Typing in my credit card number on the computer just wasn’t right. I was supposed to find in a chocolate bar, or on the label or a beer, something like that…but it didn’t matter! I was going to visit the factory! I printed out my golden ticket and waited in anticipation.

The next day I got there a bit early, and checked out the Biergarten on the way. It was a bit empty, due to the weather, so I essentially had the whole place to myself. Took a sip of my first Ganter bier, and maybe I’m biased, but it was the best beer ever. 😉

Getting to the Braurei, folks were lined up for the tour to begin. Promptly at 18:00 the large gate was opened and we were let in. I had a big grin on my face. It didn’t go away the whole day.

the Gantermobile!

In the entrance room one of the employees was handing out free steins and an everlasting gobstopper, that is, a token that may be collected at the end of the tour for a free beer. I felt the immediate pressure not to misplace this precious thing. There weren’t that many children on the tour so I figured it couldn’t last that long.

the everlasting gobstopper

Unfortunately Jean Wilder did not step through the door to greet us. We instead had to settle for the next best thing: a German Oompa-Loompa lady, which was actually maybe even more entertaining.

Fun fact: against the more popular belief that the name Ganter is derivative from Gander, a male goose, it is actually a german word for Auctioneer, a word which is still used in Switzerland.

We went to a large storage room where we got to taste unfiltered beer right from the tank. It has a very fresh and clean taste, somewhere between fruity and a cleaning product, but somehow not in a bad way. This was followed the the bottling assembly line.

The tour wrapped up with a gift shop where I promptly purchased a variety pack with each beer offered. Also for sale was Ganter mustard, Ganter beer noodles, and a few other Ganter snacks. I cashed in my gobstopper for a delicious lager and enjoyed it while chatting with some Italians that were here on vacation.

The curious robot checking out our tour guide. “We’re going to get a beer. Would you like to join?”

the bathroom sink faucet

some of the equipment here is incredibly old!

It’s a Ganter!

Thank you for your visit!

Made it back to Berlin the other day where I am writing this post over a Ganter bier. I wish I could share one with all you Ganters! Miss and love you all!