I enjoy visiting brewpubs where the beer is brewed on site in a handcrafted style in small batches. I'm hoping this is fairly common in German communities but I'm not finding a good resource to help me in my search. I'd appreciate any input that others may have on places for me to try in the following towns if they exist:

Mainz
Oberwesel
Zell
Trier
Heidelberg
Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Thanks!

Google Hausbräu or Hausbrauerei

To do your research, start with this site http://beerme.com/index.php It has information on some of the locations you mentioned. Although oriented to North America, it obeys the beer snob's instinct to search out beer from everywhere. I used it with great success to find brewpubs in Vietnam.
In Germany the traditional beer halls have had close ties to local breweries and you should be able to find lots of interesting brews even without seeking out the brewer itself.

You really should consider adding Bamberg to your list. It has the highest concentration of brewpubs in the world.

When we were there last September, we stayed at the Althotel Molitor right across the street from the Klosterbräu (3 Obere Mühlbrücke), founded in 1533 and the city's oldest brew pub.

Bamberg is also famous for its rauchbier or smoked beer.

http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html

Here's another website that might be of help:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~patto1ro/index.htm

bettyk has a point. Almost all the places that you list are wine towns. You can of course buy a beer anywhere in Germany but if your love is beer, you might revisit your itinerary.

We also stayed at the Molitor in Bamberg and ate (drank) at the Klosterbräu on the advice of our cab driver.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Germany...17_FpWtT-M.jpg

We found the food just okay but the beer was good. We sat at a table with a couple that had a monster dog, well behaved but still awe inspiring. He laid just beside my foot; I was very careful not to kick him. Local color.

Regards, Gary

Don't worry. Yes, you mainly picked wine areas, but beer is so popular in Germany that you will also find brewpups there. The German word for it is Hausbrauerei. Here is a link where you will find a list (sorted by federal states) with links to several brewpup homepages. You may also find lists for Switzerland and Austria. Unfortunately it is in German only, but just follow my instruction:
http://www.hausbrauerei.de/
on the left click 'Brauereien'
click 'Deutschland'
now you will see the linklist (the places you picked are in Rheinland-Pfalz and Baden-Württemberg)

If you need help (especially with German), just post it here and I will try to help you.

Prost!!!

Thanks for all the responses everyone! It will be a great help. I realize it is a wine area but luckily I like wine too! Thanks again!

In Baden-Württemberg I can personally vouch for:

Heidelberg - Vetter's turns out great beer and nice traditional (nothing fancy)food and is just up from the famous pedestrian bridge. They bake your bretzel fresh to go with your beer. Personally, don't bother trying their record-making, high alcohol content beer; it's a novelty that a lot of tourists feel compelled to try, but it pretty much tastes like molasses and is very sweet Staff is friendly, helpful and speaks English. Small, so plan on rubbing elbows on the same bench or table with the locals.

Climb up the little street from Vetters, past the Heiligeist church (great view from the tower, but quite a climb) and take the cable car up to the castle (3*** in the Michelin guide) to see the Grosses Fass, or great vat, that will hold 221,726 litres. There is actually a stairway that you can climb and stand on the top in the castle!

Schwetzingen - besides turning out good beer, it's a stupendous setting across from the baroque palace on the square...usually a very happening place, tasty food. You could work up a thirst by visiting the gorgeous palace gardens first!
Good public parking lots down the street in either direction. Never been inside, always enjoy the platz instead.

Speyer - so much to see and do in this town!Brewery is just off to right of the famous Dom. Biergarten is pretty unimpressive imo, but inside is super nice with all the "kitsch" that goes with the image of Germany (fantastic Xmas decorations). Food has always been wonderful with good price/portion choices. English menu available. Parking in the small streets is difficult so it's easiest to park in the Dom's public parking lot (you actually turn before you arrive at the Dom platz). It's a pleasant 10 minute walk to the brewery, though the Dom and town merit a visit.

Prost!

The most popular beer around the Heidelberg area (not a micro-brewery) seems to be Welde and you can get a tour of their factory in English if you are interested on Sundays at 12:00. You get 3 or 5 (can't remember) tickets to sample their beers at the end