The two airports you’ll arrive at - Templehof, the most central, has now closed - are Schönefeld (once the gateway to travellers from Russia and the east, now being developed as “Berlin Brandenburg airport”) served by Ryanair and easyJet, which is the furthest from the centre at around 15km to the south but linked by S-Bahn 9 which will take you into the centre in around 30 minutes, and Tegel (Air Berlin) which is closer, 9km to the northwest, but it’s not as easy to get to; the TXL aerobus runs every ten minutes or so from Alexanderplatz but takes ages, a better bet is the 109 from outside Lemkes Charlottenburg! 

Both airports have all the necessary things like ATMs and tourist information kiosks which you might need before launching into a full-on scooping frenzy.  A tip for Schönefeld is that the S-Bahn station is a five-minute walk along a covered walkway and, if the ticket machines in the underpass have huge queues of baffled-looking tourists, ignore them and head up to the platform where you'll find two more with, usually, no queue at all!

The best part about Berlin's transport is that most of it runs all night, every night, at fairly frequent intervals; this amazingly intelligent policy means that you can indulge yourself to your herst's content in the brewpubs and still be certain of getting back to your hotel without resorting to a taxi... maybe one day cities in the UK will evolve a transport system as good as Berlin's, but I'd not hold your breath whilst they think about it.

Depending on the time you have in Berlin, it’s almost certainly best to buy a tageskart – day ticket – which are available from the machines found at all U-Bahn and some tram stations (usually cash only, sometimes coins only) or ticket offices at all manned stations.  Berlin is divided into three zones: zone A is within the ring of the S41/S42 S-Bahn which encircles the city centre; you can reach 9 of the 14 brewpubs and almost all of the recommended bars with just a zone A ticket.  Zone B covers most of the outer suburbs and for a day's scooping within Berlin this is the only ticket you’ll need, although note that Schönefeld is (just) in Zone C. 

Zone C covers Berlin's outer districts and Potsdam but if it’s your first time in the city it’s doubtful you’ll have capacity for scooping the brewpubs there too!  If you're there longer than 3 days, or there are two of you and you're there on a weekend, a 7-tage-karte - also known as the Umweltkarte - is the ticket of choice; the holder can take an additional adult (and up to three children aged 6 to 14) with them on weekends for free which could save you money depending on your length of stay.  Prices are reasonable, despite the pound's collapse, with a zone AB tageskart being €6.10 and a weekly Umweltkarte being €32.30 for zones ABC.  Day tickets are valid until 03:00 the following morning for the desperate amongst you, although the weekly tickets blow up at midnight on the 7th day.

Tickets are valid on all BVG transport – U-Bahn, S-Bahn, bus, tram and also (I think) DB (German railway) local trains, although you’ll probably never need to use these, plus there are even ferries you can use!  Maps are available on BVG’s excellent website where you can get network maps for the Straßenbahn (tram), Metronetz (the whole network) or even plans of individual stations – ideal for plotting routes to brewpubs!  Maps are also available from BVG kiosks at U-Bahn stations for free and are clear, easy to read and easily available.  In addition, U-Bahn stations sometimes have a huge streetmap covering the whole city where you can see how the whole thing joins together with road layouts; overall I’ve not a bad word to say about BVG - just watch out for plain-clothes ticket inspectors…!

To plan moves in Berlin, use this link, type the name of the station you want into the Bhf/Haltestelle box then click the "Haltestelle finden" button.  From the resulting map click on the required stop and then the "Standortplan" button in the list which appears. 

As can be expected from a capital city of a large country Berlin has some dodgy areas but, as with most other cities, you’ll rarely have reason to venture into them – and certainly not whilst scooping beer!  Berliners are a friendly, down-to-earth people who seem to enjoy life and we had nothing but warm welcomes wherever we went in the city; I speak a little German and almost everyone will help you out if you make an effort, although some may be a little put out if you don’t at least try to master please (bitte) and thank you (danke). 

Table service is almost universal so just sit tight and someone will arrive eventually; to get the bill try “Zahlen, bitte” which means “I’ll pay, please”.  Menus are sometimes in English but all guidebooks have some sort of menu translator (of varying degrees of usefulness) and, once you get the hang of it, German isn’t that difficult to master – after all, a lot of our own language has it’s roots in German; It’s always a good laugh when some xenophobic moronic Sun-reader starts spouting off about our “Anglo-Saxon” culture – just remind him Angles come from Denmark and Saxonia is in Germany…

ATM's are plentiful and speak English (I’ve still not got over that Tallinn episode…) and Visa cards are widely accepted although some machines don't accept Visa: check the symbols.  To get a decent spread of note denominations out of ATM’s try and ask for amounts such as €90 which will ensure you’re not saddled with a hard-to-break €100 note.  Most bars prefer cash unless you’re indulging in more than a single round and probably won't appreciate a €50 note for a single beer (change these in supermarkets!).  Tipping isn’t expected although it is always appreciated – we didn’t encounter a single instance of a waiter trying to “round up” the bill as we’ve seen almost everywhere else – so if you get good service then a Euro or two wouldn’t go amiss.

German food is great if you’re a meat eater; almost every dish seems to have some part of a pig in it somewhere and portions are universally large and quality high, especially in brewpubs, putting almost all pubs in the UK to shame.  Veggies are in for a hard time, however, as even “ohne fleisch” (without meat) dishes may contain bits of ham or be cooked in animal fats: vegetarianism in Germany has had a bad press in the past due to a certain Adolf Hitler who stood great stead by his vegetarian diet.  If you’re a meat lover then try a schweinehaxe, the roasted knuckle (knee) of pig which is tasty and, usually, enormous and I promise you’ll never look at a pig’s leg in the same way again.

East Berlin is a good hunting ground for cheap hotels and is nearer to all the interesting parts of the city such as Alexanderplatz, the East-side gallery, Nikolaiviertel, Unter den Linden and many more, whilst if you're stuck out in the west you're near nothing on interest whatsoever!  We stayed at the Best Western City Ost which is a new and modern hotel with comfortable rooms and, if you get one of the good advance deals, can be great value at around £35 a night room-only.  Breakfast is overpriced and best flagged in favour of the bakery a few doors away where delicious bread and savouries can be bought for very little money; try the Zwiebelbrot (onion bread)!  The hotel is literally next to Samariterstraße U5 station (take the country-bound exit and take the left-hand stairs) which runs 24-hours a day. 

Another option is the nearby Tulip Berlin Frankfurter Tor which used to be a Mercure and is only 100 metres further out of town from Samariterstrasse U5.

Another option is to stay in Spandau at the Brauhaus itself – the prices, however, are a bit steep considering the location (a good way out of town) although I’ve heard the rooms are good.  Apart from this, there are loads of hotels in Berlin, as you’d expect – have a look at the Rough Guide to choose one.

Serves a Helles and Dunkel, both very average, and occasional specials.  One of the oldest Brauhaus in Berlin but not really worth the visit unless you’re desperate.  Situated in the owner’s house of a former ironworks.

Established in 1994 so one of the oldest Brauhaus in town and a nice trip out from the centre.  Serves 2 beers, Havelbrau hell and a seasonal which are fairly good, although whether you'd consider the 45-minute trek out there worth it is for you to decide; there's better beer in the centre of Berlin.

Bräuhaus set next to the Charlottenburg gardens out in the west of the city.  It’s a large building on the corner facing the schloss with a canteen-style self-service food operation and large copper brewplant to the right.  As the bar is now under Lemke's ownership I don't know if they still brew here although I've heard they do from Richard Nash and John Holland.  As you exit Richard Wagner Platz U7 station there is a bar with 12 draught beers (NOT the one called Beerpub 3!) if you’re feeling desperate, but nothing that exciting was on when we visited.

Take U7 to Richard Wagner Platz.  You can either walk left down the busy Otto-Suhr-Allee and then Luisenbrau is on the right by the large crossroads, or take bus 145 2 stops towards the Schloß (left) and get off by the crossroads described above; it's only about 400 metres from U-Bahn to the door, so it’s not that far really.  One of the Tegel airport buses (109) stops right outside the front door and it’s a better option than the TXL bus from Alexanderplatz which, if you’ve done it, you’ll know takes bloody ages.

Large place in the top floor of the Carré shopping centre, enter either via there or (easier) up the steps off Karl-Leibknecht-Strasse.  Serves 4 beers; Pils, Dunkel, Weizen and a seasonal, although it's not clear if these are from here or Lemkes which is under the same ownership (although the Märzen tasted quite different in each bar); sitting in a shopping centre scooping is undoubtedly a strange drinking experience.

From Alexanderplatz walk along Gontardstraße (follow the tramlines) towards Karl-Leibknecht-Straße and you’ll see the bar in the shopping centre ahead.  It's on a level with the railway so you can’t miss in coming into Alexanderplatz from the west and gives a great vantage point of the comings and goings along the S-Bahn lines.

The brewery tap of the excellent Berliner Bürgerbräu brewery (the smallest and most traditional of Berlin’s remaining GDR breweries) which is situated behind the pub; this place seems to be from a forgotten age of decadence.  Serves all the beers in superb condition and you don’t get much better examples of German beers than these – the Rotkehlchen and schwarzbier in particular were excellent.  It's a bit of a trek out but well worth it with both beer and food being very good.

Similar to Lemkes (it’s in a railway arch) situated just west of Bellevue station.  The tiny brewplant visible in the window brews specials all year round and they don't stick to the ludicrous purity law, preferring to experiment with impressive results.  The food is good, the rumbling S-Bahn trains give a surreal atmosphere, and all said it's one of my favourite Berlin brewpubs with some of the best beers in town.

As has been said to me a few times, this is an unusual place.  A vaguely "alternative" venue in the inner courtyard of a large block of Stalinist flats with the brewery visible through large windows above.  A small cellar-bar serves as the brewery tap and has the usual 3 regular beers on sale – Pils, Dunkel and Weiss – plus a monthly special.  A way from the other bars but worth the trip.

From Leopoldplatz U-Bahn (U6 and U9 interchange) walk down Luxemburgerstraße for 50 metres and turn left into Genterstraße.  Continue down here until the end where the aforementioned block of flats is located; head round the right-hand side, through a kind of garden, then turn left into the courtyard following the signs and you’ll see the brewery on your right at eye-level with the bar is down the steps below; it’s easier to find than it sounds.

Opposite the library and on the banks of the Spree serving reasonably good beers with a very malty character; Helles, Dunkel and occasional seasonals available.  The food is pretty good too although at tourist prices, we recommend the stuffed cabbage!

From Alexanderplatz, take tram M4, M5 or M6 (going towards the city) 1 stop to Spandauerstraße.  Walk down Spandauerstraße past Marx-Engels platz and turn right at the red rathaus into Rathausstraße then left into Spreeufer – the pub is 50 metres on the left.  About 10 minutes from Alexanderplatz and near some other half-decent bars too.

Interesting place with the tiny brewing kit on the right-hand wall as you enter.  Usually has four beers on at a time, all characterful and full of flavour, particularly the Pils.  Food is excellent, especially the Haxe which was the best I had all week - I’ll never look at a pig’s leg the same way again that’s for sure.  Now occupies two arches and the beers are still as good quality as before.  The owner also runs Mitte and Lemkes Charlottenburg so I don't know if all beers are brewed in each place; if you get any gen, let me know please!

From S-bahn Hackescher Markt, exit station and turn right into Dircksenstraße.  Cross the road and Lemke is in the 4-5th arch on your right – you can’t miss it!  5 minutes' walk maximum even if you’re fat and lazy (like me).

A most unusual place for a brewpub, right in the middle of cutting-edge capitalism.  Situated in the futuristic (and strangely-roofed) Sony centre just behind the U-Bahn station on the far side as you walk in.  The brewpub has the world’s only silver copper for reason unknown from which it produces one beer, the Hefe-Weiss, which is very good if you like wheat beers, and also serves beers from the owning company Traunstein of Bavaria.  Brews 4 times a week and smells gorgeous when it does.

Even smaller than Lemkes, this tiny place has it’s cute little copper brewkit displayed in the front window.  Serves a Pils and Dunkel (average to good) and, sometimes, specials.  Sells fish & chips for some obscure reason we couldn’t work out but the beer is only average.  The brewer apparently doesn’t abide by the Rheinheitsgebot but specials aren’t on often.

This is one strange place: a tiny building in the middle of Köpenick’s town square looking like a tourist information kiosk complete with a tiny brewkit inside; it’s not the usual kind of place you’d expect to have a brewery installed – or to be a pub, really!  Brews Helles and Dunkel (both decent) plus increasingly interesting specials.  An experience not to be missed, and Köpenick itself is a very attractive place with plenty of impressive buildings and much water surrounding the centre.

Cosy little bar with 6 draught beers including Kindl brews (now from Schultheiss, obviously) and Kulmbacher Weiß and Schwarzbier alongside some more usual stuff.  Worth remembering if you’ve 15 minutes to spare or need a quick slash – the toilets are free if you’re drinking!  Has a bizarre little seat right next to the bar, it’s actually built into it and you use the bar as a table...

Supposedly a re-creation of a traditional Berlin bar, this place looked far too pretentious for us to venture inside!  Apparently they make a big thing out of Berliner Weiss, mainly with schuss for some reason, although I'm told you can have it ohne schuss if you really want!

Studenty pub which has an above-average bottled beer list including some half-decent Belgian beers alongside the wide range of German scoops including Lausitzer Porter.  Much better than the awful "house of 100 beers" near Potsdamerplatz and the food is decent, too, making an evening in here and the brewpubs around Mitte an attractive night out.

Historic old place which has been many things including a bakery and coffin warehouse before becoming a bar.  Serves good food until late and Schultheiss beers including the Schwarz and bottled Schultheiss Berliner Weiss which can be had without schuss if you ask nicely!  In an interesting area with strong Jewish connections.

Another re-creation by the DDR in Nikolaiviertel, opposite the huge twin-steepled church so you can’t really miss it.  A recreation of a famous old pub from Alt-Cölln with small rooms and limited space inside although we didn’t actually enter the place so can’t confirm this!  Sells Berliner Weiss which is a recommendation if one is needed to stick your head through the door.

Dating from 1621 this is Berlin’s oldest surviving pub.  An excellent interior which is aimed a bit at tourists visiting the nearby Nikolaiviertel area but still hidden well enough to be quiet.  The food looked good but is expensive as is the beer, although the list includes the excellent Bürgerbräu Rotkelchen on draught which is worth the trip in itself.

** Reported as ceased brewing late 2008 by the German beer guide **

Parts of this old inn date back to 1410 although you’d never guess.  Seems like it’s way out in the wilds of the Tegeler forest although, in reality, its only 1km from Alt-Tegel and civilisation.  As you enter the brewery is on the left, the bar to the right.  Serves Kupfer and Messing (helles and dunkel) and a special which is either weissbier or bock on rotation with the beers having a strange wild yeast taste not unlike Gose or Lambic!  Part of the Albrecht chain of brewpubs.

Take U6 to it’s northern terminus at Alt-Tegel.  From outside the U-Bahn station, take bus 124, 133 or 222 2 stops to Heiligenseestraße/Ruppiner Chaussee – you pass the pub on the sharp bend just before the stops (124 serves a different stop than the others here).  Buses run every 20 minutes until late.  A long way north from the centre of town and for completists only!  You can also take S25 to Tegel but it’s an extra stop on the bus and the trains are less frequent.