Lange Straße 46
96047 Bamberg
Tel: 0951/287 50
www.sternla.de
Bamberg station 1.2km
Opening hours:
Closed Monday
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 22:00
Output: ?? HL
Founded in 2019, Sternla is the youngest brewery on Bamberg’s illustrious scene but to help make up for matters it’s housed in the town’s oldest inn, with some of the foundation stones dating back to 1380. The interior is a mix of old and modern and the interior courtyard makes for a pleasant place on a warm day.
traditional with modern touches
I must admit I wasn’t overly intrigued with Sternla as my experience at one of the other newer brewpubs in town was less than stellar. I stopped in briefly the year it opened but wound up in a hallway area and had mixed impressions. Since I had never been inside the old inn, I gave it a more fair try on my recent trip to Bamberg in spring 2021. The interior wasn’t open the day I visited due to COVID restrictions but thankfully, it was a nice day and I could sit out in the pleasant courtyard. It was quite busy and I was just in time to get a spot at that. I started with their flagship Export and ordered a hearty Schnitzel with Bratkartoffeln.
a tasty Export & huge Schnitzel
It’s a good thing I ordered the big meal as I liked the Export enough to get their Märzen and when I spoke to a brewer at the next table, he told me the Zwickel was quite good too so I got that, as well.
the rest of the line-up was pretty okay too
I left impressed enough with the beer and food to say I wouldn’t hesitate to return. While I don’t find it particularly Franconian, it offers good food and well-made beer in a nice setting. If you are looking for true Franconia, it’s best to head to one of the other more traditional breweries. If you have a very limited time frame, I’d also go to experience Schlenkerla or Spezial. If you do have time and are looking for a change of pace, this will definitely do the trick!
Sternla Bock
I returned in November and their Bock was on tap. While not up there with the very best in the area, it was again well-made and relatively dry, something many Hellerbocks don’t manage. I’ll try to make it back in December for their Dunkles Festbier.
Sternla Weihnachtsbier & a great dish of fried eggs & potatoes
We returned in December to check out their Dunkles Festbier only to find out it wasn’t brewed this season. We were disappointed but the replacement Grünhopfen Weihnachtsbier was cold-hopped and quite good. We both opted for a massive plate of Bratkartoffeln mit Spiegeleier and were quite happy we had!
Fastenbock & soup
I returned on a Friday in March 2022 to check out their new dark Fastenbock. It was much better than their Hellerbock so returned on Sunday that weekend to get our new favorite meal in town, Bratkartoffeln mit Spiegelei. It was chilly despite the sun so got a soup which was in need of some salt. Otherwise, it was a nice broth. It’s unusual for soup to not be salty in Germany, generally overly so!
the new Kellerbier, Bratkartoffeln mit Eier & my first Sternla Weißbier
Seasonal beers tend to draw me in. Well, that and good food. Once again I dropped by to try the new Sternla Kellerbier and while there decided to eat one of my go-to meals as of late. The beer was one of their less interesting but it went well with the food and hit the spot on a hot summer day.
Beer calendar:
Fastenbock during Lent
Hellerbock in November
Dunkles Festbier in December (seems to have been replaced by Grünhopfen Weihnachtsbier)
Rotating seasonal beers each month such as: Kellerbier, Zwickel, Weißbier
Back to Bamberg.