence of the new Brennerstrasse rail station entrance, so we walked that way. Inside it is a storage area for bikes -- crisp, efficient, and entirely sensible.
Later in the afternoon, we trekked to the Wunderberg neighborhood and the estimable Mahrs brauerei. The ceramic-clad "ungespundet" lager was just the ticket on a warm, lovely day.
The pathway back to Spezial is a street along the canal. I could live in one of these rooms. Easily.
After a round at Brauerei Fässla, we finished the Bamberg segment with another meal at Spezial. Especially noteworthy were my Leberkäse and Karen's
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