St. Gallen, famous for its St. Galler Bratwurst- In addition to the St. Galler Bratwurst, there are other delicacies coloring the region’s culinary palette. Among the region’s irresistible delights are Bürli, beer and Biber – together with the bratwurst, they form the 4 culinary highlights of St. Gallen.
Bürli of St. Gallen
Bürli is a country bread roll with a crispy crust. It astounds you with its pleasantly airy, fresh crumb. It is made from flour, water, yeast, malt and salt. You could almost say “God save it” because of its simplicity. But despite its simple ingredients, Bürli has always been special.
From the very beginning, it was considered a gourmet bread. A chronicle from 1723 reports: “As a sign of splendid times, Bürli made from the best wheat are served in inns with beer and wine”. At the time, this crusty bread roll was mainly produced and served in wealthy regions. This was also the case in the town of St. Gallen, which became wealthy thanks to, among other things, the production and sale of embroidery.
Water as secret
A high water content in the dough is the secret of this delicious pastry. Bürli is made with about as much flour as water. This initially results in a very soft dough that must rest overnight. The next day, salt, malt, and fresh yeast are added. The kneaded dough is then left to rest for another hour.
After that, it is not kneaded again. This would destroy the trapped air bubbles. This is why a Bürli is so soft, fresh, and delicate inside. The crispy crust is achieved by baking in a very hot oven.
For those who would like to discover St.Gallen Bürli in combination with St.Gallen Bratwurst and learn more about culinary cultural products, all the secrets will be revealed at the tasting seminar.
St. Gallen beers
Brewing has a long tradition in St. Gall, in great part thanks to the monastery of St. Gall. Its monks were not only pious and devout, but apparently also very thirsty. Already in the 11th century, beer was produced here on a large scale. There was no brewery of this size in all of Europe at the time. To ensure that the Lord really did give his blessing to the beer, the monks built the much-needed granary in the shape of a cross.
The origins of the “Schützengarten” brewery also go far back in history. In 1779, Johann Ulrich Tobler founded the company in St.Gallen, making Schützengarten the oldest brewery in Switzerland. Their beers are known far beyond the country’s borders, and regularly win major beer awards. The region is truly a brewery. Many small breweries have sprung up in recent years, contributing to a unique variety of beers.
Discover the beer culture of the St. Gallen region and get to know the different breweries.
Dive into exciting beer stories on a guided tour: Discover not only beer facts, but also fun stories, anecdotes and taste local beers on the beer history guided tour.
The Schützengarten Brewery Bottle Museum displays Christian Bischof’s impressive collection of over 3,000 beer bottles from 260 different Swiss breweries. The museum also displays more recent examples from small, newly-established craft breweries, as well as clay bottles over 140 years old. A must for all beer lovers.
The Biber from St.Gallen
Biber is a gingerbread pastry made from honey dough and filled with an almond paste. Originally, it was called “Birnenzelten”. Over the years, it became known as “Biberzelten”, until it became widely known as “Biber” far beyond the borders of St. Gallen.
The upper sides of Biber are adorned with small works of art. In the past, hand-sculpted models were pressed into the dough while it was still soft. The most popular motifs are St. Gallen Cathedral or a bear standing up – the coat of arms of the city of St. Gallen. Today, people like to decorate Biber with images printed on marzipan — colored with food coloring of course, so you can enjoy the art as it literally melts in your mouth. The Biber comes in different sizes, making it perfect to give as a tasty gift.
St. Gallen wine
On the steep slopes – verdant in summer, colorful and idyllic in autumn, and wonderfully snowy in winter – over 20 grape varieties thrive high above Lake Constance, each with its own special character. The winemakers are justly proud of their wines – 25 of them have banded together to form the Rheintalwein association to learn from each other and develop exquisite new wines…
All St. Gallen wines under one roof: At the Maison du Vin in Berneck, the region’s winemakers present their precious nectars. Every Saturday from 11am to 8pm, you can discover and taste the fascinating diversity of St.Gallen wines. A total of 20 winemakers use this elegant platform to showcase around 100 wines from the Rheintal, Sarganserland/Walensee and Lake Zurich regions. And of course, you can buy your favorite wines and other fine regional products on the spot.
Regional Actors
