Der Schwarze Kölner is Wunderbar

I have spent months walking past Der Schwarze Kölner Biergarten for no particular reason. I like German beer. I like German food. I even like German music.

I blame the chilly weather for this attitude. The winter lends itself towards shameful imbibing in dank little holes away from the condemning eyes of wholesome pedestrians. Located on a busy corner of Fulton Street and featuring a row of windows appropriate for Macy’s, Der Schwarze Kölner has a decidedly European pride in the centuries-old art of heavy boozing.

My first look at the menu recalled fond memories of my summer in Austria, Germany’s slightly more relaxed neighbor to the south. The Radler, a mix of light beer and 7 Up was a daily staple of my strolls along the Danube, catching glimpses of tanned and topless sunbathing Aryan vixens. The Leberkäse sandwich — hearty and affordable at $5 — is the only word of German I could ever remember. My Austrian host forced me to commit the term to memory for late night drunken encounters with street vendors.

Given all this Euro-credibility, it almost goes without saying that the beer at Der Schwarze Kölner is fantastic. Germans do it right.

More importantly, the bartenders were knowledgeable and happy to accommodate my lack of familiarity with the continental offerings. I spent the evening drinking Köstritzer, a nice heavy complement to my egg, cheese, and liver sandwich.

Noticing bartender Lilly Müller’s unmistakable accent, I asked her whether she believed the biergarten had an authentic appeal. She agreed emphatically, citing the food and drink selection, but was quickly interrupted by head beer wench Greta Acosta-Black.

“It’s authentic if you forget that your bartenders are Cuban and Korean,” Acosta-Black said to laughs around the bar. “I guess that makes it more Brooklyn than anything.”

The bar plays host to many events through the summer, including double-feature film screenings on Tuesday nights, and several specialty beer offerings on select dates. Devoted regular John Ittner alerted me to the annual Masskrugstemmen competition sponsored by Munchen Hofbrau, in which contestants are required to hold a giant two-liter mug of beer in one fully extended hand. Last man or woman to give in to the pain wins a trip to the citywide event in Central Park.

The decor inside Der Schwarze Kölner has been described as cold and minimal, which is a fair approximation, but not necessarily a knock on this spacious locale. With its immense size and summery vibes, this bar is designed to take full advantage of the impending warm weather.

This week was a torturous one for those who were tricked by the first hints of spring. The beer may have been dark and the air crisp, but a noticeable sense of seasonal cheer has permeated the streets of Fort Greene. As the drinks get lighter and the jackets get thinner, the summer will fast be upon us, and Der Schwarze Kölner will be happy to assist in the festivities.