Heckenhof is little more than a plot of land on which Kath-Bräu stands. That it is perhaps the cutest little brewery you’d care to imagine is not lost on the thousands who pilgrimage here every year. It’s particularly popular with motorcyclists who seem as enthralled with their cake as their beer.
Kathi-Bräu
Heckenhof 1
91347 Aufseß
Tel: 09198-277
Ebermannstadt Station 16 km/irregular bus service to nearby Aufsess
Opening hours:
Daily from 9
Output: 1000 HL
Founded in 1498, the smallest of the Aufsess breweries has been in the able hands of Joseph Schmitt since 1976 though the breweries name comes from Kathi Meyer who ran it previously. The old stone house is original and much photographed. It houses a few small rooms for use in colder months but most come to sit outside and admire the atmospheric structure while sipping on their legendary dark beer, the Braunes Lagerbier.
Their tasty Braunes Lagierbier with a great mixed cheese plate
My first time here, it was Good Friday and there was no meat on the menu. I generally don’t order cheese plates in Franconia, not so much because I don’t like cheese but because they are pretty lame. The mixed meat plates are their forte but I must day, I was glad it wasn’t an option this day or I’d have missed this fine assortment of cheeses. It went very well with both the everyday Lagerbier and Bock.
cakes and dark Bocks go well together
I’ve been back a few times since and now I can see why their cakes are so popular with bikers. They’re homemade and excellent. My wife has generally been the designated driver when we come here but on this occasion, we’d hiked up the entire circuit and this was one of our last stops. We’d had a nice big lunch and it was a perfect time to have the cake. Both were excellent and their Dunkles Bockbier went really well with it. In fact, I enjoyed the Bock more with the cake than I had on any previous stop.
Beers: Braunes Lagerbier.
Beer calendar:
- Dunkles Bockbier from the first weekend in March until the end of April
- Bockbierfest the first two weekends of March
- Kirchweih is the 4th weekend in August
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