Everyone knows that German beer is famous, but how many have actually tasted authentic German smoked beer among the thousands of brands and flavors available in Germany?

Here, I will specifically write about the night of exploring smoked beer in Bamberg, Germany.

On October 14, 2019, we arrived in Bamberg from Munich and checked into the Hotel Bamberger Hof Bellevue. We stayed for two nights in this hotel, which is a renovated 19th-century building, and we planned to explore the old town of Bamberg, the largest historical area in Germany that has not been destroyed by war, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

For five or six years, we have often traveled together, both domestically and internationally, with old friends and family.

One of our companions, Mr. An, traveled from London, England, to Geneva, Switzerland, to meet us. I want to say a bit more about Mr. An; he is from Beijing, a few years younger than me, and one of the first graduates in hotel management in China. He has been in senior management positions in the hotel industry since the mid-1980s and is well-known in the field. He is the head of several four- and five-star hotels in Beijing, and besides managing hotels, he is very passionate about life. He has a deep appreciation for food and wine, especially European beer.

During our journey through Switzerland and Germany, he, as usual, enjoyed local beers either alone or with us, savoring them while chatting, which was very delightful!

Before entering Bamberg, we heard from our local guide Wang Nan (a beautiful woman from Beijing) on the bus that Bamberg is famous for its beer, especially smoked beer, and she suggested that everyone should try it!

Curiosity drove Mr. An to disregard the fatigue of travel that evening and immediately take his wife to the old town for dinner and to seek out smoked beer.

Beer is the signature drink of Bamberg, and it is said that there are 11 breweries in the city, with around 60 breweries in the surrounding area, producing over 400 different flavors and brands of beer.

Smoked beer originated in Germany, and as the name suggests, this type of beer is infused with smoke produced by burning wood, coal, or straw, which is absorbed by the malt in the beer, naturally giving it a unique flavor. Therefore, the beer brewed using this method is called smoked beer.

Today, several breweries in Bamberg still use traditional methods to produce their smoked beer, using beech wood, which is abundant in the area, as drying fuel. To ensure the quality of the wood, it is typically aged for three years and naturally dried before use, allowing it to provide a unique smoky aroma. Bamberg is the only place that produces smoked beer, making it beloved and sought after by seasoned beer enthusiasts!

Smoked beer, once a representative of a distant and outdated era, has now become a fashionable representation of new beer flavors.

The main consumer group for smoked beer in Bamberg, besides locals and tourists, includes members of beer groups from Europe and the United States who often come here specifically to drink smoked beer.

That being said, while Mr. An and his wife were out for dinner, I went to the large bar on the first floor of the hotel. I was curious about what smoked beer was. I saw several other companions chatting while holding glasses of smoked beer and inviting me to join them. However, since my usual drinking companions, Mr. An, Old Jia, and Old Hou, were not present, I lost interest in tasting beer and turned back to my room to drink the whiskey I had brought.

Due to my gout, I don't particularly enjoy drinking beer; I have only developed a habit of drinking Scottish single malt whiskey in recent years. However, when I travel deeply in European countries each year, I occasionally drink local beer to blend in. To be honest, I initially did not pay much attention to Bamberg's smoked beer.

The next day at breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Mr. An mysteriously told me: I found an authentic old shop for smoked beer last night, and I will take you all there tonight. I replied dismissively: The bar in our hotel is quite large and also serves smoked beer. He said: That is absolutely different; you will see once you go.

Drinking beer with Mr. An is always a good choice. Throughout this journey, my enjoyable beer experiences have all involved him: from enjoying draft beer at an Italian restaurant in Zermatt, Switzerland, after descending from the Matterhorn, to sharing pork knuckle and dark beer at a popular old restaurant in Munich, and drinking local specialty East German red beer in Dresden; even during layovers at the airport, he never forgets to have a beer........

On the second day in Bamberg, we spent the day sightseeing and shopping in the city.

The schedule was very relaxed; we left the hotel at 10:30 AM and had free time to stroll around in the afternoon.

The old town of Bamberg is built along the water, and the ancient buildings remain perfectly preserved. It is truly beautiful!

Around 8 PM after dinner, the four of us gathered at the hotel entrance, and Mr. An took me, Mr. Jia, and Mr. Hou to set off.

In the night, under the lights, on the cobblestone road, we crossed stone bridges and walked through narrow alleys towards the heart of Bamberg's old town........ Bamberg is not large, and the streets are lined with shops that close at 6 PM. At this time, apart from a few bakeries and bars, the streets were sparsely populated, and the shop windows illuminated the road.

The aroma of beer is not afraid of deep alleys; the three of us followed Mr. An on foot.

（To be continued）