Mp1035 Posted July 20, 2017 #1 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Has anyone done the optional Beer Culture & Dinner tour in Cologne on a Viking Rhine Getaway? Is it worth it? Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiegreen Posted July 20, 2017 #2 Share Posted July 20, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjb19841987 Posted July 20, 2017 #3 Share Posted July 20, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mp1035 Posted July 20, 2017 Author #4 Share Posted July 20, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted July 20, 2017 #5 Share Posted July 20, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarEagle76 Posted July 21, 2017 #6 Share Posted July 21, 2017 If your cruise goes to Rudesheim, we really enjoyed the dine out in Rudesheim excursion. It was a fun evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiegreen Posted July 21, 2017 #7 Share Posted July 21, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted July 21, 2017 #8 Share Posted July 21, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare nreeder Posted July 22, 2017 #9 Share Posted July 22, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted July 22, 2017 #10 Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) 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. Edited July 22, 2017 by CPT Trips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare tulok Posted July 23, 2017 #11 Share Posted July 23, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polabear Posted July 24, 2017 #12 Share Posted July 24, 2017 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 24, 2017 #13 Share Posted July 24, 2017 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted July 24, 2017 #14 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Which wurst was better, Nuremberger or Regensburger? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 24, 2017 #15 Share Posted July 24, 2017 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!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted July 25, 2017 #16 Share Posted July 25, 2017 So, what is the best wurst? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted July 25, 2017 #17 Share Posted July 25, 2017 So, what is the best wurst? �� I don't know. But I do know what is the wurst joke of the day ;p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 25, 2017 #18 Share Posted July 25, 2017 So, what is the best wurst? �� I think Rudesheim is my favorite - trying to upload photos and being foiled by sizing ;p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 25, 2017 #19 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I didn't eat any wurst I wouldn't try again:hearteyes: The long skinny Nuremberg were my least favorite, though. Not terribly flavorful.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiegreen Posted August 2, 2017 #20 Share Posted August 2, 2017 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted August 2, 2017 #21 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Prosit. http://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/beschreibunge.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted August 2, 2017 #22 Share Posted August 2, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted August 2, 2017 #23 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Maybe they do flights. If you like the rauchbier, you can't go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted August 2, 2017 #24 Share Posted August 2, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted August 2, 2017 #25 Share Posted August 2, 2017 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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