Bamberg is known for its smoked Rauchbier.
Bamberg is home to eight breweries, Brauerei F�ssla, Brauerei Greifenklau, Brauerei Heller-Trum (Schlenkerla), Brauerei Kaiserdom, Keesmann Br�u, Klosterbr�u, Mahrs Br�u and Brauerei Spezial, and one brewpub, Ambr�usianum � an unusually high number for a city of 70,000.
Bamberg is an independent city. Its town council (Stadtrat) and its Lord Mayor (Oberb�rgermeister) are elected every six years, though not in the same year. Thus, the last municipal election for the town council was in 2008, for the Lord Mayor in 2006.
As of March 2008, the 44 member-town-council comprises 15 CSU councillors, 10 SPD councillors, 7 Green councillors, 5 councillors of the Bamberger B�rger-Block and 3 of the Freie W�hler (Free Voters), both local political movements. These five parties achieved the number of councillors necessary to form a caucus. In addition, there are 2 councillors of the Bamberger Realisten and one of the FDP and the far-right Republicans (Germany), making them ineligible for caucus status. This is the result of the municipal elections of 2 March 2008.
Bamberg has been an important base for the Bavarian, German and now American military stationed at Warner Barracks
