Every September, millions of visitors fly to Munich for Oktoberfest. Yet, the true center of German beer culture fibs three hours north in the medieval town of Bamberg.

The taste is unusual but nutritive. It is like blue cheese, mushrooms, or licorice–you put it aside after the first bite or feel forced to keep going. Fortunately, I am in the latter group. A toasty smell fills the air as if bleeding from the ancient wooden shafts supporting the low ceilings.

I stir my first sip of the coffee-colored fluid in my mouth, and my tastebuds burst with the notes of slow-roasted ham. The first time I try Rauchbier (smoke beer), I sit in the dimly lit Schlenkerla- a 600-year-old pub in the heart of Bamberg’s old village.

Germany’s Oktoberfest:

Rauchbier is the signature mixture in a city with an unrivaled brewing convention. Munich is usually considered the heart of German beer culture, with millions of visitors landing on the Bavarian capital yearly for Oktoberfest, the true center of German brewing lies in the Unesco-listed medieval village 230km North.

“According to an old proverb, you have to drink Seidlas (half a liter) to get used to the taste,” states Matthias Trum, owner and brewmaster of Schlenkerla, whose family has operated the pub for six generations.

The traditional German breweries:

Bamberg is a refined and comfy alternative for beer lovers who pick quality and variety over mere quantity. With the highest viscosity of breweries worldwide, the region claims the unofficial designation of “Beer Capital of The World.”

Unlike its Southern cousin, where six breweries manage the production and distribution of beer in and around Munich, Bamberg houses ten family-owned breweries within the city center and 174 in the surrounding Upper Franconia area, producing an assessed 2500 various beers.