Before leaving for Israel, I was cautiously optimistic about their craft beer scene. I was told there was a small but dedicated industry that really started to blossom in the late 2010's. While there are dozens of breweries around the country, the retail scene can be boiled down to about 15 companies and 5 styles. It took me roughly one week to realize I set my expectations too high.
Misha and I took advantage of the September holiday season in Israel to skip town for a week and head to Germany. Rather than return to Bavaria, this time we spent two days each at the beginning and end of our trip in Berlin with two days in Saxony sandwiched in the middle. The food was delicious, the weather warm and sunny, the trip a great success.
Just like back home, American FSO's in Israel enjoyed an extra day off for the holiday. Rather than celebrate it on the beach in Tel Aviv, a friend and I decided to take advantage of the loosened travel restrictions and fly to Germany for the long weekend. One of the things we've missed out on most with Covid restrictions is cheap travel around Europe and the Mediterranean, so we weren't going to let this opportunity pass us by.
Beer and Diplomacy 
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