Years Back - Cologne and Surroundings

Lahnstein - Maximillian's Brauwiesen. A rare brewery in Rhine wine country near Koblentz. Opened in 1995, this big brewpub complex seats 700 for parties, receptions, etc. Good luck finding it since there is no sign outside at all. If we hadn't seen a picture of the fronting house we would have driven by. Out back there's a new building and a very large terrace stretching down to the Rhine. The decor includes hop vines hanging from beams and old kegs and equipment strewn everywhere.
You can get 10, 15, 20, and 30 liter siphons (growlers) for 51€, 75€, 99€, or 145€. Towers are also available at the table. Party on, Garth. While we were there 90 people walked in at once. 4 waitresses and a 2nd bartender trooped out from another room and everyone had drinks within 5 minutes. Very efficient.

• Braunes - Malty and sour.
• Wiesenweizen - Cloudy yellow. More banana in aroma than in taste.
• Helles - Sloppy serve with foam running down the side. This stayed for a long time but didn't harden like the expanding foam insulation they use on This Old House. Bright yellow with a green tint. Slightly sour North German hell. Pretty typical.

A small brewing system shares space behind the bar with a pretzel toaster.

Yep, they are ready for party animals.

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Cologne. It's Kolsch in Koln. Kolsch is an ale rather than a lager and every brewer in Cologne makes one and serves it in small 200ml straight-sided narrow glasses for about 1.25 to 1.80€. It's a style that goes back 750 years. Actually most of the Kolsch in town is as indistinguishable from each other as is Bud and Miller. Only the most notable are mentioned in this list of the brewery taps we visited.
Here's a pub crawl that you can really crawl. Not even a mile between start and finish. Start at the Dom and work southward.

• Fruh. Closest to the Dom, just a block south. Ed Hermann says they have the worst tasting Kolsch in town and it is a bit watery. There are at least 10 rooms in the sprawling place, 5 of them down in the brick vaulted keller. Absurdly busy. Very fast and efficient food service. An overhead crane in the keller brings in new kegs - neat.
• Sion Brauhaus. Just east on Am Dom. A hotel restaurant with a convenient stop-in-for-one spot at the serving station.
• Peters Brauhaus. At the north end of the Alter Markt, this whole place looks like a dignified hotel lobby. The arched glass ceiling (below) is magnificent.
• Gaffel Haus. On the Alt Market. A busy stop-in local with a stamstich area.
• Alter Morchi Treff - A Gilden outlet just south of the Gafel Haus in the Alter Markt. It's fairly nondescript - very plain.
• Kulisse. Dom Kolsh's Alter Markt house next to the Alter Morchi Treff. An older facade with German music at 80 decibels and a lot more people. Lots of laughing. 3, 5, and 10-liter towers on tables might explain why.
• A block east is the Beir Museum with 35 taps and rowdy German-language rock music, even on a Sunday afternoon. There's a long party tradition of regulars - and at least one of the worst singers in Europe chanting along.
• Next door is Papa Joes Jazz Lokal. New Orleans music and the highest Kolsch price (and biggest glasses) to pay for the band. When we were there a damn fine 5-piece band was on. Made us yearn to be back on Bourbon Street in a year or two.
• Sunner's Walfisch. A block south. It has all the proper ambiance but it's all new inside (the 1980s?). The Kolsch has CO₂ but it tasted flat. Very bitter. They also make a hefeweizen that is rich in banana - true Bavarian.
• Zum Pfaffen. In the Heumarkt just east of Walfisch. Kolsch is served from the wood and is richer and fruitier than most. Stained glass and carvings have a humorous theme.
• Malz Muhle. - The Muhlen is at the south side of the Heumarkt downtown. It's a 60s looking place with the brewery right next door. Clinton stopped here in the 1990s for a beer.

Not done yet? Hit the tram from Heumarkt to the mixed ethinic Barbarossa Platz neighorhood for a couple of more great bars.

• Weiss Brau. A block south of the tram stop. This reminds one of a Manhattan pre-prohibition bar; a noisy mixed-ethnic local with kids galore while a family Friday get-together ate platters of food and matronly grandmothers tsk-tsked everything. Seats over 500 people. 2 vats stacked in the front window and open fermenters downstairs. Also a free WIFI hotspot where I posted the Bavarian pages.
  • Kolsch - Thick and creamy for the style with plenty of bitterness.
  • Weiss - Ask for a white beer. Reddish hefe. Fruity with a weak peach flavor. Practically no aroma.
  • Pantaleons Schwarze - Ask for the black beer. Served in a stone mug so it's tough to see how black it is but the head is the same exact color as the mug. It's the blackest beer I've ever tasted. All the flavor the weiss lacks has been put into this beer instead. Could be a Stout. Grows on you fast.
• Haus Toller - A seemingly ancient place two blocks north of the Weiss Brau. It's a Sion house. The front door leads through the serving stand to a dining room of old tables and plain wood chairs. Motto: "Tradition". We think started by Dores Toller who died in 1912. The soleier are not to be missed - serious pickled eggs in the shell that are almost as potent as Chinese 100 year old eggs.

Fruh occupies both of these buildings. Drawing from the "wood" in the Fruh keller. There's an overhead trolley to transport kegs. The hop covered chandelier at Peters Brauhaus. Kulisse is loud outside. And louder inside. 5-liter tower. Papa Joes on Rothenberg. Not to be confused with the one on the Alter Markt. Clowns have been a part of the Cologne scene since Shrove Monday carnivals began in 1823.

Sion. 12 Kolsch glasses fit into trays for easier service. Most taps fill, let sit, and top up the glasses. Gaffel Haus. Alter Morchi Treff. Bier Museum. Undoubtedly the worst and most enthusiastic singer in Europe at the Bier Museum. Sunner im Walfisch. Weiss Brau.

Magnificent dining room at Peters Brauhaus.

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Dusseldorf is Alt Bier country. Alt (literally "old" being an older style before lagers were invented) is also an ale but darker and more pronounced than Kolsch. It's also usually more bitter. Comparatively like an ESB relates to a Pale Ale. Or a Pilsner to a Helles lager. We stopped in 5 brewery taps in Dusseldorf on Unification Day - a perfect time for a pub crawl since nothing but restaurants were open in Germany anyway.
One thing to note about Dusseldorf. If you order a beer you'll get an alt. Another thing. If your glass is empty it will be replaced immediately whether you ask or not. Servings are 250ml for about 1.50€. Your beer mat will be marked with a slash to count the beers - be sure not to grab any old mat with pencil marks on it when you sit down.

• Brauerei Frankenheim Ausschank. Served from the plastic keg. Backstreet, backwater local with plenty of business but no soul. Dour. Cavernous multi-roomed, all new, "since 1873". Alt is nice and fruity. Catch it on a different day and it may rock, who knows? Also a Pils but they wouldn't serve it - didn't say if it was on or not, just that I wanted another Alt.
• Brauerei im Fuchschen. Sit outside if it's nice. The alt is quite bitter and reddish hued. They also have a Silber Fuchschen Weizenbier in a swing-top bottle - served half-heartedly as if I was a Bavarian. An OK weisse but nothing spectacular, though good.
• Zum Schlussel - Served from big wood casks. Stay up front at the marble bar or explore deeper for food service.
• Gaststatte im Sammhaus Schumacher. Classic northern Germany big-city hole. Waiter tried to talk me out of the cheese plate and then out of a glass of tea. Also refused to serve a Schankbier saying "dis is licht" when putting another Alt on my table. Heck, I'm counting on that cheese and caffeine to get me back to Cologne.
• Zum Uerige, downtown, makes a soft, strong, bitter, amber brew served from the wood. It's famous everywhere as the definitive Alt beer. The Sticke (secret) beer of legend was sadly not on when we were there but that was to be expected. They also make a delicious Weizen - dark yellow hefe, smooth, rich, even creamy, none of that sissy sweet banana stuff, all malt and wheat. Sit in the front corner room for the best service or go back to the other rooms or the terrace across the street for food.

Sign in the courtyard at Schumacher. Uerige.

Fuchschen. Schussel. Schussel's vats. The front room at Uerige. No, the hops aren't actually growing from the keg.

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Between Cologne and Bonn there are 2 breweries:
Troisdorf - Stadt Brauerei Troisdorf / Privat brauerei Haussman. Owned by the city and housed in part of the community center and leased to Manfred Hausamann. This thoroughly modern brewpub in a thoroughly modern bedroom community has an attractive washed-wood bar that seats 20. The 20bbl vats are placed for viewing interest while the stainless steel is in the kitchen area. There was a steady lunch and after-lunch crowd with regulars at the bar. A wide-ranging food menu.

• Troisdorfer - A seriously bitter alt. Unfiltered and a bit cloudy. Properly reddish.
• Troi-Pi - Medium yellow. Served in a tulip glass with a rocky white head that disappeared before I could take the picture at right. No hops are spared here either. A beer with plenty of pilsenness. Fresh and clean. Could make me drink German Pils again.
• Troilsh - A Kolsch of course. In a proper 20 ml glass even though the menu claims .25 liter. Nice enough beer.
• Oktoberfest - A seasonal on for Bavarian folks. Actually this one is a hefe-weizen. Very pale yellow. Yeasty with lots of banana. A worthy beer.
• Other seasonal include a weisen (must be a klaar), bock, and a schwarz.
   

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Sieburg - Michel Siegberger Abtbrauerei. In the downtown pedestrian platz. 60's wood and hops decor with a long bar and two TVs with piped-in music. Comfortable laid back place for an American on a lazy afternoon. Weekend jazz bands. 80 cent happy hours. Family nights. Regulars, shoppers, and shoppers' husbands.

• Alt - Red, thick, sweet, some Czech hops. Not to style but a good beer. 4.7%
• Kolsch - Identifiable but much richer than in Cologne. I hate using "rich" so often but it's applicable. Almost chewy and that's really rich for this style.
• Oktoberfestbier - Seasonal of the month. Way smooth amber lager. Thick and sweet. Indiana brewery Oktoberfestish. Served in a tall flute. 5.9%.
   

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Bonn - Brauhaus Bonnsch. On the pedestrian arcade near the bahnhof. Lots of evening business and lots of English being spoken. Home of the famous crooked glass but they serve their Bonnsch in 30ml mugs - the glasses are for sale in the gift shop though.

• Bonnsch - Unfiltered, cloudy hell that they purport to be a Kolsch. Looks like a wit but is very bland, especially for a 1045OG beer.
• Weizen - A little darker. Much more of a beer. True Bavarian character. Just a touch less clear than a kristalweisse.

Dribs and Drams

Rita tells us about what to expect at the beer pavilion at the Indiana State Fair.
AlsoTwoDEEP Brewing turns one and Gen Con's own beer!


LEO of Louisville talks about homebrew with a big nod to LAGERS, FOSSILS and  Bob Capshew.
And Roger explains Bob's Old 15-B Porter


It's National IPA Day.

Anty Gin From Cambridge (the one in England) comes a . . . well you might not want to read this one.

Headlines:

Dogfish Head Puts a Sweet Spin On Lobster Beer—By Adding Chocolate I doubt anyone is appalled by the chocolate. Greg, what are you doing?
 

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Years Back - Pubs in Brussels and Antwerp

You're in for a treat. The Kulminator in Antwerp is the best beer bar in the world.

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Down the street, quite a walk, from the secondary train station in Antwerp is a local pub with a reputation for 100+ beers. Except for that, inside, this bar could be in Chicago or Detroit. We can recommend it for the traveling American.
Terry had Hoegaarden Kriek, a blend of Hoegaarden and Lindemans Kriek (both on tap) with a dash of raspberry syrup. Both the sour and the wheat come through. It's like a pale kriek and immediately made Terry's Top 10 list.

The first half of the Camargue's menu

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In Brussels the Delirium Cafe opened in 2004. They guarantee 2004 beers available at any time and have had up to 2500. Of these, 900 are usually Belgian beers. About 10 taps.
There is some upstairs seating but the place is essentially a basement hole that gets way crowded in the evenings and, we're told, absolutely packed when there's a band. Visit on a dreary afternoon and you'll find a dozen other beer geeks pouring over their phonebook-sized and incredibly detailed menu. Blues and jazz background music is just right.
The staff is knowledgeable and even ready with a suggestion. This place will quickly become widely known as one of the best beer bars in the world. Was also there on a busy evening in 1999 with a band and probably 75 patrons.

Yep, that's a beer menu on the bar.

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Paters Vaetje is right at the front steps of the Vrouwkathedrall in Antwerp. There is no better place to enjoy an afternoon. Be aware, though, the Dames is reached by walking through the Herren.

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t' Waagstuk on the north side of downtown Antwerp is a lovely place with a mid-square patio and a small enclosed courtyard as well as a small interior. There's not much food, of course, but you can get omelets and soup.
They sell their own beer, Zeppelin, which commemorates the night of August 24, 1914 when this square (Stadswaag) was bombed by, you guessed it, a Zeppelin. Now they're getting even by getting German tourists bombed on this.

• Zeppelin - Contract brewed for t' Waagstuk by Bios in Ertvelde. Ostensibly a brune but it's very dark and seems to be licorice-based. Call it a highly bitter, effervescent, imperial brune. The first taste is truly shocking, then it calms down to be a unique, quaffable beer.
   

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OK, take a breath now. It's time to talk about the Kulminator - the best beer bar on the planet.
Consider a 38-page 1-line entry beer menu. Consider that about half of these are dated vintage beers. Consider that some of these are priced under 2€, most are under 4€ (of course some are over 20€). Consider the only US beer on the menu is Hair of the Dog Fred.
No TVs, just classical music. Plenty of compatriots to share war stories and compare selections.
They have a big lists of British ales from many years. They make trips to London and buy a bunch (understatement alert). It's a privilege to have owners Leen and Dirk share their collection with us. The bottles smell musty like a first edition of a Sherlock Holmes book. Some have held up well, some not so well. Go for the stronger beers of course - I'd hate to think what a 27 year old Sheaperd Neame Light Ale is like.

The tap menu. TAP!

The Winter beers. Just a half-page of the 38-page menu

The 1978 British beers.

A small part of the fridge.

Some special beers that aren't for sale as they are the last bottle.
Bass No. 1 Barley Wine
Thomas Hardy's 1978
Courage Imperial Russian Stout 1976.
And, interestingly enough, an Old Rasputin.

Here's what I had in the 9 hours I spent there: Barbar Winter - Deep brown. Non-obtrusive big bruin. Nose is of a delicate alcoholic tripel, then the bruin takes over in the taste. Recommended. Worth importing. Bass King's Ale 1981. 4€. 8%. Black ruby with glass-clingy bubbles. Served in the proper glass. Still a good barley wine. Fully matured (!). While the bottle smells musty, the beer is wonderfully full and malty. Bush De Noel - Dull brown. (Bush is a local Antwerp brewery). Strongly alcoholic brown ale. Not as spicy as expected. Actually rather bland, maybe due to the 12% alcohol being hidden completely. Just a nice brown ale. Deceptive. Carolus Margriet - Strong Belgium blonde. All the tastes of a triple in a 5% size. Chapeau Mirabelle Lambic - Plums. No really, it's made with plums. From De Troch. Doesn't taste strongly of plum or dark fruit, in fact it's just generally fruity but earthier than apricot. Not as tart as most. Courage Russian Imperial Stout 1983. - Black. Has thinned. Big barley and molasses notes but has become delicate. I could drink a lot of this. Greene King Harvest Sweet Brown Ale 1978. - Stayed well in the bottle. Not strong, but a good mature barley wine. Port, wine, and grappa still come through. Kwelchouffe Special Blonde 2000. Never have I before seen actual turbulence in the effervescence of a beer. This had, for 2 full minutes after pouring, eddys and flocks of bubbles going up, down, and around like geese in the fall. Bright apricot color. Bubbles settled down to a 2" white head which dropped quickly. The beer was brewed as a tribute to, or maybe an attempt to copy, Duvel. Logo on bottle includes a 666 above the pitchfork and the gnome has horns. Peachy, fruity, salivating without being at all salty. A top 10 beer for sure. 8.5% Pere Abbe Bruin - Black brown with a huge head. Yeasty. Butter smooth and thick. 6.5%. Roman Christmas Bell 1983. 3€. Pure black. No head. Old, old, strong ale. It could well have been a scotch ale but it's way past that now. Still a viable drink. Some molasses, some musty aroma and taste. 7.3%. John Smiths Scotch Ale 1987. 6.2%. Actually served in the proper glass. Pure black. No head. Old beer smell like an antique book. Mouthfeel is thin. It's completely ancient and drinkable as such. Not a Scotch ale any more but has transcended beer. Wadworth Old Timer 1978. 3.80€. 6%. Obviously not nearly the same beer that was bottled 27 years ago. It's past marrying and improving. Not vinegary but very old. I saved this bottle for my bar at home but the hotel maid took it away the next morning while I was at breakfast. Waaaaaah. Witkap-Pater Stimulo - Bottle conditioned blond double. Sugar (honey?) added to the wort. Sweet, sour, and bitter in balance. Goes down quickly.

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Museum

The Confederation of Belgian Brewers in Brussels has had a guild house on the Grand Place since 1695. There's a small museum in the basement that displays a few tools, old and new, and has a travelogue style movie about Belgian breweries.
For 4€ you can wander around for a while and then have a beer from one of the 2 titles they keep on tap - but they won't tell you whose beer you're drinking. One day there it was a light golden pils and a Belgian red ale.

There's just a couple of ancient bar games on display.

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Other beers we had in Belgium:

• Arend - On tap. A home blend at a small, well-known bar in Antwerp, the De Groote Witte. Too sour. Turns out it's a wit with a cheap lambic added. Dark red with a flaming pink chunky head that leaves red chunks as the foam dissipates. Very little cherry notes. Disappointing.
• Brugse Tripel - On tap. Blond. Strong stuff. Nice. Right tasting.
• Brugs Wit - On tap. Whiter than most but not weak. No orange nor tartness. Some bitterness.
• De Koninck Blonde.
• De Koninck Tripel - On tap. Bright oak blond tripel with lots of basic malt and lots of hops to bitter it up. 8%.
• Floris Fraises - A wit with strawberry added before bottling. Fresh and fruity.
• Gordon Highland Scotch Ale - On tap. Big malt scotch. Vanilla. Roast. Concentrated. Dark brown walnut. 8%.
• Gordon Xmas - On tap. So balanced. Actually in harmony. Like butter. Wonderfully quaffable. Could drink it by the quart. OK, maybe one quart. At Peters Vaetje sitting at the entrance to the cathedral listening to a street string quartet with the sun peeking through the clouds.
• Haecht Witbier - Somehow lighter in color, body, and presence than most wits. A quick-drinking beer.
• Hoegaarden Grand Cru - On tap. They distill the essence of their great wit leaving out all the unnecessary stuff. Like Colman Chapman said at Lotus, "add lightness".
• Judas - On tap. Big blond worthy of the name. Big belch too. White grape in the nose. A bit hot on the tongue but not offensive. All light malt. Dark blonde character throughout. From Maes.
• Petrus Blanche - Bright solid gold.
• Petrus Brune Double - Served in a proper Brit pint glass. In fact a Bavik pint glass. Deep brown. Spicy background underlies the malty, sharp-edged brown ale with some toasty character.
• Rodenbach. On tap. Deep brown, black. Sour ale. Roasty sour. Malty sour.
• Rulles Triple - Lots of candy sugar in this one. Has a 14-day fermentation using Orval yeast, then 4 weeks in the secondary. Delicate sourness with citric and a bit of honey taste also. 8.3%.
• Steendonk Wit - On tap. Very cloudy. Very white; more so than bottled as I remember. Plenty of coriander. Plenty of bitter aftertaste.
• Tripel Karmeliet - On tap. Blond triple abbey. Bright nose and taste. All light malt. Solid.
• Westmalle Trappist - On tap. Served nicely warmish. Trappist with green "fresh" distinct edges between the malt, hops, chocolate, sweet, and burnt sugar. Not as strongly alcoholic as I remember.