It was Steve who spotted the possibility of a two affordable nights in Köln courtesy of Mr Stelios. The problem was the timing of the flight, could we get from Helensburgh to Edinburgh Airport in time? With the ever dutiful Marg driving us though we could, she did. That a Boeing was parked at the airport decked out in the colours of Iron Maiden made us curious, are they in town, is this simply a commercial. I never did bother to find out.
Dr Stan was waiting
When Dr Stan announced that he was going to Bamberg on a trio run by Ronnie form the Three Judges (Glasgow) there was little interest. We have our own trip planned for the Bocks later in the year. It was the realisation that en route Dr Stan could be in Köln, well it was too much to miss.
We checked in to my new favourite Köln hotel, Colonia (Christophstrasse 16, Altstadt, Köln, 50670) my third visit since the Weinachtsmarkt in December. Dr Stan was becoming impatient, ‘Dr Stan becoming impatient?’ I hear, well it may have been a case of how much longer he had to sit alone waiting nursing a glass of Kölsch.
We found Dr Stan in the Keller almost hiding in a corner at the bar. Had we not known he was there he would never have been found. The test tubes were brought to the table and quickly dispatched, we had a thirst. There was no way Steve and Hector could play catch-up, but try we did. The more than accommodating Köbe kept them coming. The second best Kölsch in Hector’s book, and served Direkt, by gravity.
We had chosen the Keller because on a Friday night we would expect this to be open latest. (On a Sunday for example, one is best to sit in the man room at ground level.) The ashtrays were distributed, a chap lit up, we drank up and left. Why let the smoking ban lapse for the last hour or so?
Gaffel am Dom
With 100% confidence that the new Gaffel Haus (the old Alt Köln Gilden house) would be open late-ish, we walked across the Dom Platz gazing upwards as ever. This building never ceases to impress. I even went into it once, and climbed to the top. Well it was a Marg thing.
A new set of test tubes were ordered and arrived with the usual efficiency. Gaffel is always served under pressure. That it is rated so highly, usually third overall, makes one wonder what would happen if we could find an outlet with a barrel on the bar.
Dr Stan was fading fast and stated to make his excuses. He did leave, eventually. Dr Stan is not in this saga any more. This left Steve and Hector to complete the customary litre and think about going back to the hotel. ‘But the Gilden House may still sell Steak with Garlic Butter at 03.00’, stated Hector…
The Gilden Haus
The Gilden House is relatively small compared to other outlets. We have had some great – late – nights here over the years. There was only a handful of customers, and some of these may have been staff – smoking. What the…
This house at least sells Köl
sch in 0.3l glasses instead of the normal 0.2l. It is amazing how we love the novelty of a test tube until something larger is offered.
We called it a day.
The Saturday
The plan for today was, well Hector’s plan was – and Steve was not protesting, was to do the Kölsch Houses on foot. As we were not leaving the city there was little reason to invest in transportation, and nothing is too far away from anywhere else.
Päffgen
This of course is the real Päffgen and not the one of almost similar nomenclature at Heumarkt.
It was not yet noon, the temperature was such that a walk of any distance would work up a thirst. It was less than ten minutes from our hotel around the ring road to Päffgen. We used to think of this place as as lying quite a bit out of town, but greater knowledge of where the ring road goes on the west side of the city has changed this, knowledge brought about by the search for Curry Houses.
We were not quite alone in the Bier House. Soup was also ordered, just to offer the palate another sensation. Hector of course was saving his food appetite for a certain Curry House… A couple of test tubes set us on our way.
It was an appreciably longer walk around the southern end of the ring road passed Barbarossaplatz towards, Chlodwigplatz, or South Koln as Dr Stan likes to call. it. We used to come this way by the tram to get to the former Dom Keller, an outlet that is sadly missed, especially on a hot day like this. Hector and Marg were the first in the company to seek out the new Reissdorf House and in the process stumbled upon Fruh em Veedel (now Dr Stan’s favourite Köln pub– I thought he was not in this saga any more…) and perhaps another Gaffel outlet.
Früh em Veedel
There is a sense that much of this building must have have avoided the forced redecoration after 1945. The room on the right is smoke free – yeah!, the room to the left is for the coffin dodgers – boo! A lovely Doris served us, repeatedly, Direkt from a 15l barrel. We took the photos, drank the Bier and planned the Curry. The atmosphere here is certainly more pub like. Perhaps it is heresy for us to come to this part of the city when for years we have only been permitted, by our own rules, to visit Brewery Taps, The Source!
Crossing past the Tor, the southern gate to the city, we made the short walk up the road toward Reissdorf. There was the certain matter of a Curry-Heute. The ever improving Köln Curry scene is described at: A weeekend of Kölsch and Curry
Reissdorf – Zum Alten Brauhaus
I have raved about this outlet since my first visit in February. It is similar in dimensions to the main House on Klein Griechenmarkt. This house is smoke-free throughout. I also feel less, approaching no allegiance to the other place given the mass change in staff of late.
The Kolsch here is also served Direkt and is significantly cheaper than the prices in the inner city. Same Bier, better price, cleaner air. We were here for the full shift. The football was on tv too, so we became 1FC Köln supporters for the afternoon.
Mühlen
The sun was still shining intensely on the streets of Köln when we emerged to walk back towards Neumarkt. I even spotted a new Curry House just behind Mühlen would never have seen had I not approached from this new direction. This place was remarkably quiet. The Bier was distinctly more bitter than the relatively maltier Reissdorf. Poured Direkt, we did the litre.
Sünner im Walfisch
The place with the towers as the chaps at the Bon Accord (Glasgow) will recall only too well. This place can be very busy, but as it was not our intention to eat, we went into The Pit on the right at the entrance. The barman was kept busy serving Direkt from his barrel for the entire outlet.
Schreckenskammer
Marg and Hector popped up here in February only to find it closed. I think this is how I tend to find it, the place does not open early in the day. The sawdust on the floor took us back to a time before we were even born. There were scant few customers. The service was terrible. We got served, struggled to get a refill and left. I believe the Bier was served Direkt, but as we were far away from what little activity there was , who knows? I do not thing we will be in too much of a hurry to return.
Brauhaus Sion
This house tends to get done on short visits being adjacent to Früh am Dom, Gilden, Peters and the main Gaffel on Alter Markt. We sat inside the doorway, many were outside and the time was passing. It was getting late, the was the last port of call. The Bier was served Direkt as every Bier today had been. This in itself was quite an achievement.
It was time for some nocturnal repose. Thanks to Mr Stelios, our flight tomorrow is not until 21.00. We have a full day in front of us…. zzzz….
The Brewery Taps visited this weekend:
Früh am Dom – Am Hof, 50667, Köln
Gaffel am Dom – Bahnhofsvorplatz 1, 50667, Köln
The Gilden Haus – Große Budengasse,10, 50667, Köln
Päffgen – Friesenstraße 64-66, 50670, Köln
Früh em Veedel – Chlodwigplatz 28, 50678, Köln
Reissdorf – Zum Alten Brauhaus – Severin Strasse 51, 50678
Mühlen – Brauerei zur Malzmühle, Heumarkt 6, 50667, Köln
Sünner im Walfisch – Salzgasse 13, 50667, Köln
Schreckenskammer – Ursulagarten str. 11-15, 50668, Köln
Brauhaus Sion – Unter Taschenmacher 5, 50667, Köln