One of the last Cologne originals is
Kölsch (beer). The light top-fer- mented beer (by
fermentation the wheat rises to the top, for Pils a
little falls to the bottom) is pleasant to the taste and
delicious light drink. Kölsch is drunk from small
cylinder glasses containing 0.2l, what any non-resident
beer drinker sometimes marvels and falls in love with.
Of course the Kölsch should always be drunk fresh in
small portions. There's a good 25 brand name Kölsch at
the moment. Most
of them are produced in large
quanities, alone the Kölsch form Malzmühle and Päffgen
(photo) have left the taproom for a larger
brewery. Drinking Kölsch is best in a traditional
brew house. There you'll find that the Kölsch is
served by "Köbes" who take over the job of
the waiter, who's self- confidence runith over. He
is something of an institution in each Kölner
brew house.
In the blue abyss, the shirt and wais apron with the
leather wallet in front of his stomache, the Köbesse
(plural) the Kölsch glasses and also food to the
people. By the way, it can happen that the Köbes brings
you a fresh glass without you having asked and before
you have finished the last. The Köbesse were brewery
assistants that brewed the beer in the morning and
assisted with its service in the evenings. The last has
stayed until today, the quick-wittedness of the Kölsch
waiter, who knows most of the harshest speeches. That
belongs to the brewery and to the old customs. Whomever
desires, can have a great time in the Cologne brew
houses.
Further information on Kölsch
beer and its nature as well as about Cologne's brewery
tradition are part of a guided tour that is offered for
travel groups. Click here.
Specialities of the Kölsch menu
HALVER
HAHN Frequently
one can generate an appetite for something hearty
after a couple of Kölsch beers. Anyone who orders
a Halver Hahn expecting half of a chicken will be
astounded: the Köbes will bring, in a Roggen bun,
butter and piece of aged gouda cheese. On top of
that one spreads a little mustard and is ready to
enjoy the meal. Sounds curious, actually tastes
really delicious with a Kölsch. There are tons of
legends about this misnomered snack. Maybe you can
experience one of the stories at the brewery which
you visit.
KÖLSCHER KAVIAR A little
bit of irony and humor like in Karneval hides
behind the name of this Cologne standard. Kölsch
Kaviar "with music", that's a blutwurst
(blood sausage), which is sauteed and served with
onion rings. Asking what the music has to do with
it shoud just wait for the lingering taste of the
onions. One can also enjoy this speciality without
the jangles even in healthy form, because with the
Himmel un Äd there is a sauteed Flönz
(Blutwurst) with side of mashed potatoes (from the
earth: Äd) and apple sauce (from heaven: Himmel).
HÄMCHER Hearty
and crafty is the dish which is grilled and
similar to other kitchens. Hämcher also indicate
women with thick unattractive legs, therefore, the
brew house will often serve a pigs leg, which is
poached and then cooked in a root vegetable broth.
Eaten with mustard and with sauerkraut and mashed
potatoes is the Hämcher. The meat is very bitter,
if one leaves out the rind. The menu is for larger
appetites after a long day visit in Cologne and is
style-authentic as the other dishes are.
The brew house Früh am Dom
Travelers to Cologne should enjoy their time in a
traditional brew house. Around the Dom there's more than
a half dozen of such guest houses. Here is also
Cologne's largest brew house, which, today, stands as
the flagship among Kölsch breweries. Inside the
guest space is shared over three floors. On the ground
floor you can bank
your way through the rustic tables,
ben- ches and stools. The walls are paneled with
dark wood, which also decorates the beer benches.
A view upwards will reward you with a ceiling
paintings and the tiled stove really lends to the
rooms authenticity. Up front at the entrance fresh
Früh Kölsch is tapped, which often comes from
wood
barrels. A story below will reward visitors with a
vaulted cellar, whose structure dates well back to the
year 1235. Früh founded an acient pub.While the brew
hall has a little more expensive costs, the first floor
serves much finer products. Here in the earlier living
room of the Früh family, there is an international menu
and selection of wines. In the summer, the Früh at the
Dom is escpecially pulverised by tourists. However, one
can enjoy a Kölsch and sit at the main entrance though.
Adress: 12-14 Am Hof. Phone 261 32 11. The
brew house is open daily from 8am until midnight. The
kitchen works until 11.45pm. Info on-line at:
www.frueh.de.
Typical Cologne guest houses
GASTHAUS BRUNGS Higher
level German kitchen in a 470 year old guest
house. Nice vault in the celler. Address:
Marsplatz. Phone 258 16 66.
DOM IM
STAPELHAUS Traditional
Cologne as well as international kitchen. Terrace with a
nice view of the Rhine. Address:
35 Franken- werft. Phone 258 21 49.
GERTRUDENHOF Rustic pub with local kitchen, with Kölsch
or Pils on tap. In summer beer garden. Address:
2a Apostelnstr. Phone 257 80
HAXENHAUS The Kölsch and Bratwurst are available by the
meter. Specialty: Haxen. Address:
19 Frankenwerft. Phone 257 79 66.
SCHMITTCHEN House specialities are Reibekuchen with
salmon, tartar or apple sauce. Address:
38 Breite Str. Phone 257 84 36.
BIER-ESEL Solid guest house with good selection of
dishes. House specialities are are muscles. Address:
114 Breite Str. Tel. 257 60 90.
Haxenhaus zum Rheingarten
Those wishing to try a typical Cologne kitchen
specialty, should head to many of the Kölsch bars in
the city. The Haxenhaus at the Rhine Garden in the
middle of the Altstadt (olde towne) is a mixture of bar
and kitchen and who's succeeded in packing the aged-old
space.
The guest house dates back to the
13th century and was one of the first homes for a
hostile for pilgrams. Then, like today, the guests
returned because of the old atmos- hphere and
hearty dishes. Also belonging to the building is
hidden in the name of the locale. The grilled
haxen of pig or lamb
with sides of sauerkraut and mashed potatoes are
typical. So many guests are astounded a little bit that
the home made bratwurst, the Kölsch and the schnapps
can be orderded by the meter, exactly how is was
allegedly done in the old times of the locale. On the
menu you can also find a tomato cream soup and diverse
salads. Obviously there's Flönz (Blutwurst) on the menu
with onions and black bread. And the Rhine-Sauerbraten
with dumplings and red cabbage isn't missing. On the
weekend music and dance helps to burn off the calories.
Adress: 19 Frankenwerft. Phone 25 77 966.
Open: Sun. to Thu. from 11.30am to 1am, Fri. and Sat. 11.30am -
3am. On-line at: www.haxenhaus.de.
Copyright 2005 - NICE
CITY! Cologne
Breweries & Kölsch pubs
Alt Köln am Dom
The Alt Köln (means Old
Cologne) is a brewery and restaurant at the same time. The
guest rooms are rustically arranged. Adress: 7 Trankgasse,
phone 13 74 71.
Gaffel Haus
The good Kölsch from the
glasses with the gold rim in the rustic atmoshphere. In the
summer the guests wander outside to the beer garden on Alter
Markt. Adress:. 20 Alter
Markt, phone 257 76 92. more
Heller's Brauhaus
The Heller's is a mixture of
brew house and student disco becuase of the number of academic
guests. The beer is brewed in house and consumed with music
from the large room or wintergarden. Adress:
33 Roonstr., phone 24 25 45. more
Lommerzheim
Anyone standing at the
enterance of the guest house from Hans Lommerzheim things they
are staring at film set. Since 1959 the businessman has run
the locale, which was renovated back then. The facade is gray
and the windows are decayed. The bar is one of Cologne's cult
bars. The regular patrons rush to the door to greet
„Lommi“ who stands at the door outside of Tuesdays.
Then they indulge themselves once again in one of the large
cuttlets with onions for which Lommi is known. Adress:
18 Siegesstr., phone 81 43 92. more
Malzmühle
Original and simple brew
house. The Kölsch is brewed in house. Ex-US president Clinton
experienced first hand how good it is when he was in town for
the world business conference in 1999. Clinton followed in
JFK's footsteps remarking, "Ich bin ein Kölsch." Adress:
6 Heumarkt, phone 21 01 17. more
Brauhaus Päffgen
The Päffgen is an aged-old
brew house with your standard rustical ambience. The good Kölsch
comes from their own brewery. As in every Cologne brew house,
all of the hearty meals are on the menu, among which are
naturally the Halve Hahn and other warm dishes. In the
interior there is a pretty beer garden, which is covered in
the winter and is heated. Adress: 64 Friesenstr.,
phone 13 54 61. more
Peters Brauhaus
Behind the beautiful facade
hides a noble interior. Impressive are the intermediate
ceiling and colorful glass and the crown lighting. Adress:
1 Mühlengasse, phone 257 39 50. more
Brauhaus Sion
Equally beloved by tourists.
In the guest room there's a painting of Konrad Adenauer,
once Lord Mayor of Cologne and the first chancellor of Germany
after World War II hanging on the wall. Adress:
5 Unter Taschenmacher, phone 257 85 40. more
Sünner im Walfisch
The brew house "Sünner
im Walfisch" is a beautiful house from the 17th century,
which once didn't even stand there. In 1935 the stones were
resettled. On this point there has been a brew house,
however, since the last 400 years. Today the House from Sünner,
a brewery in Kalk, a suburb of Cologne, is a leader of the
right bank. Not only the delicious Kölsch and good menu,
alone the nice locale pays off to visit.Adress: 13
Salzgasse, phone 257 78 79.
more
Brennerei Weiß
Actually, the locale is not a
real brew house in the old sense of the word, because a good
wine selection in a brew house is seldom found. It's about
beer there though. And also the vegeterian dishes which
are never found in brew house either. The distillery
(Brennerei) Weiß is counted as one of Cologne's gay meeting
places. In summer and everytime the sun rises temperature up
to 10 degrees plus the guests sit happily outside next ot the
street having a nice view on one of the remaining city gates
from the middle ages. Adress:
22 Hahnenstr., phone 57 46 38. more
