This thread makes two thoughts spring to mind, only related to one another by beer:
1: Effenbert. Anybody seen it in the U.S.? I've only heard of it as a World Superbike sponsor, but I figured that among the supporters of WSBK, there aren't many whose products I'm likely to try, but I'd have one of those...
2: Salanis, you're going to Germany to pursue the brew, no? I just got back, and while the Munich portion of my trip involved very little beer due to a stomach bug, I had a taste of a phenomenal dunkel at the Andechs brewery/monastery a reasonable train/bus ride outside of Munich. Beautiful area, too. I'm not suggesting a beer I had a taste of is worth a big trip, but you might look into it if you're going to be in that area as it's just generally neat. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to catch a brewery tour.