Visiting Jever, Germany: Known for Beer and Tea
Jever is the capital of Friesland in Lower Saxony and is not well known outside of Germany. In fact, most Germans only know Jever because of the Jever Pilsener that is produced here and sold throughout the country. Don’t worry, if visiting Jever, there is much more to do and see here then just drink beer. Jever has a lot of great restaurant options, a castle, unique church, and cute downtown area. But, if you are visiting Jever, might as well enjoy a Jever Pilsener.
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Jever is a town in Friesland, Lower Saxony, Germany. Some more recognizable big cities that are within driving distance from Jever include Bremerhaven, Bremen, and Hamburg. Only about 20km from the beaches of the North Sea, Jever can be a great home base to explore more of Friesland and the North Sea area.
Things to do Around Jever
There is more to do in Jever then just drink Jever Beer. In fact, there is plenty to do and see in Jever to fill a days worth of exploring. Visitors can try local and regional food, visit the castle, and do some shopping in the old town district. Jever is a very walkable city and very easy to get around.
We spent a half day in Jever and definitely did not cover the entire city, but we have plans for visiting Jever again in the future. Whether you have a half day to explore Jever or a full day, here are some of the things we did and our recommendations.
Eat at a Local Café or Restaurant
Like many small cities or towns in Germany, there are plenty of comfortable and delicious local cafes and restaurants in Jever.
Jever has a few great restaurant options, including your traditional German restaurants but there are also other cuisine types in Jever to include Bar and Grill’s, Italian, Seafood, there are even bakeries and ice cream shops
Originally, we intended to eat a nice German meal at the brewery, but the restaurant attached to the brewery didn’t open until later in the evening. Jill and I found a cute café near the brewery for lunch called Café & Bistro de Mood. We got a few Beers and split a flammkuchen. Flammkuchen is similar to a pizza, the dough is very thin covered with fromage blanc topped with onions and thinly sliced bacon.
Enjoy an East Frisian Tea at Nordlicht Tee & Mehr
Ostfriesland or East Frisian in English is well known for their tea. There is one tea in particular from the area that is a must try.
The traditional Ostfriesentee is a black tea traditionally with rock sugar added. You then add a little thick cream to the coffee. The cream creates little clouds in the tea which always fascinates me.
One place to try tea in Jever is Nordlicht Tee & Mehr. This cozy tea house has a warm atmosphere and menu full of tea to try. If you are a tea lover, then this tea house is a must.
I tried the traditional East Frisian tea and it comes out in its own pot.
Like everywhere else in Germany, there is homemade cake on the menu. I swear, the slice of cake I got was a quarter of the whole cake. I ordered a cheesecake or kase kuchen in Germany. The cake paired with the tea and a rainy afternoon made visiting Nordlicht Tee & Mehr a must visit place for me in Jever.
See the Stadtkirche (Town Church)
The stadtkirche or town church in English, is a unique church found in the heart of Jever.
What makes this church so unique is that it is a mix of old and new. The original church burnt down and was rebuilt in the 1700’s. Then, in 1964 a new addition to the church was built and connected to the old apse.
If visiting Jever, make sure to go inside the church and witness the differences between old and new.
Visit the Castle Museum
Besides Jever Beer, visiting the castle and museum was a highlight of our trip to Jever.
Jever Castle isn’t your typical fairy-tale castle or medieval fortress. Despite not being as famous as other castles around Germany, it still has an interesting history and is well worth a visit.
Jever Castle started off as a fortress in the 14th century. In 1818, Jever belonged to the Duchy of Oldenburg and became a residence for the Dukes.
Since 1921, the castle has had its own museum. The museum has a lot of artifacts from Jever from archaeology to art.
After visiting the castle museum, there is a beautiful garden surrounding the castle where visitors can leisurely stroll and look at the moat, peacocks, and get great views of the castle.
Walk Around the Altstadt
Every great German city or town has a nice altstadt or old town. The altstadt is usually the center of town where all the shops, restaurants, and unique attractions can be found.
Jever has a small and very walkable old town area not far from either the castle or Jever Brewery.
The altstadt here is lined with cute shops and delicious looking restaurants.
Jever Beer (Jever Bier)
Jever’s claim to fame and in reality what puts this city on a map is their brewery and the beer they produce.
I’ve had a Jever Pilsener in Germany many times without knowing anything about the town or location it comes from.
According to the Jever Brewery website, Jever beer has been around since 1848. More can be read on their website about the history, but it’s developed over 160 years to what it is today.
Jever really only has two beers that are brewed, the Jever Pilsener and Jever Fun which is a non-alcoholic beer.
So is Jever Pilsener a good beer?
I think so, I’ve had many pilsener style beers throughout Germany and think Jever Pilsener is a solid pilsener. Would I say it’s my all time favorite? Probably not, then again, I am not a huge pilsener guy. I do think it’s a refreshing beer and has a nice crisp taste.
Conclusion
Jever is not a touristy city but its brewery has had quite the impact on the beer industry in Germany. In Germany, everyone knows Jever not because of the town but because of the beer. Jever Pilsener is a high quality beer that has a crisp and refreshing taste and can be found throughout Germany. If beer is not high on your to do list, then Jever also has a beautiful castle, unique church, and old town district with plenty of shops and restaurants.
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