Dusseldorf is home of the (appropriately named) Dusseldorf Altbier. "Alt" refers to the "old" style of brewing (for beer nerds - making top-fermented ales) that was common before lager brewing became possible. The best examples can be found in in brewpubs in the Aldstadt (old town) of Dusseldorf, so of course we had to go try some out.
Our first stop was Zum Uerige, where a recovering Chad was (mostly) able to smell and taste his beer for the first time in days! This is the most bitter of the Altbiers - a big change from the Kolsch in Cologne.
Altbier come in 250 ml glasses, which look similar to the 200 ml Kolsch glasses. This is great when you don't want a big glass of beer. For both types of beer in both places, the servers keep track of how much they've served your table by marking a coaster (and usually the table itself in the process).
A rare shot of Chad and I that isn't an arms length close up, taken outside the brauhaus. Yes, Percy, those are plane pants. It was laundry day and I was in Germany - and I knew how much you would appreciate the memories.
Our next stop was to sit in the sun (sun! finally!) and drink a Frankenheim Alt.
The Dusseldorf thing to do is stand at tables outside like these, but we didn't get the chance.
We did, however, get the chance to observe this crooked church spire - perhaps not the finest example of German engineering. Apparently it settled that way due to a design flaw, but is now stable (somehow).
Our last stop on our day out in Dusseldorf was Zum Schlussel, where I had an amazing spaetzle (oh, spaetzle - I miss you already!) dish and we sampled our final Alt. Schlussel = "key", so there are key logos on the glassware & around the bar. It was a more lovely and bright bar than the others.
By the time we were done, we were so full of German food and Altbier that we had to cancel our original plans to go out for Indian food that evening and stayed home and ate veggies and rice instead. A sign of a great day - thanks, Anna!
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