Leipzig
Leipzig is not a mecca for craft beer, but it's claim to fame is home of the original gose style beer. While technically not the true home of gose which really was Goslar hundreds of years ago, it's the home of the rebirth of gose in the late 20th century, although most gose brewing was moved to Leipzig in the early 1700s. If you're not familiar with the gose style, it basically gives the middle finger to Reinheitsgebot, with wheat making up nearly 50% of the malt bill, lactobacillus for the tartness and some salt and coriander for good measure. Remove the salt and coriander and you basically have Berliner Weiss. If you are in or near Leipzig, you should definitely visit one of the 2 breweries producing goses and they are slightly different but both good.
Ohne Bedenken Gosenschenke
This brewery was on my hit-list as its claim to fame is that they are the brewery that first revived the gose Ritterguts style. It resides in the original location which started brewing in 1899. The building is both rustic and traditional. Ohne Bedenken translates to 'without concern' which was the response given by the tavern's first waiter when asked whether or not the gose was actually drinkable. The name stuck. I was not disappointed by their gose as it is the best one I've ever had. Perfect tartness and just the right amount of salt and coriander to balance everything out. If you want something beyond the traditional gose style beer, they offer 12 variations which include the original gose with different flavors or syrup or liquor added. There is a large beer garden outside and ample seating inside. The beer garden gives you the feel that you truly are in a garden as is is surrounded by large trees and other plants. Enjoy your gose with a traditional German meal or just a warm salty pretzel. Either way, it's a true classic and if you are looking for a classic gose, this is the one to drink. Location: Menckestraße 5 1 Nearest Metro: Fritz-Seger Strasse, Tram Line 12 Updated Sep '16
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The Beer Garden
Original Gose Style Bottle
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Bayerischer Bahnhof Gosebrauerei
Large brewery and restaurant that seemed to be a little more on the upscale side. Many people were dressed a little more than just casually. Only reservations will get you a table, otherwise, there is both a bar area and outdoor beer garden with open seating. This place was quite busy. The brewery sits on top of the oldest functioning train station in Germany (same name minus the gosebrauerei). The tartness was much more subtle than the gose at Ohne Bedenken. It seemed to be saltier, as well. Still, it was very enjoyable. It paired nicely with a fresh soft salty pretzel. Other beer styles are also served here and I enjoyed a very solid pilsner, also brewed by them. Location: Bayrischer Plaza, 1 Nearest Metro: Bayerischer Bahnhof, SBahn - multiple lines, Tram Lines 2, 9 and 16 Updated Sep '16
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Bayerischer Bahnhof Gose Brewing System
Bayerischer Bahnhof Bar Area
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Brauhaus an der Thomaskirche
Brauhaus an der Thomaskirche is located in the heart of the city center next to Thomaskirche, the Bach Museum and other interesting sites to see. This brewery and restaurant has the capability to brew 250,000 liters of beer per year. All beer is brewed to the German Purity Law, thus you will only find the typical German styles of beer here - bock, pilsner, wheat, etc. The bar is a little on the small side when compared to the large restaurant and the huge outdoor patio. While there are numerous restaurants in the city center, it's a great place to stop in and have some freshly brewed beer with a bite to eat after seeing some of the Leipzig sites. Location: Thomaskirchhof 3-5 Nearest Metro: Markt, SBahn - multiple lines or Thomaskirche, Tram Line 9 Updated Sep '16
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Bar Area
Outdoor Patio
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