Your Visit to SALZBURG and EDELWEISS
My, what a big Edelweiss
No trip to Austria would be complete without a glass or two of Edelweiss, especially in an authentic old Gasthaus. Let me give you a few tips for your Salzburg visit.
Your Visit to SALZBURG and EDELWEISS
My, what a big Edelweiss
After your visit to the castle on the mountain (die Festung),
a few churches or cathedrals, and of course, Amadeus' birthplace
and the Mozarteum, as well as the "Sound of Music" stage,
you will invariably end up around the corner in the "Altstadt"
(Old Town) with its age-old, medieval, narrow streets ( Gassen).
Few towns in western Germany have preserved these gorgeous, narrow
streets and old buildings. Here in the "Altstadt" a
must is a visit to the Gasthaus "Sternbräu," indicated
as Sternbräu,
Treff 23, Bierstube, Bürgersaal, etc. It's between the Getreidegasse
(pedestrian walk), and Griesgasse (Getreidegasse
34 and Greisgasse 23). It's a huge buidling with fourteen
rooms, many, however, are open ony in summer, or for special occasions,
a beer-garden in the "Arkadenhof" (arcade) with its
century-old chestnut trees, a "Pavillon" for self-service,
and a "Trachtenmuseum," a museum showing the history
of the clothes from the various eras and areas. It was first built
in the 13th century, and by the 1400s was already a brewery. In
1542 it was called Sternbräu, the owner was a "Piergrau"
( Bierbrauer or beer brewer). By 1810 it was called "Goldener
Stern" (Golden star), and was famous for its beer-garden
with its splendid chestnut tress, virtually a must for a beer-garden.
In 1929 the building was purchased by the Österreichische
Brau A.G . (the brewers of Edelweiss, Zipfer Pilsner and Kaiser
beer), restored and developed into a Gasthaus with an emphasis
on authentic Austrian cooking. As they state: "a gastronomical
experience." Don't worry if your German is not particularly
good, they don't speak German anyway, but rather their own Austrian
dialect, - a language which even some Germans, especially those
from the north, don't understand either. They have no menu in
English, but they are very friendly and helpful. Food, beer and
service works, and you will have no problem. Brian recommends
it!
Here follows my special, beer-lovers recommendations for Sternbräu:
-1- go into the Bierstübe (Treff 23), one of the most authentic
of their restaurants. Here you can sit at an old, rustic table,
and simply order a beer, - hopefully Edelweiss, sit peacefully
without ordering food, - no one will complain. Recently I saw
three people, actually old "ducks" well into their 70s
sit at a table for 2 1/2 hours with only one small beer each,
and that was during a Sunday lunch rush-hour. Even though the
restaurant was totally packed, no one was in the least perturbed
that they sat so long. (Don't try that at MacDonalds which is
only a few buildings away.) You may have to join other people
at a table, or they may join you. That is typical and to be expected,
- enjoy and meet the locals. Brian loved it!
-2- After 5 p.m. (also between 11:30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.), they
have an attractive bar, the "Braumeister" next to the
"Bierstübe" where you might have a better chance
of meeting the "IN" crowd. The "Braumeister"
has a neat bar, as well as two divided sections, one semi-secluded.
also recommended and authentic, the "Braumeister" and
not necessarily the secluded section.
-3- For a slightly more elegant yet still authentic restaurant,
they have the "Bürgersaal" where you could enjoy
a pleasant, quality meal. In reality all of the food comes from
one, central kitchen; hence the Bierstube and the Bürgersaal
have the same, quality food. In earlier days you would find the
Burgermeister (Mayor of the town) and the many city officials
and elite of the city dining there.
In both the Bierstube and the Bürgersaal, you can always
be safe and order a good "Wiener Schnitzel mit Bratkartoffeln"
eaten regularly by the natives as well as the tourists, or try
a" Zwiebelrostbraten," you'll like it. Interestingly,
an Edelweiss will cost you about $3.90, maybe less depending on
the currency exchange for the U.S. dollar.
Sternbräu offers a wide selection of beers, all from the
Brau A.G. , but not all of them are available in every room. They
are, however, as follows:
On tap, - Kaiser Premium, Edelweiss Hefetrüb, Sport Radler
(Kaiser Premium with lemon-lime), Kaiser Märzen, Kaltenhausen
Bernstein (only available in the vicinity of Salzburg), Kaiser
Kellerbier, Wieselburger, and at times Kaiser Festbock, and October
Bräu, and from the bottle, Kaiser Kur-Pils, Kaiser Doppelmalz,
and Edelweiss Dunkel and Kristallklar. Have a beer of two, but
I don't recommend that you try them all at one sitting, two maybe,
sittings or beers!
Edelweiss - The Brewery
If you stay a few days in Salzburg, you should definitely also
visit the Edelweiss brewery and its Gasthaus (actually a Bräustüberl*)
in Kaltenhausen (Hallein). It's about 10 miles
south of Salzburg, and especially easy and inexpensive to reach
by a local bus. Here one finds a really typical Austrian Bräustüberl
where primarily the natives, the workers from the brewery and
German tourists can be found. Once again my preference is to stay
in the main beer-hall to meet the natives. However, you may try
one of the other, slightly more elegantly appointed rooms and
imagine that you are joining the Bürgermeister and the other
town officials. As you enjoy your Edelweiss
in
the Braüstüberl you can look directly across the street
at the Sudhaus (where the wort is cooked), and notice the large,
copper kettles which are merrily churning and gurgling with the
next batch of Edelweiss or Kaiser beer. (I love the term "Sudhaus,"
it sounds like "suds-house," and if you've ever seen
the beer brewing, you'd agree that all you see is suds!)
Back to the beer-hall, the Bräustüberl of the Gasthaus
in Kaltenhausen. Here you may simply drink and enjoy, you may
order your food from the menu if you wish to eat, or you may even
saunter to the deli-counter and select exactly what you want.
Your tourist German will work exceptionally well here, - for example,"Uh"
- point, "Uh" - point, and "Uh that," and
point once again. Be sure however, that if you want one of something,
hold up your thumb only. You've undoubtedly heard of the American
who wanted one beer and held up his index finger; was he amazed
to receive two beers. Brian done real good.
If you doubt this story about thumb only, my friend from Arnstadt,
Thüringen, eastern Germany, visited me here in California,
and being confident of his newly acquired command of English ordered
two hamburgers. Ah hah, you guessed it, - he held up his thumb
and index finger, and could not understand why he only got one
hamburger. Not only have Americans trouble with some of these
idiocyncracies, - the reverse also happens.
You will find this trip a most enjoyable, and authentic experience,
one that most tourists seldom find.
* A Gasthaus should have overnight accomodations, while a Stüberl,
or Stübl, diminutive of Stübe, is more a restaurant
with food and beer.
How to reach Kaltenhausen and the brewery.
In front of the Salzburg Bahnhof you will find many platforms
for all of the local busses. Here, on Bussteig 2 a yellow/orange,
and black sign (not green and yellow) you must simply find a bus
that says "Salzburg, - Niederalm, - Hallein - Golling,"
but be careful to also say to the driver "Kaltenhausen."
With this combination you will be dropped off directly in front
of the brewery, a trip of about 30 minutes by the local bus, and
at a cost of about $4.00. The bus runs approximately every hour
from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., and hence you can also time you return
trip.
Although I have never driven to the brewery, Brian told me that
if you're driving, you should take highway 159. It's also an easy
trip.
For the real Edelweiss fans, anywhere that you travel in Austria,
if you see the Kaiser beer emblem hanging outside of a restaurant
or Gasthaus, you can be assured that you will find Edelweiss,
and Kaiser beers, and possibly Zipfer also, all from the Österreichische
Brau A.G. During the summer months you may further encounter one
of the many summer Fests, and in the photo below you will note
that a huge Edelweiss Fest in the "Altstadt" in Salzburg
is taking place.
And don't forget:
SAY "PROST!" to PA
Photos by Brian.
Who's Brian?
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