Venue Review - Biergarten Restaurant

The Outside Facade of Biergarten Restaurant

“Im Himmel gibt’s kein Bier”! No don’t you say say it. I disagree. You take it back Germany polka band, you take back the lie that there is no beer in Heaven. Because if so, I have a lot of pints to catch up on. Hoi Hoi Hoi!

As seen on these pages, the Germany Pavilion is a rich hunting ground for finding unique and fun pints. And I can’t think of a better venue to capture the spirit of German beer tradition than the Biergarten Restaurant. 

An Indoor Beer Garden

The restaurant is buried deep into the Germany Pavilion. It has a walkway covering for guests waiting outside just in case there is rain. After check-in, we were led into an indoor beer garden. Like Blue Bayou in Disneyland and San Angel Inn Restaurante, diners are sitting in an outdoor-themed dining area. There just isn’t a water ride passing by. I will admit, that there has been some anxiety about dining at Biergarten due to notes I’ve seen about sharing tables with other parties. My group of two had our table and room for bags, while a three-person party had the same table right next to us. And while they were close we also had clear separation between our two groups. 

There is a stage up in front. A traditional polka band leads dinners through a 12 to 15-minute set where they invite chanting and dancing, especially for the kids looking to drop some Fortnite dance moves on the dance floor. I have to be honest, I found myself a little obsessed with the bells, as the performer flew through a table of notes in front of him. Maybe it was the beer talking. 

 

The Polka Band

The server offered to give us a tour of the buffet, but honestly, it was fairly straightforward. It started with salads and soup on both sides. This was followed by warm food as typically found in Disney buffets, and finally a shared meat and desert zone. And we can’t forget the kids' area. The online menu highlights numerous German dishes like schnitzel, sauerkraut, sausages, rotisserie chicken, spätzle, and more. Honestly, the food overall was fine. The meats and potatoes were all overall solid and filling. But being both German traditional food and Disney buffet, the food was filling but not game-changing. The best item for me was the Beer Cheese Soup, which makes the perfect condiment for dipping chicken schnitzel, pork schnitzel, and potatoes. For me, the soup, and a pretzel roll for dipping is the do not miss item on the buffet. Overall, the menu is approachable, where everyone will find something they can enjoy. 

The Spread!

For my beer I selected a liter, yes a liter, of “König Ludwig Weissbier Hell.” This is a Hefeweizen wheat beer with a dark opaque yellow color. It was style perfect giving me light sweet fruity tones that provided a sweet bread flavor. It has a light 15 IBUs and a drinkable 5.5% ABV. The shocking thing for me was the heaviness of the stein, which while it left my arm sore, didn’t leave me feeling even buzzed despite the large volume. I could have ordered a safer half-liter, safer I say since the volume in my tummy mixed with food and the other drink in front of me, left me overfull. The beer itself follows traditional Bavarian traditions and is considered true to style. The König Ludwig Schlossbrauerei Kaltenberg brewery was opened in 1871 by the Bavarian royal family, with the current ownership being the great-grandson of the last Bavarian king. And as you can guess, for much of the brewery’s history they had the monopoly on brewing! This makes “König Ludwig Weissbier Hell” very to style and fitting the traditional theme. 

“König Ludwig Weissbier Hell"

There are three other beers, which you can get in a flight of four. You can enjoy the hefe, but you can also grab a “Beck’s Pilsner”, “Warsteniner Dunkel”, or “Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen.” My second choice would have been the Dunkel. But I did laugh watching others toast with large steins of the pinkish-orange grapefruit brew as it looked electric!

Now, I don’t drink much pop. If you want my secret to losing 50 pounds, it was choosing between pop and beer. Beer won, especially since I didn’t drink it as frequently, cough cough daily, as soda. So when my kind server suggested “spezi” or “Mezzo Mix”, I leaned in. This soda ia a combination of “Coca-Cola” and “Orange Fanta”. With a soft drink included, I went ahead and asked for one. I used to be a huge fan of “Cherry Pepsi”, and would when needed take a “Cherry Coke”. I found “spezi” to be a less sweet and syrupy cola drink with a slight citrus flavor. I liked it quite a bit and drank around 3 glasses of soda. That volume along with the liter left me very full. 

"Spezi"

Who drinks here? You have the Disney Dining Plan and you need a reservation. Biergarten Restaurant may not be your first choice, but it definitely will be filling and has openings. Yes, you had to spend beyond your credits for a full-liter or half-liter of beer. But let’s be honest, you’re at a beer garden and it only makes sense. With four beers on tap, you will find something to match with “spezi” to pass the time and you await the Polka Band’s set.

Beer Review - Warsteiner Dunkel

A Pint of Warsteiner Dunkel

It’s hot and I’m getting ready to watch “Luminous: The Symphony of Us.” And I need to hold down my spot for a bit before the nighttime spectacular! A pint is required Being in World Showcase, it has to be international in style and my heart is singing Dunkel, Dunkel, Dunkel! Because my beer needs to have some darker malt to quench my thirst.

“Warsteiner Dunkel” is found in the Germany Pavilion. I purchased mine from the beer cart next to the lagoon on the main walkway, where you can also find the “Schöfferhofer Prickly Pear Hefeweizen.” In fact while in line I had to talk up the Prickly Pear option to a couple behind me. He found it a little silly, I reassured him that it was refreshing! But we need to get back on track! “Warsteiner Dunkel” can be found on other menus in Germany, including Biergarten Restaurant. It’s a light-tasting beer with 28 IBUs, but has a nice smooth malt tone to it. It’s also only 4.8% ABV. The dark color may make it seem like a heavy beer not meant for a hot evening. But Dunkel really is a light beer in taste, so don’t be afraid. It’s light but slightly malty beer!

I was lucky as I lived in an area with a brewery founded by German immigrants over 100 years ago and still following German brewing traditions today. This allowed me to sample some high-quality German-style beers made in America. Warsteiner makes this beer perfectly to style. On Untappd, the beer has over 100,000 ratings and a 3.65 rating out of 5. This beer is a success, and you taste the tradition, style, and workmanship in the cup. 

A Pint for Sunset!

We really should not be surprised. Warsteiner has been owned by the same German family since 1753, so there has been plenty of time to refine the recipes at this Warstein, Germany brewery. We could only wish that some of our favorite craft breweries today could have long family histories like this 100 years from now. In 1753, farmer Antonius Cramer was taxed for producing more beer than he was legally allowed to personally consume, creating a brewery. Today, his ninth-generation descendant leads the brewery. 

Who Drinks This? This is a great example of what Epcot can do to bring food and drink to Disney guests. Those who want an authentic experience, and try a German import that may not be as prevalent outside of the park should grab a pint. I find it refreshing, and a great beverage for people watching while I await the night. It is a brew that makes one feel as if they authentically are in Germany.