"And so it Gose in Leipzig" Leipzig by richiecdisc

Leipzig Travel Guide: 516 reviews and 1,103 photos

Leipzig never held much interest for me. I assumed it was one of Germany's modern cities like Dusseldorf, with little old-world charm and lacking even that city's great beer heritage. Being a University town, I figured it would have a great nightlife but I didn't want to get stuck drinking crap beer in smoky pubs if it meant a two-hour drive from what I was then calling home base, just south of Dresden. I did a little research and found ample information about this very rare and special beer that had eluded my even knowing of its existence up until then. Once it was in my sight, I knew I had to have it and so it seemed that I would finally make my way to Leipzig. I probably do not have enough material for a proper page on this city and would normally just include it in my Saxony page, but I feel that this beer style is in danger of going by the wayside and deserves any publicity it can get. It's an incredible beer and well worth seeking out. Anyway, here's how the research went.

History of Gose

Ohne Bedenken

Germany's great contribution to the beer world is the invention of lager or bottom fermented beer. Up until that time, all beers were ales and hence top fermenting. But it should not be forgotten that there was beer in pre-lager Germany and there are still some small enclaves of ale culture scattered about. Cologne and Dusseldorf are prime examples of cities where ales are still king of the local beer scenes with kolsch and alt being their respective nectars. In Bavaria, top fermented wheat beers have made a strong comeback from near extinction to become the drink of choice of the young, and certainly the most popular summertime beer. Gose is a northern cousin to these wheat beers and were first brewed in Goslar, from which it derives its name, in the 18th century. It somehow became so popular in nearby Leipzig that the local breweries started to make their own interpretations. Much like cask-conditioned beer in England, the beer was a "live" product that had a limited shelf life and was hence more expensive than regular beer. It was therefore never the drink of the masses and with the Second World War, it ceased to be produced much like all beer at the time. A former employee of a then defunct brewery produced it after the war but demand was slim and the new enterprise kept barely afloat. The last Gose was produced in 1966 and it seemed at the time there would never be any again if not for one man. Lothar Goldhahn wanted to bring back the tradition of the Leipzig Gosesschenke (Gose pub) and restored the Ohne Bedenken to its former glory. All he needed was someone to brew the beer, which proved more a problem than he might have imagined. The producers of Berliner Weisse at Schultheiss brewed it for a short while, as it was a related type of beer. This proved short-lived however when they decided that it was not profitable with such small demand for the esoteric brew. It went through a few more incarnations with a surprising helping hand from a Bavarian brewer even though the special beer did not follow the Bavarian Purity Law, as it has more than just water, yeast, hops and malt as ingredients. At any rate, the beer is being produced currently by two local breweries and though not popular enough to be found in many center city pubs, there are a few special places to enjoy it and it seems they are justly popular by a small but vocal and adoring clientele. By all means, try a Gose, and try a piece of history.

Last visit to Leipzig: May 2003
Intro Updated Nov 16, 2003
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (9)

Leipzig Zoo Things to Do (4)

Leipzig's Zoo combines an old zoo style with many modern innovations. It had a great open feeling and the animals all... more travel advice

Neues Rathaus Things to Do (4)

The Baroque style New Town Hall was not completed until 1905 though the original building dates back to the 16th... more travel advice

Thomaskirche Things to Do (4)

Built in 1212, the church of St. Thomas now houses the tomb of composer Johann Sebastian Bach and his namesake choir is... more travel advice

Altes Rathaus Things to Do (4)

Leipzig's Old Town Hall was built in 1556 in the Renaissance style and remains one of Germany's largest. Located on the... more travel advice

Travelogues (1)

Written Jul 29, 2005

3 photos

Zooalogue

1 - 1 of 1

Comments (18)

Reply
- Report abuse
Segolily Dec 16, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Bach lived and died in Leipzig?? I had no idea! It is the ancestral homeland, and Grandpa was very interested in music. Perhaps Bach was played at home often.
Reply
- Report abuse
Nemorino Sep 10, 2006 at 10:31 AM

"So it Gose in Leipzig" - great title! So now I have two kinds of beer to try, Bonch and Gose. At a recent VT meeting in Karlsruhe Madschick (Heinz) brought two cases of local beer from the Andreas micro-brewery in Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen.
Reply
- Report abuse
SharrieShaw Apr 6, 2006 at 6:08 AM

All this talk about beer, it's making me drowsy. Might stay over here b4 heading home on the 12th.
Reply
- Report abuse
TempNomad May 25, 2005 at 1:59 PM

So, you're saying that if I go to Leipzig I should try a Gose? We'll probably be driving in from Halle, and it looks like plenty for a day-long visit. Thanks for the pages.
Reply
- Report abuse
mrclay2000 Dec 19, 2003 at 10:07 AM

I read once that you could set your watches by Germany's trains. No Teutonic tall-tale there. . .
Reply
- Report abuse
craic Aug 31, 2003 at 10:55 AM

I am learning so much about beer!
Reply
- Report abuse
chicabonita Aug 19, 2003 at 10:05 AM

I also had a good time in the Leipzig Zoo!
Reply
- Report abuse
mauro_pd Aug 19, 2003 at 9:42 AM

nice page, even if I disagree about the zoo ... bad experience IMHO
Reply
- Report abuse
DoreenDe Aug 17, 2003 at 7:21 PM

since you can not find gose in the states yet, you might have to come back to saxony.....
Reply
- Report abuse
sandysmith Aug 14, 2003 at 4:13 PM

sour, lactic, sounds horrible :-PP