Vierzehnheiligen is a noted place of pilgrimage for the non-beery as well. The ornate Baroque Rococo Basilica dates back to the mid-1700s and is justly a top attraction in the Bad Staffelstein area. Buses are a common sight but the best way to get here is on foot as there are many hiking trails. There is a popular hostel onsite and though there are no private baths, it is quite nice and modern. There are plenty of beer pilgimrims too so, as you can imagine, the small brewpub can be quite crowded. Thankfully, there’s a fair sized outside seating area.
Vierzehnheiligen
Of course, even without a beautiful basilica, it would be worth hiking up here for the beer at the timeless brewpub.
Brauerei Trunk Alt Klosterbrauerei
Vierzehnheiligen 3
96231 Bad Staffelstein
Tel: 09571 34 88
brauerei-trunk.de
Lichtenfels Station 4 km/Bad Staffelstein Station 6 km/limited bus service
Opening hours:
Daily from 10:00 to 8:00
Output: 4000 HL
Founded in 1803 and in the shadow of the Vierzehnheiligen Basilka, Brauerei Trunk gets its share of pilgrims who come to admire not only the church’s majestic interior but also the great dry Trunk Nothelfer Export Dunkel. I was happy to return here in 2019 after nearly 17 years since my first and only previous visit. It seemed the place hadn’t changed one bit thanks no doubt to the Trunk family running a traditional operation since 1989. I can assure you, I won’t wait as long before I venture here again.
simple interior of Brauerei Trunk
I’d taken an early train up from Munich and did a nice hike from Litchenfels to Vierzehnheiligen for my book Beer Hiking Bavaria. So, I was not only hungry but thirsty. I ordered a mixed meat plate as I knew it would last me through a few of their line-up of beers on tap. I started off with their flagship Dunkles, every bit as good as I had remembered.
Nothelfer Trunk Dunkel & their mixed meat plate
As hard as it was to not have another, I moved on to their also quite tasty Pils and after I’d noticed that many locals seemed to be drinking their seasonal Kellerbier, I opted for one of those before heading on my way.
Nothelfer Pils & Scheffeltrunk Kellerbier
I had originally thought about staying at the Basilika’s hostel but decided the time would be better spent hiking down to Loffeld to spend the night there. Though I’m glad I did just that, at the time I questioned my decision. Hope to return in winter for their Silberbock and Festbier.
Due to COVID-19, I couldn’t return to sample the winter specialties but I did manage to get some bottles of them to tide me over.
the Trunk winter specialties
I returned with a friend in autumn 2021 to find their Erntebier on tap and perhaps even better, all the scaffolding removed from the Basilica. I also got to sit in the surprisingly leafy Biergarten. It was a nice if short stop.
a short but sweet stop at Vierzehnheiligen
I finally got back during Lent to sample their incredible Fastenbock on tap. It was dangerously drinkable and I believe I’ll try to get there again for it next season.
the dangerously drinkable Fastenbock on tap
Beers: Nothelfer Export Dunkel, Nothelfer Pils, Nothelfer Lager, Nothelfer Bio-Weisse.
Beer calendar:
Fastenbock (bottle)/Fastenbock on tap from Ash Wednesday to Easter
Scheffeltrunk Kellerbier from Easter to September
Nothelfer Erntebier from September to the harvest
Nothelfer Silberbock from mid-November to January
Nothelfer Festbier from mid-November to January
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