Make mine a stein

We’re big fans of alpine mountain bars. We like the idea of being 4,000 ft up and still be able to eat, drink and be merry. And we like the characterful people that run the bars – well you’d have to be characterful to run a bar in the middle of nowhere that’s snowed in for four months of the year.

And then there’s the symbolism, little things that remind you where you are – the wooden walls, the indoor fir tree, the pictures of bell-laden cows and of course the indecipherable collection of drinks behind the bar.

Hovering above our table in a bar near Kaprun, this gentleman (or Stag Man as he was quickly christened), caught our eye. Carved from wood with antlers for legs, he’s gliding round the room carrying two foaming stein krugs and a bowl of who-knows-what for his customers.

Quirky and charming, Stag Man epitomises the traditional character, craftsmanship and hospitality of the alps.