In Dresden

I've arrived in Dresden at the Advent weekend. That doesn't mean too much to me but I got the signs that that means that everything closes down early (parts of Germany close down Saturday afternoon and stay closed through Sunday) - not great if your guest house only provides breakfast! Out in the suburbs at Radebeul, it's quite sleepy anyway. During DDR days there wouldn't have been many drinking and eating establishments and not many have arrived since. The hotel on the main road which looks like my nearest restaurant was closing their kitchen at 17:00. I did an emergency shop at Lidl (German red wine and snacks) and the petrol station shop (local beers) and hopped on the number 4 tram in the direction of town. OK, it was the bright lights of the Burger King that persuaded me to get off at Altpieschner Elbcenter tram stop but when I discovered I had stumbled on a Dresden brauhaus (in this case the Watzke brewery in a former ballroom in an historic building) the beer won out.

Reading notes from Dave Thornhill on Dresden beer venues after sampling my first 1/2 ltr of Altpeischner Spezial, I discovered I'd got everything right by chance. I also tried the seasonal Weihnachtsbock (6.2%) but think the Altpieschner was better. Good news is they are open Sunday evening so a return visit is in order to try the Rauchbier (4.9%) as well as some more of the standard brews.

Tomorrow, the narrow gauge steam trains will get my full attention with an Advent special train using heritage loco and stock due out as well. But I will go back to the Brauhaus Watzke in the evening.

Update:

I could be back here every night while I am here! I tried the Rauchbier and it was very quaff-able but went back to the Altpieschner for 2 more half litres as it definitely their best beer. Food, of the hearty German sort, was also good. I had chicken with bratkartoffeln. Behind the bar are these signs:

These translate as:

Watzke's beer is for your health and not for your fullness

Free beer tomorrow