Germany

You can’t capture the essence of zoigl by brewing the beer. Franz D. Hofer, longtime zoigl enthusiast and author of the Tempest in a Tankard blog, shares insights into what makes the family-run zoiglstuben so special.

“I could buy conventional grain and save some thousands of bucks per year, but then I don’t have anything to tell,” Jan Kemker says. “I don’t know if we need to call it terroir. It’s liquid storytelling, I think.”

This elegant but cozy neighborhood bar's star-studded beer selection has made it a destination for European geeks and wayfarers.

In the foothills of the Alps, Schönramer Brewmaster Eric Toft is a tinkerer and fine-tuner of highly addictive lagers.