Visited on: Saturday 28th July 2018

Bob Thompson

There are a number of small villages in Franconia that are lucky enough to possess two breweries. Wattendorf is one of these but it is doubtful that any of them have two in such close proximity. Brauerei Hübner is almost directly opposite Brauerei Dremel, on the other side of Hauptstrasse (Main Street). We had intended to visit it both but Hübner was temporarily closed because of a family bereavement.

Dremel is the smaller of the two with an annual output of just 500 hl. The brewery’s origins go back to 1773 and has been in the control of the Dremel family since 1865, as it remains today with Gerd Dremel in charge.

When I visited I was with a party of enthusiastic beer lovers travelling through this part of Oberfranken (Upper Franconia) visiting normally inaccessible (by public transport) small village breweries.

After ascertaining that Brauerei Hübner was not going to open that day we walked into the courtyard of Brauerei Dremel. There were a number of typical Bavarian biergarten benches and tables so we took our places there.

The brewhouse is on the left of the yard next to an old wooden storage barn and had a number of bird nesting boxes on the outside. There were also some holes into the interior, presumably for Swifts to enter.

There were many flowering plants on the walls of the various buildings giving good effect.

The attractive Gastätte was on the right. I had a look around it later on when I went in to use the facilities.

There are two rooms and the main one was very attractive with varnished wood furniture and fitted bench seats around the wall. The colourful curtains framed the windows; the ledges of which held a number of pot plants. The whole scene appeared conductive to convivial beer drinking.

There are three regular beers produced on the wood fired brewing equipment. There are a light and dark Landbier, both believed to be 4.5% abv. Since 2011, they have also brewed Hefeweizen (4.9%), a wheat beer. For Kirchweih on the first weekend after Ascension day they offer Festbier (5.6%). The same beer returns for the Hof Fest on the first weekend in August. Finally Bockbier arrives at the end of October and lasts until after New Year’s day.

Food is available on all sessions. From Wednesday to Friday there is a smaller menu consisting of mainly pan fried dishes. This is expanded on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays to include steaks and Schnitzels. Also on Sunday lunchtimes between 11.30 and 13.00, there is a Mittagstiche (Midday table) which is a selection of Franconian traditional dishes, mainly roast meats.

Another village brewery that replays a visit. Especially as you call in at another whilst you are here.

Important Information:

Brauerei Dremel, Haupstrasse 21, 96196 Wattendorf. Tel: 09504 271. Web: brauerei-dremel.de

Hours: Monday-Tuesday: Closed; Wednesday-Saturday: 16.00-22.00;
Sunday/Holiday: 10.00-13.30/16.00-22.00

As mentioned it is an almost impossible to reach Wattendorf by bus. You might be able to go one way.
The route is 1214. Go to the VGN website to see if anything is possible.