Bayreuth is the crème de la crème of culture – and the beer is in a league of its own thanks to Liebesbier. The name is known as one of the best brewing spots in Germany with its craft beer brewery and food service. All for the love of beer – this passion resonates in every brick of this impressive building in the heart of the cultural district.
It is the same passion that drives Thomas Wenk, his wife Ute, Jeff Maisel and their business partner Andrea Bauernfeld to give it everything they've got every day. Wenk has succeeded in creating an El Dorado of craft beer culture in the old Maisel Brewery building from 1887. It features large event spaces as well as the bottling room with the charm of an American bar and a tasting room for gatherings with that extra little something. Then there is the brewing museum which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the ‘most comprehensive beer museum in the world.’
Inside Liebesbier. From 8:30 am, breakfast is served for 300 indoors. When the temperatures rise, 1,000 hungry and thirsty customers travel in from 100 km radius every day. There is a grill, plenty of eating and drinking, and a brewery, too, right in the middle of the space so everyone can watch live. This is not just for show.
RENOVATING THE OLD BREWERY – A HERCULEAN TASK
The design took a year and a half, the build took the same again. It was a huge feat but it was a success and yielded a very special place. Wenk is head chef, hotel expert and all-rounder, trained in luxury establishments and with a true soft spot for food service concepts. All of this becomes clear at Liebesbier. There is no chintz. All of the materials are appear sturdy, rugged and authentic. Wood crackles on the open fire, a window opens into the kitchen and displays the salt blocks shimmering in the dry-aging chamber. Some international street art gives the whole thing a special finishing touch. There is no need to add to these aesthetics.
Beer fans will struggle to choose from the 21 taps and around 100 bottled craft beers including In your face by Crew Republic from Unterschleissheim, Germany, with its pinewood notes. Employees are trained to advise customers, as well as helping practically.
The spirit of craft is alive and well in the kitchen, too. Wenk has high standards. Regional cuisine is blended with international, giving classic dishes an experimental twist. ‘Quality starts with not shipping your products half way around the world,’ explains our experienced restaurateur. Even the bread is baked in house. By 2021, the team will have created an entire site in the same vein including a craft coffee roastery, holiday flats and a unique boutique hotel.
5,000 GLASSES PER EVENING: ‘WITH THAT, YOU LEARN THAT QUALITY IS KEY IN THE LONG TERM!’
From gigs to poetry slams, there is always something happening and when something is happening, the venue is full. The craft brewing festival is one such occasion. Live bands, artists and brewers turn the building into one big festival. Everyone enters the fray with their own glass, with every guest receiving a fresh glass for every taster. That creates a mountain of glasses: around 5,000 will be in circulation. These have to be washed at a pace or everything could come to a standstill. This is where MEIKO comes in.
There's no need to polish by hand. Reliability and a flawless finish are guaranteed. ‘We did previously use other manufacturers but our experiences with MEIKO have been so positive that we had to make the switch across the board,’ says Wenk. Five MEIKO dishwashing machines ensure top-class results on both glassware and kitchen utensils. Three are M-iClean U glasswashers and one is a M-iClean H hood type dishwashing machine. Wenk comments, ‘With that, you learn that quality is key in the long term. That is clear looking at the washing results and that is why we are considering getting a conveyor dishwashing machine, too.’
