Köslau is a small village nestled in the bucolic rolling hills of the Haßberg county of Lower Franconia, north of the Main river. Only 30 km from Bamberg, a half hour scenic car trip would bring you to the unassuming hamlet but if using public transportation, it looks to be a much involved affair. The closest towns reachable by train are Zeil am Main and Ebelsbach-Eltmann but even those are a fair hike or cycle. The logistics of how to get there are just your first obstacle. How to get in is the harder part.
Rennweg Brauer
Köslau 34
97486 Königsberg in Bayern (Köslau)
Tel: +49 (0) 9536 923 389
Rennweg-Brauer@web.de
www.rennweg-brauer.de
Ebelsbach-Eltmann 14 km/Zeil am Main 10 km
Opening hours:
Not open to the general public without prior arrangement
Output: 5 batches per year
Founded in 2019, the Rennweg Brauer in Köslau are one of the newer communal breweries in Lower Franconia but 35+ member club are enthusiastic and take their “hobby” seriously. Housed in an historic old brew house, the Kaspar Schulz brewing system is flawlessly installed in red brick fashion, utilizing the brewery which was in place.
wood-fired brewing kettle & refurbished museum piece brew house
A local friend who recently became a member brought me out to see the brew house and sample some beer still in the tank. Head member Oli was friendly and welcoming, explaining how the members brew and distribute the beer amongst themselves. Since it is privately funded, they can sell their beer to the public but they don’t have enough to do it, so nearly all the beer is consumed by them.
a rustic brew from the tank & the old brewing vessel
The tank beer was a lively one with some residual yeast but still nicely balanced with fair hopping. It was a Vollbier of about 6%. Oli explained it was only a few weeks old and wouldn’t be ready for a few more weeks so we adjourned to his house up the street to sample a more mature example of their beers, a lower gravity Kellerbier. This one had the unmistakable taste of Franconia, a walk in a country field in the Krug. It was a pleasant early summer evening and we had a few in his courtyard. His wife joined us, was every nice and it was handy as I was to meet her again at the Döflis Braufest a couple of days later. We gave a donation of about what we’d have paid in a small village pub and it seemed too generous so he gave us some back. They’re not there to make money but running such an operation has considerable costs and though it’s obviously a labor of love, it doesn’t hurt to get some money to pay the bills.
Oli’s Bierbank is a nice place for a really local brew
This was one of my top beer experiences of 2023. I’d like to thank Oli for his hospitality and José for not only driving me there but also for introducing me to the communal brewing world of Lower Franconia. The best way to visit is to hit their Oktoberfest September 30th or October 1st, 2023.
Beers: Kellerbier
Beer calendar:
Oktoberfest is the last weekend of October (30.09. & 01.10.2023) where the matured Vollbier will be on offer along with the Kellerbier and some Weißbier to complement their Weißwurstfrühstück!
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