Hector Bounces Back – Day 2 – Köln, still

Breakfast of Champions

Having been treated like Royalty at Ganesha I tried to make the Rendezvous at Gaffel, Alter Markt. No sign of anyone, yet Neil texted to say he was there. Who sits Inside through the Back at Gaffel? We were finally Five. Given Peter’s lack of mobility, we decided to visit more Kölsch houses in the Immediate Vicinity. Sünner am Walfish was closed, for a holiday. In the height of Summer? Mühlen was covered in Polythene, renovations under-way here.

Päffgen, as opposed to other Variants of the same name, have a Kölsch House in Salzgass. Somehow I had never been here before. A Traditional Venue with a Kobi who evidently was consuming as much as he was delivering. The Schnorrteller, The Sponge Plate, is a Hoot on The Menu. A Free Plate for Kids who then Scrounge what they can from their Parents. Cost: €0.00.

At the top of Salzgasse is Pfaffen. They wanted us to stand inside or out. The Tables were for Diners, most were unoccupied. Peter needed a seat and so we were allocated a Squeeze of a Table on the right as one enters. How Five Chaps were expected to sit at this we do not know. The Kölsch was undrinkable, far too Perfumed, Pils-like. It was left. Time to leave Peter for a few hours.

A Keller

Hector has been to the Sünner Brauerei Twice, both times on the Weihnachtsmarkt Trips. Being Summer, the usual Bier-Keller was closed. We were shown seats in the open area beside the Brewery, A Keller by any other reference. With Suitable Shade, this was pleasant way to pass an hour or so. Sünner Kölsch may be not have the Bite compared to others, but is by no means the worst. We had just experienced that.

Braustelle-Ehrenfeld

Hector has sampled some Outrageous Bier brewed by Braustelle, the Hausbraueri in Ehrenfeld, the Köln Suburb, most notably at The Bradford Alefest in 2012. Caulfield at 10.5% was beyond Funny. Today we were more down to Earth. Helios (4.8%) is an Unfiltered Kölsch. Sharp, Dry and Hoppy it is quite a departure from the normal Köln Fayre. A Rauchbier was listed on their board at an unknown abv, still it had to be tried. Pleasantly Cool and Dry, we kept waiting for the Schlenkerla Moment. It never came. It did remind me of an unknown Bier I was given in Hamburg in 1976. My ‘Uncle’s’ name was Arthur.

There was Third Bier which Dr. Stan and Kenny saw fit to sample, however, Neil and Hector were off. Köln-Sud was calling.

There is a direct tram from Ehrenfeld to Severinstrasse, what luck. Walking down Severinstrasse, as I had done only a few hours previously, the Block I thought the Himalaya was on proved to have no Curry house. Then Masala Hut came into view. This proved to be the same Venue. The Plan for the rest of the evening took a new turn.

I have arrived at Zum Alten Brauhaus on a Saturday Night to find it – closed – for a Private Function. Not tonight, a suitable table with a good view of the TV was in sight of the Bar. Football, again? The World Cup Final was Last Week! A weakened FC Bayern won on Penalties.

Peter texted to say he was staying in for the rest of the evening. Kenny and Dr. Stan soon caught us up and what was expected to be The Final Session of the Day was well under-way.

Some time before 23.00 Three went South towards The Chlodwigplatz Tram Haltestelle, Hector walked to the Northern end of The Block for Curry-Heute #2. A Good Decision.

Thereafter I walked back down Severinstrasse to find The Remains of The Day encamped in Früh em Veedel. And so for the Final Kölsch of Hector Bounces Back was consumed. Enough Kölsch.

The Ausschank visited today:

Gaffel Haus – Alter Markt 20 – 22, 50667 Köln

Päffgen – Salzgasse 5, 50667 Köln

Pfaffen – Heumarkt 62, 50667, Köln

Sünner – Kalker Hauptstr. 260, 51103 Köln

Braustelle-Ehrenfeld – Christianstraße 2, 50825 Köln,

Zum Alten Brauhaus – Severinstraße 51, 50678 Köln

Früh em Veedel – Chlodwigplatz 28, 50678 Köln

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