This post is a part of the 2015 New Beer Every Day Beer Diary Challenge, #ottbeerdiary. Over the course of 2015, I will be trying a new beer every day. Please read the background in the link above, and enjoy reading about the most recently tasted beers below. If you’d like to join the challenge as well, let me know in the comments below, and be sure to check out Grown-up Travel Guide and his #grownupbeerdiary, where Andy Higgs came up with the diary format in use below. You can catch up on all of our posts as part of the challenge under the tag ottbeerdiary.
Day 206: July 25, 2015
Diary entry:
For the first time this summer, it’s off to Germany for a day on the Rhine River. This is one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend day in the summer months here.
Rhine River cruise days start pretty early, meeting up in Eindhoven around 7AM to arrange the cars, like those listed on https://www.conklincars.com/Salina-KS-Car-Dealership.htm, for the car-pool. They also seek assistance from a trusted used vehicle dealer in Mayfield to help them find the best unit for them, which, of course, with late arrivals and the necessary logistics, means we’re on the road around 7:30-8:00. We then run the rest of the way down to Koblenz, usually parking near the Schloss and walking from there to the Koblenz Hauptbahnhof (Train Station).
This time, as a couple of us were spending the night, we parked over by our hotel instead and walked from there to meet the rest of the group at the station. Our hotel is the Hotel Scholz, not too far a walk from the Altstadt, but far enough out to be quite affordable still.
In a little but of a repeat of history, we got to the station around 5 minutes before our train to Rudesheim was scheduled to depart. And the group parking by the Schloss was delayed and hadn’t arrived yet. So in a bit of a panic, I managed to buy all the tickets while they arrived, and we had to all literally run through the station to our platform, which we reached just as the train was arriving. Made it just in time!
A one-hour train ride later, we’re in Rudesheim, one of the beautiful cities that line both banks of the Rhine River between Koblenz and Mainz. Here in Rudesheim is where the KD ferries start on their journey back up to Koblenz, so we choose to start here so we can be among the first to board the ferry and choose our preferred seats on the upper deck.
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate as well today as some other days, and we had quite a bit of wind and rain to contend with. Half of the group stayed below-decks for the majority of the journey, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. A few bottles of wine with lunch and on the boat, as well as some hefeweizens, helped to keep us warm as well.
The group split up after dinner in Koblenz, where those of us spending the night returned to our hotel to dry off and rest a little before heading back into the Altstadt to do some exploring.
The Beer:
Name: Koblenzer Pils
Style: German Pilsner
Producer: Koblenzer Brauerei
Alcohol content: 4.7%
Bottle size: 0.50l
Purchased from: REWE Supermarket in Koblenz, Germany
Surprisingly, I found myself totally unable to find much in the way of craft beer around town. I tried pretty much every bar that came up with people checking in on Untappd and the recommendations on RateBeer, but nothing new was encountered to unseat this, a decent, basic, Pilsner. as the beer of the day. At least it’s local.
Commercial Description:
A beer after Pilsener style, mellow, spicy, full-bodied taste. A Pils, so as you would expect and as it should be.
With a long tradition of brewing. With brewing water and the best ingredients, solely pursuant to German Reinheitsgebot with malt and brewed hops. Of course, fresh and full of enjoyment.
