Intellectual Ferment of a Different Kind
It was my last day in Bamberg, and the sun had finally dispersed all the clouds, gloriously illuminating the fall foliage. I had just spent the late morning hours at Greifenklau and still had a few hours before my train. The gravitational pull of Aecht …
You have to admire a city where the rhythms of life revolve around excuses to tap a keg and raise a mug of good cheer. Munich is one such city where the seasons are marked by festivities that involve a healthy amount of imbibing. Most …
Not a cloud in the sky and the streets are starting to radiate the heat of the late afternoon. So much to see in Vienna. But I could use a cool drink right about now. Perfect time to head to a beer garden. “A …
My Kind of Beer Around this time last year I penned a series that began with an account of my tastes in beer, followed by an exploration of the kinds of beers I like. The series ended with a list of twenty-five beers that …
Pubs line the center of Düsseldorf, packed tight like sardines. It’s not for nothing that the streets around the Rathaus (city hall) have earned the nickname “the longest bar in Europe.” Unless mass-market Pils is your thing, you can safely ignore most of these …
Medieval Inns and Taverns The Wirtshaus is a Central European institution with deep roots in medieval times. During the early and high Middle Ages, inns with taverns sprung up along trade and pilgrimage routes, offering food and accommodation to weary travelers, along with stables …
The rain caught us unawares. A veil of mist rapidly descended, shrouding the hills in the distance. The first few drops announced themselves with a rattle through the leaves. Soon the path was a series of tiny rivulets. Leaves in autumn hues swirled around …
Kölsch Across the Rhine Spend any time in Cologne or among beer-drinking types who visit often and it won’t be long before you hear about Lommerzheim. Affectionately known as “Lommi,” this Kölsch pub on the other side of the Rhine is a cult classic. …
Where There’s Students, There’s Beer Heidelberg is both a charmed and charming city. Its vibrant old town of picturesque squares, orange-red sandstone buildings, Gothic spires, and Baroque bridges was largely spared during the Second World War. The intactness of it all lends the cobblestone …
What could be more typical of Austrian cuisine than the Wiener Schnitzel? You see it on just about every menu in just about every type of establishment, from the most modest to the most elegant. And you’ll find it as Vienna’s culinary calling card …
When Päffgen opened its doors in 1883, it was just one of over a hundred small breweries in Cologne. Wars and consolidation exacted their toll on the other small breweries, but Päffgen soldiered on. Today, it one of the last small Hausbrauereien (“inhouse breweries”) …
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: You can never have too much Munich in your life. But what about those times you really do need a break from the big city? Maybe some meadows dotted with cows, Alpine scenery, …
Cantillon with its cobwebbed rafters sheltering rows of barrels. The cheerfully riotous Delirium Café. Moeder Lambic with its rare beers. The Morte Subite, elegantly attired in art nouveau. You could spend days or even weeks in Brussels without coming close to exhausting your possibilities …
