![]() ![]() In the northwest region of Germany, one can find a few small towns, long on brewing history, that have traditionally resisted the advances of bottom fermentation and that have created styles of beer quite different from those popularized by their Bavarian cousins. In contrast, many regions across Europe champion a particular style, which is often interpreted differently from village to village. In the United States, customers visit a brewpub and expect to select from a variety of styles, most often top fermented, spanning the spectrum of taste and color. After spending a few moments in the Schwemme (literally, “swimming area,” as Kölners refer to the area in front of the tap) the simile seems oddly appropriate.Īlthough the beer is exquisite, the lack of choice takes some getting used to for Americans. Jackson notes of the mayhem, “beers whistle by like golden bullets” (1). Trays now full, the waiters whirl off, slinging full glasses and collecting empties on the fly - perpetual motion but for the need to stop and refill. As far as I can tell, it is never turned off. The single tap continuously fills the straight-sided, 20-cL glasses, one after another. (The brewery is a youngster, though, compared with the Gaffel brewery, in the Altstadt section of town, which traces its roots to 1302.) When your eyes adjust to the dim lights, the first thing you notice is a line of waiters in blue coats and skirts (manly skirts, mind you), impatiently waiting in line at a serving counter, empty trays in hand. Within minutes of getting off the train and making your way around the 600-year-old cathedral to Am Hof street, stepping back in time is as easy as heaving open the giant oak doors of Früh and letting the slightly musty air of a century of brewing tradition summon you within. Früh brewpub, with its delicately pale Kölschbier, is the most regal of all. However, at the two dozen brewpubs in and around Köln (Cologne, to English speakers), Kölsch alone is the king (or is it queen?) of beers. In the Westerwald region, the offerings may include a local Pils, Diebels or Hannen Alt, and probably a Weissbier from Spaten or Paulaner. Similarly, bars in Germany generally offer at least three or four beers on tap, of vom Faβ. ![]() brewpubs and multitap bats were an expression of this desire. I’ve always believed that human nature demands variety and that U.S. Luckily for me, Köln presented an epiphany of beer and brewing experience.Īs a microbrewer in America, I’ve become accustomed to walking into a pub expecting to see several beer styles on tap. Naturally, we planned on visiting a few breweries and sampling some local specialties, but the brevity of the trip seemed to preclude any opportunities to glean insight into the centuries-old traditions and customs that make Germany the largest per capita consumer of beer in the world (as Michael Jackson has said, there are great beer nations, and there is Germany). Recently, my wife Jessica and I spent a week in Germany visiting relatives, part to maintain contact with that side of my family and part to celebrate out then-new engagement. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least, you need a beer.” “You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. One style alone is served in the Köln region of Germany’s western edge - a gentle reminder that a beer can rule with a light touch. « Back to Articles A Visit to the Court of Germany’s Kölschbier 11/30/-1Ī Visit to the Court of Germany’s Kölschbier ![]()
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