Viking Cologne Beer Culture Excursion

Has anyone done the optional Beer Culture & Dinner tour in Cologne on a Viking Rhine Getaway? Is it worth it?

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, I have the same question. I feel like I could do my own Kolsch beer tour and get back to the boat for dinner saving the better part of $89. I have an article from the May/June 2017 Zymurgy (Home Brew) magazine that describes where to go in Cologne. We are on the Baldur leaving Budapest on 9/24.

A number of folks on our trip went and enjoyed the excursion thoroughly. You could certainly do a DIY adventure for much cheaper, as the boat docks walking distance to many of the famous brew houses and stays in town until late, but we heard the guides were what really made the experience so special. We opted to wander into town and enjoy a glass of Kölsch and a pretzel on our own, as the city was very easy to navigate on foot.

My thought is doing it with a group could make it a little more fun. I imagine that most will feel that way, so I'd be surprised to hear otherwise. Just wondering, as okiegreen is, if it's worth the cost.

Here's info on Cologne from my go to beer geek. http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/cologne.php - also many other cities.

It's hard for me to imagine a guide providing enough value added to justify that price.

Fruh is a good spot, and it's an easy walk from where we docked.

If your cruise goes to Rudesheim, we really enjoyed the dine out in Rudesheim excursion. It was a fun evening.

Here's info on Cologne from my go to beer geek. http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/cologne.php - also many other cities.

It's hard for me to imagine a guide providing enough value added to justify that price.

Fruh is a good spot, and it's an easy walk from where we docked.

Thank you, Sir. This is what I have been looking for. What quality reporting. Saves me $89 minus what a "boatload" of Kolsch will cost.

Thank you, Sir. This is what I have been looking for. What quality reporting. Saves me $89 minus what a "boatload" of Kolsch will cost.

You're quite welcome. Otto probably has commentary on every stop you'll make.

We did this in June from Viking Ve. Guide was very fun and gave a lot local info on each brewhouse we visited. What some seem not to realize is that you do get dinner at one of the places you visit along with the beer there and 3 other stops.

Norm

OP . . . A sample menu from a place likely on the tour. http://www.frueh-am-dom.de/fileadmin/menus/Brauhaus_Speisekarten/Speisekarte_Brauhaus_170401.pdf

ETA - you can get a lot to eat for 89€ and it's an easy walk from the Dom.

If your cruise goes to Rudesheim, we really enjoyed the dine out in Rudesheim excursion. It was a fun evening.

Rudesheim was my favorite stop. We didn't do the excursion but ran into them at the restaurant and they looked like they were having a lot of fun. This was by far my favorite cruise. I loved all the ports.

Going to a brew house is a ton of fun with a big group of people. It's meant to be a communal environment. With more people, there's more beer going around, lots of fun teasing by staff.

Going to a brew house is a ton of fun with a big group of people. It's meant to be a communal environment. With more people, there's more beer going around, lots of fun teasing by staff.

On the other hand, my husband and I have never had a hard time finding others to chat with in a pub or bar or beer garden. As you note - it's a communal environment. You don't have to bring the community with you, though ;p

(my husband is an avid homebrewer so we made sure to sample local beers - and wurst (my contribution) at each of our stops on our NUE-BSL itinerary)

Which wurst was better, Nuremberger or Regensburger? ;)

We didn't make it to Regensburg on our itinerary :-( I'd like to visit the Christmas Market there! I'll see if I can find the photo of my favorite wurst...

My husband adores the smoked beer of Bamberg. No one else does (I don't!) So he cleaned up getting all the free bottles we were provided as part of the cruise tour that no one else wanted. We filled our cabin!

We mostly missed the Christmas Market at Bamberg because we stopped on a Sunday and left just as it was opening. I ran over early to see if I could grab a wurst there and also found mulled beer that was delicious - it tasted like Belgian kriek (also an acquired taste, but I studied in Belgium and I love it!)

So, what is the best wurst?

So, what is the best wurst? ��

I don't know. But I do know what is the wurst joke of the day ;p

So, what is the best wurst? ��

I think Rudesheim is my favorite - trying to upload photos and being foiled by sizing ;p

I didn't eat any wurst I wouldn't try again:hearteyes: The long skinny Nuremberg were my least favorite, though. Not terribly flavorful....

We didn't make it to Regensburg on our itinerary :-( I'd like to visit the Christmas Market there! I'll see if I can find the photo of my favorite wurst...

 

My husband adores the smoked beer of Bamberg. No one else does (I don't!) So he cleaned up getting all the free bottles we were provided as part of the cruise tour that no one else wanted. We filled our cabin!

 

We mostly missed the Christmas Market at Bamberg because we stopped on a Sunday and left just as it was opening. I ran over early to see if I could grab a wurst there and also found mulled beer that was delicious - it tasted like Belgian kriek (also an acquired taste, but I studied in Belgium and I love it!)

OK, so we got distracted about wurst, but back to beer. Could your husband (or anyone else) give me a few recommendations for Bamberg's smoked beer?

Prosit.

http://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/beschreibunge.html

They do have more than 1 rauchbier, which I didn't know (I didn't spend much time in the pub - I hied off to the Christmas Market to see if I could sneak in early) I actually found out this year when husband ordered a beer at a bar in Manhattan and thought it would be the Schlenkerla beer he knew - but it was the Lentbeer, instead of the marzen he was more familiar with. If I'd known there were different options I might have looked for the urbock, since our visit was in late Nov/early Dec.

http://www.schlenkerla.de/schlenkerla/karte/getraenkee.html

Maybe they do flights. If you like the rauchbier, you can't go wrong.

I can't speak for other cruiselines, but Avalon includes a ticket for freebies - tote & a bottle of beer - I don't think they had choices for what was bottled. Of course, if you sit and have a drink or two at the pub, you'll have draft options.... ;p

Grand Circle had it as the last stop on our morning walking tour . . . glass of rauchbier and a sausage. A very good morning for those of us that enjoyed the "bacon beer."