I DRANK ALTBIER IN DUSSELDORF, AND I DON’T SPEAK A LICK OF GERMAN

A few years back I was lucky enough to be sent to Dusseldorf, Germany by my company, not once but twice, for just under a week each time. Dusseldorf’s a great medium-sized city – clean, full of restaurants and nightlife, with a vibrant public art scene and loads of shopping for the lizz-adies. The old town, the Altstadt, is a fantastic gathering place for locals and what few tourists make it through town – and it’s got bars and pubs like you wouldn’t believe. I did some beer reconnaissance research before heading out, and made it a priority to drink altbier at the ZUM UERIGE the night I landed – and that’s just what I did. Then I went back the next night and drank a bunch more with co-workers. See, Dusseldorf is famous for being the home of “Alt” beer, or “Altbier”, and unlike the pilsners typically favored in other German towns, in Dusseldorf, it’s Alt first, ask questions (like “Um, excuse me, do you serve St. Pauli Girl”?) later. Outside of Dusseldorf, apparently, it’s almost impossible to find. I also heard a rumor while I was out there that there was actually a beer war in the olden days between Dusseldorf and its neighbor (about 25 miles away) Cologne, a town that has its own provincial style (Kolsch). Like a war with entire armies, fighting with swords and muskets over whose beer ruled more. I don’t believe it for a second, but it’s a no-brainer whose side I’d be on. If you want to read about the Alt style and specifically about this tavern, here’s a great article by another beer traveler.

I got the evil eye by my waiter at ZUM UERIGE when I asked him for an English menu, but I think I redeemed myself by thinking fast and quickly ordering an Alt. He may very well have understood every word I was saying, but he wasn’t playing along with Yankee Boy. Alt – mmm. This is a dark brown, fairly bitter beer, super hoppy and full of bite. I can’t imagine this not being a smash hit for West Coast USA beer snobs – and sure enough, one of my all-time favorites, ALASKAN AMBER, is brewed “in the Alt style”. How about that? Alaskan is fantastic beer, and so is Zum Uerige’s. This is a style well below the radar for most folks, but it’s one that ought to get a little more play. One thing I found pretty unusual was that the beer was always served in hotel water-glass-sized glasses, which meant it was usually advantageous to order 2 at once – and even that didn’t add up to a full pint, or so I convinced myself the next night as I kept ordering “drinks for all my friends!!!” (not my friends, just my drunken co-workers). A real German pub experience for sure. Subsequent evenings featured Altbier from other bars and pubs, and multiple foul German meat pies to help cut the goddamn buzz. So for you Americans out there, if you ever get a chance to jump on this style, I whole-heartedly encourage you to do so – and you Europeans, if you’re coming to San Francisco anytime soon, not only must you wear flowers in your hair, but you must surely also bring me an Alt Bier or six. I’ll trade you a sixer of Boont Amber, OK?