http://www.franconiabeerguide.com/discuss.asp/ A virtual Stammtisch for discussing Franconian beer en-gb http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXUHey, Martin in Unterneuses (train station Ebensfeld) brews a wonderful Bernstein. Only one sort is brewed, but it´s one of the best beers in the region! A bit caramel you feel when you take the first sips - this is typical for small brewerys in Franconia! The beer is not available in bottles, you can only drink it in the pub (food is also great, we had Karpfen gebacken). Speciality is chicken. On this sites I read that Martin sells Leikeim beers. This information is wrong - it´s his own brewed beer in the old tiny brewhouse next to the main street in Unterneuses. His own beer is 1,80 Euro / 0,5 l. Also from barrel you get Kulmbacher Pils in 0,4 l glasses für 2,20 Euro, but no Leikeim. When you are there, take a walk about 1,5 km to Pferdsfeld to brewery Leicht - also a beer which is a big rarity! Ebensfeld brewery pub Schwanen sells the beer for 1,50 (pale) and 1,55 (dark), also worth a visit and also great food (big portions).http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXU01The remark about Leikheim (!) beer is in a comment from 2007. Nothing to worry about. Both Martin and Leicht look interesting, but a bit too far to walk (from Ebensfeld station). Maybe using a bike would be a good idea.http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXU0101Maybe too far at this time of the year, but I don't think 30 minutes walk to Unterneuses, 15 to Pferdsfeld and 45 back to Ebensfeld is frightening. Looks like small country roads, and no backtracking unless you want to. Train schedules seem friendly, you only need to consider opening times and avoid Wednesday and Thursday if you want to visit both. My Brauereiatlas says both open at 1600 Mon, Tue, Fri, Leicht opens 1000 Sat, Sun, Martin opens 1600 Sat 1100 Sun. If temperatures allow, I might give it a try 26th Feb.http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXU02To be fair to Fred, the false info about Leikheim is only in the comments section, not info from Fred. Nice tips, thanks! Of those three, I've only been to Schwanen, and yes, the food was quite good, and you get a lot for the money. I was there for a winter Bockbier, which was also good. On that winter day, Leicht and Martin weren't open yet (from 16.00) so I could only look from outside. From the Schwanen website, there's a link to nearby Ferienwohnungen. One is http://www.erlhof.de/unserHaus/index.htm in Erlhof, a few km away. Lovely house, and a nostalgic bathroom: http://www.erlhof.de/ferienwohnung1/bad1.jpg . And this photo suggests they do some of their own slaughtering (not safe for veggies!): http://www.erlhof.de/Bilderalbum/g_2007_02/pages/Schlachten%20020207%20001.html .http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXVI'll find myself in Warsaw the end of next week (just because). I've got Ron's guide as a start, but if anybody has any not miss places or beers to watch out for, I'd appreciate it. I've also got a night in Amsterdam in each direction (Wed and Sun) so if any of you Niederländers want to treck in to the city for a beer or three, I'm up for it.http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXV01If the present weather is continued, prepare yourself for some serious low temperatures. It's even very cold here in NL. (Lelystad in the centre of the country was -22,7 C last night)http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXV0101Correction: -22,9 degrees C (08:30 local time)http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXV010101Whoah--that beats the -18 (-0.4 Yankogrees) here! This is now the coldest weather I've experienced since having left the wretched climate of Upper Flatlandia (aka Minnesconsin) nearly 20 years ago. I am mispleased. At least the wind has died down. We had a temperature of -40F (conveniently, -40C) one clear night back in Apple Valley. (MN, not CA, mind.)http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXV01010101Here in Leiden it was not so cold, but still around - 16 C http://franconiabeerguide.com/discussdet.asp?IDKEY=ZYXW...but far from Franconia, so it's off topic. Anyway, I always enjoy visiting it: http://www.scottishbrewing.com/index.php