Where are You from?
I always say that I’m from Cologne, and I feel that deep in my heart. But the truth is, my parents moved out of Cologne shortly before I was born, and I only came to Cologne at 13 after an odyssey through the Eifel and Brandenburg. Later, I also lived in various places in Germany, France, and Canada, but it was always clear to me that Cologne is my home!
How Did You get into Doing Beer House Tours in Cologne?
During my studies, I somewhat coincidentally ended up at another agency and started leading beer house tours there. I quickly realized that I really enjoyed meeting great people again and again, guiding them through my favorite beer houses in Cologne, and telling them about the culture surrounding Kölsch. Since I’ve always traveled a lot and it truly meant a lot to me to meet cool people from all over the world, I found it a real shame that there was practically no English-language offering for beer house tours in Cologne. That was the reason for me to found The Kölsch Crew.
Why Do You Enjoy Guiding People through Cologne’s Beer Houses so much?
I absolutely love to travel and meet all sorts of different people from around the world. Unfortunately, you can’t always travel, so every time I lead a tour, it’s like a little vacation for me, where I get to meet wonderful people and spend an afternoon or evening with them. As a Colognian, I naturally love talking about our city, which is so multifaceted that I’ve been able to surprise every one of my guests so far. And of course, I’m a huge fan of Kölsch!
What Makes Cologne Special for You?
First and foremost, the people! The people of Cologne are open-hearted, tolerant individuals who care for one another. This is evident, for example, in the fact that you can meet anyone from an apprentice to a millionaire at the bar in the local pub and strike up a conversation quite quickly. But I also find the sometimes self-ironically exaggerated love for the city absolutely fascinating. This is reflected, for instance, in the local music culture, which exists nowhere else on this scale. Anyone who has experienced how “Et jitt kei Word” by Cat Ballou is sung along to in a Cologne pub knows what feeling I’m talking about.
Where Can one Meet You for a Private Kölsch?
Gladly in all sorts of pubs, but also while strolling through the city with a ‘Wegbier’ (beer to go)! Here’s a small selection of my favorite pubs in the city center, sorted by district:
- Old Town: Kunstkaschämm and Jeck (Jeck exclusively plays good Cologne music)
- Belgian Quarter: Joode Lade and Kölschbar
- Kwartier Latäng (Zülpicher Quarter): Kwartier, Black Sheep Pub (a very cool mix of a Cologne pub and an Irish Pub) and Piranha
- Eigelstein: Lapidarium and Durst (if you’re into cool, really run-down pubs)
There are also many other great pubs to discover in other districts of Cologne. I’ll try to create more posts about them.
Where should You Definitely Eat in Cologne?
You absolutely must have eaten a cutlet at Lommerzheim in Deutz. Schnitzel at Oma Kleinmann is a must. My personal tip is the crêpes at Engelbät and Lisbät. The beer houses I take you to in the Old Town also all have really good food, and I enjoy eating there privately too.
What Absolutely Must You See in Cologne (besides the Cathedral)?
Definitely the parking garage in front of the Cathedral! Sounds strange, but go inside through the entrance between the Cathedral’s main portal, the McDonald’s on the corner, and KölnTourismus. I promise you won’t be disappointed!