If you know me even a little, you know my heart beats for beer as much as—maybe more than—wine. So, when an international wine cruise along the Danube turned into a full-blown beer extravaganza, no one was shocked. We do make beer as well wine here at Holly’s Hill after all. Last year, my wife Carrie and I led 70 of our favorite wine clients on an epic journey from Budapest to Germany, sipping stellar varietals like Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch, Riesling, and decadently sweet Tokaj. But before we even boarded the ship, we dove headfirst into Europe’s beer scene, chasing pints in some of the coolest spots imaginable.
Munich: Starkbierfest Shenanigans
Our adventure kicked off in Munich, where, by pure luck, we stumbled into Starkbierfest—Oktoberfest’s rowdier, springtime sibling. Held in April, this festival celebrates “stark” (strong) beers, brewed extra potent to honor a quirky tradition: monks once crafted these heavy-hitters to survive Lent’s liquid-only fast. Cheating? Maybe. Genius? Absolutely.
After trudging through a spring snow, we landed at Paulaner’s Beer Hall, a chaotic sea of 3,000 lederhosen-clad Bavarians in their 20s, dancing on tables to a live band’s oompah beats. We were late, underdressed, and utterly clueless about how to join the revelry. Enter our savior: a kind local who schooled us in fest etiquette. “One starkbier,” he warned, “then switch to lighter Helles.” Why? Because the only size is a 1-liter stein—nearly three American cans—and no one stops at one. We dove in, munching giant pretzels, swaying to old-timey tunes, and toasting our jet lag away.
Biking and Beer Gardens
With fest fever in our veins, we tackled Munich’s sunnier side. A bike tour through the sprawling English Garden led us to Chinesischer Turm, a five-story Chinese pagoda towering over a 7,000-seat beer garden pouring Hofbräu’s finest. A liter of beer before hopping back on a bike? Questionable. But a plate of Currywurst—sausage slathered in spicy curry ketchup and dusted with curry powder—kept us grounded. It’s practically a law to pair it with beer here.
Over lunch, our guide scoffed at our plan to visit Weihenstephan Brewery, just 30 minutes away. “Why drink stranger beer when we have Augustiner?” he asked, embodying Europe’s fierce local pride. Naturally, we had to sample Augustiner’s Helles and Weissbier, too. Spoiler: it was divine.
Prague: Pilsner Perfection
Munich’s beer scene left us thirsty for more, so we jetted to Prague, where culture, history, and Czech brews awaited. I had my sights set on Budweiser Budvar, the OG Budweiser locked in a decades-long trademark feud with America’s Anheuser-Busch. It was solid on draft, but Pilsner Urquell stole the show. We trekked to Pilsen, the birthplace of Pilsner, where the world’s first golden lager was born. Our holy grail? Lokal, a Prague restaurant serving “tank beer” straight from massive tanks. This wasn’t just fresh—it sparkled with a vibrancy you only get at the brewery. I’m typing this in my Pilsner Urquell hoodie. Total beer nerd.
Weihenstephan: The Grand Finale
Back in Munich for our flight to Budapest, where the wine cruise awaited, we squeezed in one last beer stop: Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery. Once a monastery, it’s now a Bavarian government-owned brewing university. A friend who studied there brews for a major U.S. firm—talk about credentials. Perched on a hill, their cozy beer garden was perfection. I paired a frothy Weissbier with Weisswurst, Bavaria’s heavenly white sausage, now my go-to. It was the ultimate send-off to our beerapalooza and the perfect prelude to our wine-soaked cruise.
From Starkbierfest’s wild liters to Prague’s tank-fresh Pilsner and Weihenstephan’s historic pours, this trip was a love letter to beer—and a reminder that even on a wine cruise, I’ll always find a way to chase the perfect pint.
Salud,
Josh Bendick
Co-winemaker/Beermaker
