Sunday 1st June 2014
Bob Thompson
Whilst enjoying the steamy delights of Rheinland-Pfalz Transport Authority’s 25th anniversary celebrations I took some time off to visit this brew pub. This I would have otherwise not considered as possible whilst I was in this area, simply because it doesn’t open till 17.00, except on Sundays, but today was Sunday! So, having caught a steam train from my base in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse to Germesheim, I continued a little further on a normal local train to the strangely named village of Jockgrim.
It was a lovely sunny day as I walked the short distance from the station to the pub without encountering a single miserable or even slightly dour Scotsman. It wasn’t far and although I arrived a few minutes early the pub was open and I became its first visitor of the day.
On entering I adjusted my eyes to the lower light. I was approached by a gentleman whom I now know as Bärbel Dreyer, the owner, brewer, founder, and on this day, bartender of the pub.
I had time for two beers so I asked him for a Dunkel to start with. We then had the usual conversation....”Where are you from?”.... “What do think of the beer?” and so on.
Actually, I don’t think he has many visitors from other parts of Germany, let alone from outside the country. I told him I liked the dark beer and that was true, as it was definitely the right side of average; likewise the Helles beer. They were both unfiltered and unpasteurised, resulting in them being very cloudy. There was only a little discernible gas taste on the tongue.
I looked around the room. From the entrance door the small brewery is directly opposite; I would estimate that it is probably not greater than 200 hl capacity. To the right of this was the service counter which in this case was an actual bar with a number of stools along it. There was the same arrangement around the brewery with tall shelf-like tables and high stools. On one side of the room is a glass cabinet containing a large number of green frogs of the soft toy variety. After all, we were in the Frog Brewery and the pub is the “The Little Frog”. It was established in 1999.
The most striking feature of the room is the tree in the middle; I’m not joking. I think it is a real tree, or was once. I’m sure in June it would have had leaves if it was still alive! The large orange-curtained windows on three sides of the building give this main room a very light and airy feeling. Under these windows there is fixed seating with colourful cushioning. These face highly varnished wooden tables with loose seating.
There are three beers in the core year-round range: Froschbräu Helles (Light); Froschbräu Dunkel (Dark) and Froschbräu Weizen (Wheat). They also produce a number of seasonal and special beers.
I have been unable to find out what time of year Weizen Dunkel (Dark Wheat) is offered.
However the remainder are easy and they are: Maibock (May); Festbier (September / October) and Weinachtsbock (Christmas).
This pub has a Biergarten that can accommodate over 100 customers. There are many themed food evenings and they have several letting rooms and the pub would make a good base to visit this part of Rheinland-Pfaltz with its stunning cathedral city of Speyer. It is also fairly close to the Royal city of Karlsruhe in Baden-Wüttenburg. So apart from the beer and food, there are many reasons to visit this pub.
Important Information:
Froschbräu, Buchstrasse 5, 76751 Jockgrim. Tel: 07271 5478
Tuesday-Friday 17.00-24.00; Saturday & Monday 18.00-24.00;
Sunday 11.30-15.00, 17.00-24.00
The railway service at Jockgrim is part of the Karlsruhe S-Bahn (Suburban Railway) network and is served by an hourly service to and from that city on line S51.
The other end of the route is Germesheim.
The pub is close to the railway station. Whichever direction you arrive from, walk to the road level crossing at the north end of the station. Turn left and quite soon turn left into Buchstrasse. The pub is found a short distance along, on the right.
