A winter 2026 Bundesliga & Beer trip to the Bavarian city of Augsburg.
Augsburg is the regional capital of Swabia and third largest city in Bavaria after Munich and Nuremburg. It's one of the countries oldest cities and home now to just over 300,000 folk.
My early arrival provided plenty of time to wander the streets on the only really chilly day of winter 2026 that I can recall, a flurry of snow in the air.
My early arrival provided plenty of time to wander the streets on the only really chilly day of winter 2026 that I can recall, a flurry of snow in the air.
Sightseeing...
The Rathausplatz should rightfully have been my first spot for the perfect tourist photograph. Except I had dull grey sky above the Renaissance town hall, a stage set up in front of it, and the bell tower (old enough to only need three digits when writing the date) covered in scaffolding.
The Rathausplatz should rightfully have been my first spot for the perfect tourist photograph. Except I had dull grey sky above the Renaissance town hall, a stage set up in front of it, and the bell tower (old enough to only need three digits when writing the date) covered in scaffolding.
European cities do love to set up a stage in the square at the slightest excuse, a habit we really don't share here in the UK. Over the years I've seen pagan rock and wood carving on stage in Heidelberg, an AC/DC cover band in Slovakia, and on-stage hairdressing displays in the Netherlands.
Nothing so exciting in Augsburg - just a large proportion of the city's under 10's and their pop music dance routines. But they were very enthusiastic about it.
I skipped the chance to win a 4ft high soft toy or drink local bottled beer, but did partake in vegetarian currywurst in a styrofoam cup.
Nothing so exciting in Augsburg - just a large proportion of the city's under 10's and their pop music dance routines. But they were very enthusiastic about it.
I skipped the chance to win a 4ft high soft toy or drink local bottled beer, but did partake in vegetarian currywurst in a styrofoam cup.
Beyond the town hall are wonderful quiet streets with fast-flowing waterways running between buildings and the fascinating Fuggerei - the world's oldest social housing complex.
Elsewhere I found a impressive door knocker on St Maria's Cathedral...
And a very obscure vinyl selection in the record shop - Der Polizeikasper, anyone?
Right, time for a beer.
For this I headed back to the station where the 1516 Brewhouse within the station itself is sadly long closed, but Riegel Brewery is visible from the rail platforms.
For this I headed back to the station where the 1516 Brewhouse within the station itself is sadly long closed, but Riegel Brewery is visible from the rail platforms.
It's a grand complex with beer garden for warmer weather, bar and restaurant, shop and visitor centre. The afternoon football fixture had ensured it was doing a roaring trade, with a queue to be seated and plentiful plates of food being whisked between tables.
I grabbed a stool at the bar and ordered the 5% Hefe Weisse.
There was a fair bit of choice beer-wise at Riegele.
The staple light-dark-wheat beer line-up, including pils and kellerbier were in place. I quite fancied the Speziator beers - dopplebock wheat, dunkel or helles in 7%-and-upward ABV versions. But figured these could be very unwise - I still had to navigate getting an electronic football ticket to work at the turnstiles.
The staple light-dark-wheat beer line-up, including pils and kellerbier were in place. I quite fancied the Speziator beers - dopplebock wheat, dunkel or helles in 7%-and-upward ABV versions. But figured these could be very unwise - I still had to navigate getting an electronic football ticket to work at the turnstiles.
The loos are worthy of a mention. There's a random puppet display behind glass on the corridor to the facilities, then the choice urinal in the gents is the one on a tree trunk...
My vantage point amongst the crowd of 30,107, was in the corner, directly above one of the camera operators.
The Augsburg ultras occupied the Ulrich-Biesinger-Tribune to my right and made an orchestrated wall of noise and drum banging throughout the game.
Options for a post-match beer were a little limited by Sunday evening opening hours, the streets of the old town already quiet at 7 in the evening.
I strolled past the cathedral on the streets of the old town to the first brew pub I'd spotted on the map.
Brauhaus Bayrisch Brau Pub (Frauentorstraße 38, 86152 Augsburg)
Claus Kröger's brewery was set-up in an existing pub in 2010. It's a two-roomed set-up with one section in the dark beyond an archway. Typical large chunky farmhouse-style tables, a display of beer bottles on high shelving, and a small library of beer reading.
Here are the ale choices...note the good old fashioned laminating...
Bräustüberl zum Thorbräu (Wertachbrucker-Tor-Straße 9, 86152 Augsburg)
Step through the front door and there is cosy room to the right with a fair number of customers in, bench seating around the sides, retro wood panelling, beer posters, and yellowed ceiling. To the left is the bar counter, with more rooms beyond which are opened up at busier times.
I opted for the last remaining stool at the bar.
Almost up there with the Combermere Arms.
As the football-shirted crowd was thinning out at Riegel, I figured I should think about finding my own way to the stadium.
I hopped on a tram at the Königsplatz interchange which takes you to the city outskirts in around 20-minutes. The WWK Arena really is in nowheresville, surrounded by modern industrial buildings and motorways.
As the football-shirted crowd was thinning out at Riegel, I figured I should think about finding my own way to the stadium.
I hopped on a tram at the Königsplatz interchange which takes you to the city outskirts in around 20-minutes. The WWK Arena really is in nowheresville, surrounded by modern industrial buildings and motorways.
Negotiating the security perimeter takes you into the spacious concrete area outside of the stands where there is a fan shop, lots of grilled meatiness, chips, pancakes, and more Riegele beer to be brought.
The Augsburg ultras occupied the Ulrich-Biesinger-Tribune to my right and made an orchestrated wall of noise and drum banging throughout the game.
When I brought my ticket, both Augsburg and visitors Heidenheim were perilously close to the bottom of the Bundesliga table. F.C.A. have had a few good results since, including the remarkable feat of being the only club so far this season to win at Bayern Munich.
I wondered how they managed that after 45 drab minutes with no significant chances created by either side. There was a (very minor) bit of Forest interest 59-minutes in when one-time City Ground loanee Rodrigo Ribiero came on as sub - another in our long line of misfiring strikers.
Then on 80-minutes a breakthrough. Augsburg converted a penalty and took a deserved lead. Right...it's bloomin' freezing...can we go home now?
I wondered how they managed that after 45 drab minutes with no significant chances created by either side. There was a (very minor) bit of Forest interest 59-minutes in when one-time City Ground loanee Rodrigo Ribiero came on as sub - another in our long line of misfiring strikers.
Then on 80-minutes a breakthrough. Augsburg converted a penalty and took a deserved lead. Right...it's bloomin' freezing...can we go home now?
I confess to leaving on 90-minutes and not staying to watch time added-on. I was keen to get the blood circulating back to my toes and be on the first tram back to the city centre.
Catch the first tram and you get the one with Augsburg FC colours...
Catch the first tram and you get the one with Augsburg FC colours...
I strolled past the cathedral on the streets of the old town to the first brew pub I'd spotted on the map.
Claus Kröger's brewery was set-up in an existing pub in 2010. It's a two-roomed set-up with one section in the dark beyond an archway. Typical large chunky farmhouse-style tables, a display of beer bottles on high shelving, and a small library of beer reading.
Here are the ale choices...note the good old fashioned laminating...
I stuck with the Zwickl hell, strength unlisted (but quite high I suspect), coming in under €5 for the half litre.
It may be homebrew compared to the Riegele, but I loved it - my favourite beer of the day.
It may be homebrew compared to the Riegele, but I loved it - my favourite beer of the day.
It was just a bit of shame that the place was so quiet, although I guess it was a February Sunday evening in sub-zero temps. Four customers sat around the bar, the lights above the tables put on especially for my benefit. I had worried it was closed, but was afforded a warm welcome. Just a shame that the locals didn't start to chat to me until I returned my glass and was on the way out.
Under 10-minutes brisk walk took me to another brewery with a tap in the same part of town.
Thorbräu have a long history dating back to 1582 and are named after the Wertachbrucher Tower which stands opposite the brewery. They've been in the same family since 1885 and currently produce around 25,000hl of beer per annum.
Thorbräu have a long history dating back to 1582 and are named after the Wertachbrucher Tower which stands opposite the brewery. They've been in the same family since 1885 and currently produce around 25,000hl of beer per annum.
Step through the front door and there is cosy room to the right with a fair number of customers in, bench seating around the sides, retro wood panelling, beer posters, and yellowed ceiling. To the left is the bar counter, with more rooms beyond which are opened up at busier times.
I opted for the last remaining stool at the bar.
"What beers do you have?" I asked in the absence of any kind of menu or list.
"We have everything."
I think Mrs PropUptheBar would dispute that when looking for sours and marshmallow stouts.
I asked for my default kellerbier - 'Maximillian's' being the Thorbräu version, a cloudy well-balanced 5.2% ale.
"We have everything."
I think Mrs PropUptheBar would dispute that when looking for sours and marshmallow stouts.
I asked for my default kellerbier - 'Maximillian's' being the Thorbräu version, a cloudy well-balanced 5.2% ale.
That marked the end of my evening in Augsburg, my bed beckoning after a long day.
I do wish I'd had a little longer in the city as there are a fair few more places I'd like to have visited given more time. But never mind, there's always the brew pub at Munich airport to get one more dunkel before the journey home.
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