The Tastes of the Region

Discoveries “à la carte” among beers and regional specialities

ALTMÜHLTAL NATURE PARK (Bavaria) - You spend a whole day in the beautiful nature of the Altmühltal Nature Park - on foot, by bike or by canoe. You thrill in front of the terrific beauty of its landscapes and its fauna and then - suddenly - you smell good and inviting fragrances… The time for a rest has come, and after all the outdoor activity beer gardens seem to be even more attractive and comfortable! 

The best companion for a rest in the tree shade is a foaming mug of fresh beer brewed in the region. In the Altmühltal Nature Park, the art of brewing has a centuries-old tradition. Just think that the oldest monastery brewery of the world - with a fast one-thousand-year-old history - is that of the Weltenburg Benedictine abbey (Kloster Weltenburg). No surprise, if you think that all the ingredients necessary for producing beer grow right on the spot. The Jura is one of the leading barley producing regions of Bavaria and hop of highest quality grows near Altmannstein, Kinding and Beilngries. About 25 private regional breweries work these ingredients turning them into specialties to drink: from pale and dark beers to Pils and Weizen beers with top-fermenting yeast. There are also special beers that is possible to taste above all during the many festivals that liven up the Altmühltal Summer. Of course, this wide variety of foaming drinks suits perfectly to regional delicacies.

The lamb plays a major role in the Altmühltal Nature Park. During the summertime, herds pasture on juniper heaths and contribute preserving this habitat, which is so precious. At the same time, this kind of itinerant breeding makes the sheep meat particularly delicate and tasty. This delicacy has been awarded with the quality certification "Altmühltal Lamb" (Altmühltaler Lamm) and is included in the menus of many gastronomic facilities in the region. In addition, in the Nature Park there are also specialties prepared with fish often caught at the moment. It is also possible to buy trout, salmon trout and char at the fishmonger’s of local fish farmers, e.g. the "Forellenzucht Lang" that rears trout in Regelmannsbrunn, a hamlet of Kipfenberg.

In the Altmühltal Nature Park, there are many other delicacies such as high-quality meat, fruit and vegetable as well as brandies and liquors produced with regional fruit. The logo "Naturpark Altmühltal Edition" can be found on some of these products that comply with the highest quality standards and contribute at the same time to maintain precious nature environments such as juniper heaths and the traditional meadows scattered with fruit trees. Among them, you can find juices produced with regional fruit, honey, juniper liquor and cheese from the milk of grass-feed goats. These products are available at the Tourist Information Offices in the Altmühltal Nature Park and in the Park’s online shop. The guide "Kulinarische Genüsse. So schmeckt der Naturpark Altmühltal" (in German) presents information, recipes, the addresses of gastronomic facilities particularly engaged in this project and an overview of all the events dedicated to gourmets during the whole year. The guide can be downloaded from the Nature Park website for free.

FOR PICTURES AND MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

INFORMATION CENTRE 
INFORMATIONSZENTRUM NATURPARK ALTMÜHLTAL
Notre Dame 1 / D-85072 Eichstätt
Phone no. 0049-(0)8421-98760 / Fax 0049-(0)8421-987654
E-mail: info@naturpark-altmuehltal.de
Internet: www.altmuehltal.com