Marienburger Bonotel

Visit the 'Dom', Cologne's famous cathedral, go through the Roman - Germanic Museum near the cathedral, visit the 'Zeughaus' City Museum a short walk away, stroll through 'Hohe Strasse' with its many shops, then take 'Schildergasse' to the 'Neumarkt' where you can catch a streetcar and connection to any part of the city.The Cologne Carnival ('Mardi gras'), three crazy days of dancing, drinking, joking and revelry in public, similar to but much better than the 'Mardi gras' in New Orleans or the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro! Watch the 'Rose Monday Parade' and the many 'Neighborhood Parades'!

Talking about beer and pubs in Cologne:

Ask a German which city holds the largest number of breweries and you're not likely to get a correct answer. The German city with the most breweries is not Munich or Dortmund , but Cologne. Not only does it have its own style of beer, but it is also the only city to have a sort of 'apellation controlée'.

The style is called 'Kölsch' after the local dialect word for 'of Cologne'. According to the 'Kòlsch Convention', an agreement between the German government and the brewers, a beer may only be called 'Kòlsch' if it meets the following criteria:


It is brewed in the Cologne metropolitan area.

Is pale in colour

Is top-fermented

Is hop-accented

Is filtered

A relative of the 'Altbier' brewed in other parts of the Rhineland, it is a leftover from the pre-lager brewing tradition of North Germany. This century, under pressure from newer, bottom-fermenting beers, it has undergone a good deal of change. Most notable of these is the lightening of the color to pale yellow, giving it the appearance of a Pils. You could call it 'the ale that wants to be a lager' and I'm sure that many would classify it as the latter. There is little ale character to be found. It has a very soft, rounded character and can be quite mild in taste. It is always served in a very thin, cylindrical glass (called a 'Stange'), containing 0.2, 0.25 or 0.3 liters.


Here's a list of pubs and taverns in Cologne:
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'FRÜH AM DOM''

Am Hof
50667 Köln
Tel. 0221-258 0389

Opening hours:
Mon - Sun: 08:00-24:00
Number of draught beers: 1
Number of bottled beers: 1

Regular draught beers:
Früh Kòlsch (gravity)
Food: Snacks, meals.


In 1898 P.J. Früh moved his brewery into this building, which had previously housed the Central-Theater. It survived three fires during the war but careful reconstruction has left it a rare reminder of the pre-war city. It's other main claim to fame, is its very convenient location no more than a 5-minute walk from the main railway station. If you're changing trains in Cologne, it's quite possible to nip in there, have a couple of beers and be back on the platform in a half hour.

The brewery itself is no longer housed here. Given that Früh produces over 400,000 hektoliters of beer annually, it would be a bit difficult on a site of this size. The main room has a medieaval atmosphere and conjures up the image of a baronial dining hall. A little grand, but comfortable and unintimidating. Adjacent to the beer serving area is a distinctly more mundane taproom, but there is the entertainment of watching the stream of waiters loading their trays. The pub has recently been extended into the building next door and this new section seems more directed at diners.

Rating:****
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'BRAUHAUS SION'

Unter Taschenmacher 5
50668 Köln
Tel. 0221-257 8540

Opening hours:
Mon - Sun:10:00-00:30
Number of draught beers: 1
Number of bottled beers: 0

Regular draught beers:
Sion Kòlsch (gravity)
Food: Meals, snacks.

Sion was not as fortunate as Früh and ended the war as a pile of rubble. A new, larger brewpub was constructed on the same site, though brewing moved to another site several years ago. A brand new building may have made for a roomier interior, but the result is disappointingly unatmospheric. True, there are some nice pieces of leaded glasswork, but the simple, functional design of most of the fittings leave it bland. It's not the sort of place you nip into for a quiet half pint and only manage to drag yourself out of a week later. It has the usual design of such places, with a small taproom around the counter holding the barrels. The rest of the pub rambles back through the building in a very restauranty way.

Rating:***

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'GAFFEL HAUS'

Alter Markt 20-22
50667 Köln
Tel. 0221-257 7692

Opening hours:
Mon - Sun:11:00-01:00
Number of draught beers: 3
Number of bottled beers: 0

Regular draught beers:
Gaffel Kòlsch
Gaffel Kòlsch Light
Gaffel Kòlsch Frei
Food: Meals, snacks.


Another rare survivor of the war, it's just a shame that the 'Zur Bretzel' brewery which it used to house is no longer with us. The 16th century building is now the city-centre tap of the Gaffel brewery. The interior is richly decorated in old tiles, but the bar area is a bit too much like a standard modern German pub. Having a duff pop station on the radio behind the bar does little for the old world atmosphere. Further into the pub the parts for dining have been more sympathetically treated. Sadly, the beer is served on top pressure.
Rating:**
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'PÄFFGEN'

Heumarkt 62
50667 Köln
Tel.

Opening hours:
Tue - Sun:11:00-01:00
Mon:Closed
Number of draught beers: 1
Number of bottled beers: 0

Regular draught beers:
Päffgen Kòlsch
Food: Meals, snacks.


Päffgen is one of the two remaining genuine pub breweries in Cologne, but not at this site. The brewing operation is on the Friesenstrasse, though that doesn't detract from this charming old pub, which is one of the cosiest in the city centre. Lots of wood, tiles and leaded glass - I don't think that I need to give an exact inventory of every piece of furniture here for you to get an idea of how it looks. The only reservation is that it is on the restaurant side of pub-restaurant, but that seems to be the case in most of the Cologne beer halls. On the other hand, the local dishes it sells are very good and reasonably priced.

Rating:****
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'BRAUEREI ZUR MALZMÜHLE'
Heumarkt 6
50667 Köln
Tel. 0221-210117

Opening hours:
Mon - Sat:10:00-24:00
Sun:11:00-23:00
Number of draught beers: 1
Number of bottled beers: 0

Regular draught beers:
Mühlen Kòlsch (gravity)
Food: Meals, snacks.

You may well curse the town planners as you make your way here, but your perseverance will be rewarded with probably the best pub in the Altstadt. The second of Cologne's real brewpubs, it has been lovingly rebuilt from its wartime ruins. It has a room either side of the entrance and has a very pubby feel because of the wood-panelled walls and pine-topped tables. There's a decent selection of local food, but the emphasis is more on drinking. There are monumental views of the city in various periods of its history hung on the walls. Friendly service and the waiter, having noticed that I spoke English with a friend of mine, quipped 'two beer or not two beer' when he brought our beers.
Rating:****
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