The Fichtelgebirge is not a primary beer region like Fränkische Schweiz, but has a range of small brewery inns producing local everyday beer. The largest regional brewery is the Bayreuther Bierbrauerei AG in Bayreuth, located at the edge of the mountains.
Fichtelgebirge at a Glance
- Upland region in northeast Bavaria, highest peak: Ochsenkopf (1,024 m)
- Districts: Wunsiedel and Bayreuth
- Borders the Czech Republic and Saxony
- Main towns: Wunsiedel, Marktredwitz, Selb, Münchberg
- Beer style: Hearty lager, Märzen, locally brewed
Beer in the Fichtelgebirge
The Fichtelgebirge is not a beer tourism destination in the way that Fränkische Schweiz is. There is no equivalent of the Fünf-Seidla-Steig, no cluster of cellars on a hillside. What the region has is a number of small breweries in market towns that have been supplying local pubs and Gasthöfe for generations — and that rarely appear in any guide, online or otherwise.
That is the point. Anyone who has spent time in Fränkische Schweiz and wants to understand how far the brewing culture extends will find something worth stopping for here.
Wunsiedel
The district capital of the Fichtelgebirge, known as the birthplace of the writer Jean Paul. Wunsiedel has a modest but active local brewery scene. Nothing spectacular — but honest local beer in a town that most visitors pass through without stopping.
Bayreuther Bier
Bayreuth sits on the southwestern edge of the Fichtelgebirge and is internationally known for the Wagner festival. The Bayreuther Bierbrauerei is one of the larger regional breweries in Upper Franconia — its Zwickl and Hell are widely distributed and reliably made. A good reference point for the regional lager style.
The Fichtelgebirge as Part of a Longer Trip
The Fichtelgebirge is not a primary beer destination — it is a worthwhile addition to a longer Upper Franconia itinerary. Someone spending a week in the region who has covered Fränkische Schweiz and Coburg might spend a day driving through the Fichtelgebirge, stopping at Gasthöfe, and finding beer that no one else has written about. That is the honest proposition here.