FAQ
32 answered questions22 official
Rules questions from the BoardGameGeek forum. Answers marked Official were confirmed by Spielefaible or the designers.
Common mistakes
- Taking the bonus action before the worker action — it always comes after. Ruling · Rule
- Delivering or spending barrels from the barrel depot — only cellar barrels count. Ruling · Rule
- Giving only one dial the Laboratory’s extra round-end rotation — every dial may turn twice. Ruling · Rule
- Fulfilling an objective with a bonus worker already on the bonus board — it must come from your supply. Ruling · Rule
- Waiting for the round end to check 20 points — the last round starts the moment someone reaches 20. Ruling · Rule
Showing 32 of 32
May I place both my tagged workers on the same action area in one round? Official
Yes, if its other space is still free.
Source: BGG thread
May I take the bonus action before the worker action? Official
No. The order is fixed: worker action first, then the bonus action — to keep turns quick.
Source: BGG thread
With 2 lightbulbs, may I still use the basic bonus area?
Yes, you may choose either area.
Source: BGG thread
How does the turn order action work? Does my worker block the space? Official
Yes. Your untagged worker takes one of the 8 spaces (blocking it) and its bonus at once. The further left it stands, the earlier you play next round. The barrels show the current round’s order; at round end the workers move up to the track and the barrels follow them. That is what your coloured barrel is for: it keeps the current round’s turn order visible once the workers are placed.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
Can I fulfil an objective with a small bonus worker I already used for a bonus action this round? Official
No. The worker must be in your supply. (The Laboratory is the exception: it may use a deployed one.)
Source: BGG thread
Which worker do I upgrade, and in which order do retired workers fill the retirement spaces? Official
Any tagged worker, by one step, one upgrade per round. The two medium cellar tiles are placed at random at setup, so you choose which matching retirement space to use.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread
May the first truck on “complete an order” just move a barrel without delivering? Official
No. The first-truck bonus comes only with a completed order.
Source: BGG thread
The first administrative action shows “+”: must I do both parts?
You do both, but may do just one — for example when you have no dial to turn.
Source: BGG thread
At round end, does each dial turn once — and what does the Laboratory add? Official
Each dial must turn once. With the Laboratory each dial may then turn a second time (the first is never optional). The Laboratory’s “up to 2 rotations” is a separate bonus when you build it.
Source: BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread · BGG thread
When does “each time you brew only Pils” (Josef Groll and similar brewmasters) trigger?
When you take a Brewing beer or Brew 1 beer action and the only dial you place is that type. Rotations are not brewing.
Source: BGG thread
Are coins, barrels and beer tiles limited? Official
No. Treat them as unlimited.
Source: BGG thread
Can barrels in my barrel depot be used to pay or deliver? Official
No. A barrel spent as a cost (Flip-top closure, the exchange) or delivered must come from the cellar.
Source: BGG thread
What are the numbers below the brewing level track — victory points? Official
No. They are brewing levels: how many beer types you brew with action 1.
Source: BGG thread
Johann Fiege: do I pay the coin and the point every time I use an occupied space? Official
Only once, when you play him. He is strong; the designer’s house rule is to shuffle him among the last 25 cards of the draw pile.
Source: BGG thread
Does Crown cork allow a partial exchange? Official
The Kölsch expansion rules clarify the exchange as two beer tiles from your cellar for two from the common supply; you may take the cellar beers from either or both brewery boards. The rules do not clarify whether exchanging only one beer is allowed, so that remains unresolved.
Source: Spielefaible's Kölsch expansion rules (p. 13)
Johann Fiege: which of my workers may join an occupied space?
Only your tagged workers — not the truck, and not the untagged worker on the turn order spaces. Whether the worker that joins also earns a bonus action has no designer answer; players lean towards yes.
Source: BGG thread
Is the coin for every 4 rotations on Fritz Brinkhoff permanent? Official
Yes, while he is your brewmaster. His X rotations happen once, when you play him.
Source: BGG thread
Luise Wenker’s order asks for 2 beers but only 1 barrel — a misprint? Official
Yes. You may also play it as printed, as a small bonus.
Source: BGG thread
What is the difference between “take” and “draw” a card? Official
“Take” = from the display (up to your brewing level) or the draw pile. “Draw” = from the draw pile only; cards underline it.
Source: BGG thread
When I take a display card, when is the display refilled?
At the end of that player’s turn: slide the cards left and fill from the draw pile.
Source: BGG thread
What if the draw pile runs out? Official
Shuffle the discards into a new draw pile.
Source: BGG thread
The fourth starting card puts 2 barrels in the depot while the third puts 2 in the cellar — a misprint? Official
No. The fourth player gets 5 coins instead of 4 to make up for it.
Source: BGG thread
The rulebook’s display examples leave out the starting card — can I remove it?
No. Cards in your personal display stay for the whole game; the examples just show other cards.
Source: BGG thread
Is the hand limit of 6 permanent?
Yes, from the round you pass that progress space on.
Source: BGG thread
Is the last round triggered the moment someone reaches 20 points? Official
Yes, even if they lose points again later.
Source: BGG thread
Can scores go above 25?
Yes; keep counting. Ties are only real ties.
Source: BGG thread
Do I need a bonus action to fulfil an objective?
No. Any time on your turn when you meet it, place a small bonus worker from your supply; it is not an action. Objectives score at once, not at the end.
Source: BGG thread
[Boom] Should the “4 identical beers” objective also cover the printed one with House brand? Official
It makes sense, but it is optional. The card just raises the difficulty of that objective.
Source: BGG thread
[Boom] With a double coop, do both dials turn at round end?
Yes: every dial turns once at round end.
Source: BGG thread
[Boom] Julius Bötzow and The thirsty man let me play a card into my display: must it be the card I just took? Official
No, any card from your hand. A worker upgrade from a card still happens at round end.
Source: BGG thread
[Boom] Can the Litfaß extra space take back a bonus worker from an objective? Official
No. Workers on objectives stay for the whole game. With the expansion, one on the Laboratory may be taken back if you have no other free bonus worker.
Source: BGG thread
[Boom] In solo, is Theodor König as brewmaster too strong? Official
Yes — the designer agrees it makes the game “very easy”.
Source: BGG thread