Featured photo: The fans at Mahr’s in Bamberg and their Weizenbocks, 1995. Photo by the late, great George Schroeder.
The latest installment of my ongoing “40 Years in Beer” narrative takes us back to 1995, when I was faced with a dilemma: the beer and pizza business was picking up, and my traditional travel objective of lengthy overseas stays was becoming problematic.
It remains that pragmatism is the most useful concept. If trips needed to become of shorter duration, they’d be taken more often. At least it was the golden age of frequent flier miles. I also began thinking about ways to organize group excursions for F.O.S.S.I.L.S. club members, Rich O’s customers and just about anyone else who wanted to come along.
The first such “escorted” excursion came in March of 1995, as linked below. The last came in September, 2008. They took place with small groups and large; by train, minibus, motor coach and bicycle. When the Bank Street Brewhouse project got real and I became a craft beer localist (rather like KISS performing without makeup, eh?) my spare time evaporated, and for three whole years Europe suddenly was off limits, group or solo.
It made me a dull boy —...Read more
