A Word on Beer

The way my German professor described it to us there was not a cold beer to be found in all of Germany.  If that is true, Scwäbisch Hall is an island unto itself.  Home to the Haller Löwenbrauerei and their trademark brew, Haller Löwenbräu, Scwäbisch Hall seems to be somewhat well known for its beers, and they're all of them cold!  I tried their Edel-Pils with some sort of spinach-pocket local specialty dinner the first night we went out and I felt the beer snob in me grow.  However, I've reallycome to enjoy their Hefe-Weiße, a slightly darker brew that I've been ordering every time we go out.  In fact, I was just offered a taste of HL's Scwarzer Löwe by one of my fellow students and I like that one too.  It's hopless (I've also heard that Austrian beer pails in comparison to German beer, so I guess I'd best get my fill while I can).

On wednesday the Zivis (RAs) took us out the local pub, Olli's, where we were able to enjoy just about every alcoholic concoction known to mankind.  Needless to say, with a Hefe-Weiße in my hand, American frat-boys (who had come prepared to drink) to my right and the Brazilian equivalent to my left (they were venturing into absinthe territory), it was a very interesting night.  I'm not sure the Schwäbians knew what to do with us, and I was honestly a little embarrassed.  It has been something of a culture shock too to get used to the way in which beer is available alongside the Coke in just about every corner cafe and restaurant.  Still... the beer in Germany is an adventure in and of itself.