Munich 2011 Day 3 – Erdinger factory tour and Home Sweet Home

The last day of our free tour was a visit to the factory where the awesome Erdinger beer were bottled. The representative came in a car to pick us up from the hotel and it was a short drive to the factory. Joined a group of beer loving people which was led by a lady guide.

Dawn at Erding.
Dawn at Erding.
Pinkish skies before sunrise.
Pinkish skies before sunrise.
Erdinger shop.
Erdinger shop.
Packaged bottled beers.
Packaged gift sets of bottled beers.
Singapore represent!
Singapore represent!
Entrance to the tour.
Entrance to the tour.
Our factory tour guide.
Our factory tour guide.

The factory had a couple of levels and a few other sections for the different phases from brewing to storage and bottling and finally to the warehouse before these were sent everywhere in the world. The warehouse impressed me the most, with the automation.

Equipment.
Equipment.
Huge vessels lined up.
Huge vessels lined up.
Bottling facility.
Bottling facility.
Lines of bottles moving.
Lines of bottles moving.
To crating.
To crating.
Warehousing.
Warehousing.
A wide range of beers.
A wide range of beers.

Then the grand finale of beer testing which I couldn’t fully utilized as there were too many to try and I couldn’t do it all! After the beers and a nice photo opportunity inside one of the chambers, it was the end and we were transferred back to the hotel.

Fresh from the tap.
Fresh from the tap.
Another beer in another glass, of a different name.
Another beer in another glass, of a different name.
Beer tasting with sausages.
Beer tasting with sausages.
More equipment.
More equipment.
A photo souvenir with the equipment to bring home.
A photo souvenir with the equipment to bring home.

We had about half a day left, so we spent it exploring the town of Erding, walking into the Xmas markets and trying out the food on offer. It was a little snowy but a whole lotta of Xmas feels.

Heating for people to keep warm.
Heating for people to keep warm.
At the markets near the hotel.
At the markets near the hotel.
Snowing heavily.
Snowing heavily.
Rides available.
Rides available.
In one of the small mall.
In one of the small mall.
Street in Erding.
Street in Erding.
One of the cathedral in Erding.
One of the cathedral in Erding.
Lining up for some food.
Lining up for some food.
Some sort of bun.
Some sort of bun.
Warm wine.
Warm wine.

All good things have to end, ours ended with a final ride to the Munich airport for our night flight home. The icy weather was a problem for the planes and some defrosting had to take place on the planes before the plane could take off.

Waiting for flight home.
Waiting for flight home.
Defrosting of the plane before flying.
Defrosting of the plane before flying.
Dinner.
Dinner.
Flying into day.
Flying into day.
Breakfast.
Breakfast

This trip was awesome because it was sponsored by Lufthansa and Erdinger for the flights and the accommodation. This was also the biggest prize I had won in my entire life!

This was also a first for me traveling with someone other than my partner, which was a different mode of travel, more spontaneity with the lack of plan, triggering our spirit of adventure.

Erdinger factory tour was an eye opener for me (more so as I had never through one myself), a lot of work had to be done to deliver that bottle of tasty Erdinger right to my mouth, and with guaranteed freshness. All this learning was complemented with the good company of Erdinger representatives, making the value of this prize so much higher than priced!

Munich 2011 Day 2 – Munich and Xmas Markets

Woke up to a cold winter day and as we proceeded to have breakfast at the hotel, snow fell ever so slightly outside, powdering the pine trees and covered our car. Did some snow graffiti before using the wiper to clear the windscreen, something that we would never had experienced in summer all year long Singapore. Onwards to the town center of Munich, to return the car and for a walkabout.

Deco at the restaurant.
Deco at the restaurant.
Snowing outside the window.
Snowing outside the window.
Erdinger hotel.
Erdinger hotel.
IMG_2005
Town of Erding.

The whole town was ready for Xmas, everywhere we could see Xmas decorations and Xmas markets were were around, busy selling off the accessories and the crafts and Xmas foodstuff. There was a market selling real Xmas tree too.

Statue in Munich.
Statue of Ludwig in Munich.
Early morning walk.
Early morning walk.
Real Xmas trees for sale.
Real Xmas trees for sale.

There was Xmas markets set up at the popular Marienplatz where the musical Glockenspiel in the tower could be seen. Again I have seen it before and thus was just happy to introduce it to my first time visitor friend.

Marienplatz.
Marienplatz.
Rathaus-Glockenspiel
Rathaus-Glockenspiel

The markets had a tremendous variety of crafts on sale, to buy and place on your Xmas trees. Unlike mass produced accessories from China, these most likely were hand made and thus were slightly pricier than what could be bought in Singapore. Got myself a candle holder though.

Xmas Deco galore.
Xmas Deco galore.
So many to pick from.
So many to pick from.
Crowded street walking the markets.
Crowded street walking the markets.
Hot choco in a refundable Santa boot.
Hot choco in a refundable Santa boot.
Many Xmas markets.
Many Xmas markets.
Park on a winter's day.
Park on a winter’s day.

The whole day was basically spent hopping from Xmas markets to Xmas markets, since they were everywhere. Of course we did some window shopping as well in the hope to see if there were cheaper deals that we could score compared to back home.

Trying out some German food.
Trying out some German food.
Not sure what this is anymore.
Not sure what this is anymore.
Crowded with shoppers.
Crowded with shoppers.
Sweet stuff.
Sweet choco stuff on a stick.
Hofbrauhaus in the day.
Hofbrauhaus in the day.
Just walking around.
Just walking around.
Deco made it christmasy.
Deco made it christmasy.
Even trams were decorated.
Even trams were decorated.

Day turned to night quickly during this winter period and the Xmas lighting illuminated the streets and the markets, bringing some warmth to the people.

Day got dark quickly.
Day got dark quickly, another Xmas village.
And places were lighted up. Funfair.
And places were lighted up.

As we had a dinner date with the hosts from Erdinger, we had to get back by train to the hotel. At the hotel restaurant, we met up with the Erdinger representatives and sat down for a lovely dinner of Bavarian food completed with tasty Erdinger beer and complemented with interesting conversations. We ended the night with promised arrangements for the factory tour the next day and a last good night sleep at the hotel.

Awesome company from the staff of Erdinger!
Awesome company from the staff of Erdinger!
Great food and smooth German beer.
Great food and smooth German beer.

Escape Plan to Munich December 2011

A brief summary on the itinerary

Escape Plan to Munich 2011:

Total duration 4D3N
Singapore is 6hrs ahead of Munich.
Flight time is 12hrs on Lufthansa from Singapore to Munich.

Morning flight is on Lufthansa on 17th December at 11.59pm and arrival in Munich at 6:05am.
Return flight is on Lufthansa on the 20th December at 7:05pm and arrival in Frankfurt at 8:15pm and  transfer to 10:05pm flight and arrival at 4:55pm in Singapore on the 21st December.

Day 1 – Arrival at Munich, Erding, Neuschwanstein Castle and Hofbrauhaus
Day 2 – Xmas markets in Munich and dinner with the awesome folks of Erdinger
Day 3 – Erdinger factory tour, Erding Xmas market and Home Sweet home

This escape plan was a free trip that I won over a Facebook contest jointly held by Erdinger and Lufthansa. A trip to Erding a couple of days before Xmas to get the Xmasy feel with snow and a drive to Munich and Neuschwanstein was a perfect end to a great year of escapes.

Budget nature: Affordable in this particular escape.

With the tickets and accommodation already taken care of, its just some of the beers that we would need to pay for.

Complexity: Easy to get around with public transportation and driving on the Autobahn.

It was very simple to get from Erding to Munich using the train and driving on the Autobahn even during snow was not difficult, though it was a first. Of course, we had free transfer to and from the airport.