Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Gasterea (Barcelona) 27/04/13

"Pinchos B.E.E.R.S"

Attendees: Ben, Sarah N, Najim
Price: Pinchos calientes €1.90, Estrella €2.25 / pot (Cańa)
Location: Calle Verdi 39, Gracia City, Barcelona
Ambiance: Compact and talkative with a hip but not specifically local crowd enjoying a bite before continuing the night at the next bar.
Character: Simple and effective use of an older building, the exposed brick and low ceilings give it a slight basement feeling which is comfortably offset with warm lighting and wooden finishes.
Decor: A few tastefully placed bouquets help to lighten up this narrow space. The bar and back bench run the full length of the room, accommodating plenty of customers and allowing for fast service for everyone. Everything is kept to a classic and simple style, food is the real focus here. A vintage clock on the wall adds some charm.
Comfort: Rather than claustrophobic, you'll feel quite settled in once you've picked a spot to lean on. Seating is slightly more limited but there are stools alongside the bar.
Patrons: A mixed international group mostly 25-35, friendly and fun with plenty of chatting and meeting new people.
Staff: Highly efficient and constantly busy. The food and drinks are delivered with a good degree of shouting to keep things interesting.
Selection: Estrella on tap and an excellent wine list. Perfect for washing down a couple of olive-oil drenched delicacies.
L.S.R.: Bright lights enhance the food eating experience and help to open up the space. Great mix of jazzy grooves and spanish/pop influenced music playing.
Amenities: Very good by typical euro standards, neat and clean.
Top Suggestion: Knock a few cents off the prices and the place would be full every night!
Field Notes: An outgoing crowd atmosphere - we spontaneously met an Italian guy living in BCN the last 6 years who promptly introduced us to his friends. Lacks the annoying spruikers seen elsewhere in the area.

Arbitrary Score: 77.5
A straight-up and simple delivery of a classic combination - drinking and eating. Despite a lack of any unique or exceptional qualities, Gasterea provides the perfect spot for a pre-bar, pre-club warmup session and the food and atmosphere will have you wanting to stay longer!


Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Bar Fred 10/04/13

"Shut in B.E.E.R.S."

Attendees: Cam, Sarah, Richo, Joey, Pig
Price: $5-$16 for bottled beers, majority around $6.50. Good price for nice bottled beers.
Location: 797 Nicholson St. Near the corner of Park St.
Ambiance: Definitely an über-local, lounge room type vibe. Faint aroma of Mary Jane floating through the place, care-free and relaxed atmosphere.
Character: Done in an American bar/pizza joint style. Long and narrow venue makes it feel cosy regardless of how many people are in there.
Decor: Functional chic. Decorations are utilitarian- part storage, part decoration- large jars of pickled onions, or big containers of oil line the walls. Lots of pretty beer bottles let you know why you're there. There's a lot going on, but still feels minimalist, it isn't overdone. Beautiful feature-mural of giant birds done in a tribal, Native American sort of style. Highlights the room.
Comfort: Not enough communal tables, but plenty of seats at the bar. If you don't get the one communal table, could make group situations quite isolating. There's an area at the front for pizza dining, or a couple of couches out the back for some cozy-ing. They can (and do) change the seating arrangements around so they are flexible and I'm sure accommodating if there were multiple large groups.
Patrons: Feels like your neighbours are having a beer with you. No suburb imports, highly contrasting with last week's endeavour.
Staff: Old mate is legendary. Not averse to a shut-in for dedicated punters, he hates to see the party stop. Closing times are pretty arbitrary. Staff are very knowledgeable of their beers and are more than happy to help you with your decisions.
Selection: No tap beers, but a fantastic selection of local and international craft beers. The bottled selection makes tap beers obsolete, and having taps would change the whole dynamic and crowd of the venue.
Beer Garden: On street tables, but not much.
Weekly Specials: Front half of the bar is a pizza joint that is quite cheap and apparently pretty yummy.
L.S.R.: Self-dimmer equals a self determined LSR depending on your mood! Although overall there are a few too many lights. Music was chill and ambient, although old mate isn't partial to letting you change up the music.
Amenities: Beautiful flower artwork in the women's, the men's have palm trees growing out of the troughs to satisfy your jungle desires.
Top Suggestion: Increase the amount of group seating. If you are with a group of more than three people, there may not be adequate seating for you.
Field Notes: At the time of finishing the review, we're here twenty minutes past official closing time and there has been no mention of last drinks, or any pressure whatsoever to wrap things up.
Memorable Quotes: "I've had a few shit haircuts in my day. I've had multiple types of mohawks." -CLG
"This is a place I could come every day after work if I was an alcoholic." -RW
"Its like choose-your-own-adventure lighting." -RW
"Feels like I'm drinking leaves." -SK
"Can we have one more drink, or do you want to close?" -AT. "Eh, who am I to say no?" -The owner.

Arbitrary Score: 95!

When you stay back an hour and a half past closing time on a Wednesday night sinking beers with the owner, sharing stories, knowledge and joints, you know you have found the ultimate local hangout.


Tuesday, 2 April 2013

The Great Northern 01/04/13

"The Come-Back B.E.E.R.S."

Attendees: Cam, Sarah, Jamie, Willsy and Richo (Michael and Ned left early).
Price: $9.20 for a pint of Carlton Draught. Rest of the beers range from $10-$13.5, a little expensive, but expected for the boutique beers.
Location: 644 Rathdowne St, North Carlton
Distance: 10 min ride from Wello.
Ambiance: No longer a 'local' vibe. Should be a great pub to come to anytime, but has been 'too discovered'. The Northern has gone for a 'bigger is better' attitude and has sacrificed some of its charms along the way.
Character: The building is a beautiful old traditional drinking establishment, with nice bare brick walls. Great character.
Decor: Needs a bit more thought. Sloppy placement of pot-plants, overly cluttered and claustrophobic, even when empty. Too many T.V.s that distract you from conversation.
Comfort: Way too many seating options. They have tried to cram in as many tables and chairs as possible which makes it a bit uncomfortable. They only place you feel like there is any breathing space is at the bar. There are a couple of booths outside that provide a welcome sanctuary from the hustle bustle of the rest of the place.
Patrons: Hard to effectively judge on Easter Monday, but from previous experiences it seems to be normally fulled with 'suburb imports,' an older, outer suburb crowd, that have migrated for an inner-north experience. It should be a local, but people travel to come here.
Staff: A little bit jaded, perhaps from dealing with too many dickheads. But they were happy to have a bit of banter and a chat, perhaps they just seemed a little disinterested as it was so quiet and a public holiday.
Selection: The highlight of the place, 17 beers on tap with only Carlton Draught as the only 'masses beer'. Nice concentration on Australian craft beers, with a couple of great international choices to complete a fantastic beer menu.
Beer Garden: Very large beer garden, but way too packed with tables and chairs. Can barely walk through it, even when there is no-one there. The have a large separate outdoor bar which would be very helpful when it's busy.
Jamie had an issue with the stairs that led to nowhere, but as one of the staff pointed out to him, "It's about the journey!"
It would be a good place to watch sporting events, with projector screens and multiple T.V.s.
Specials: They have weekly steak nights and parma nights but the quality of the food drops dramatically on these nights. Also have a weekly trivia event.
Have an extensive menu and a large dining area, but the food is too expensive and not that great.
L.S.R.: Pretty close to spot-on. Music is loud enough to enjoy, but does not impede on conversation in any way. Well-lit to see your buddies, but not overly bright.
Amenities: Quite modern and clean, in contrast to the old building, but in a good way.
Top Suggestion: Declutter, take out some tables and chairs (and maybe some patrons with it), let the people enjoy a bit of space.
Field Notes: Fantastic huge bike racks out the front, catering to the bike-centric clientele of the area.
Memorable Quotes: "This beer's gutless" C.W.
"Sinkholes: Nature's greatest predator" J.H.
"I like hoppy beers...Oh! What's that taste?" S.K. (ummm that would be the hops Sarah!)
"General theme: Overkill" J.H.
"Northern equivalent to the Precinct" R.W.
"How'd he get on the telly? Hideous looking being" C.W.

Arbitrary Score: 76
The beer selection really bumped up the points for The Great Northern, which otherwise would be just another run-of-the-mill, soulless pub that caters to sports crowds and large groups.



Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Csendes (Budapest) 25/02/13


"Our Bar"

Attendees: Ben, Di, Lauren
Price: 500ft pint,  750ft palinka (local firewater)
Location: Ferenczy István Street 5, Near Kálvin tér
Distance: 3min stroll from our international guardians.
Ambience:  Intimate space to take a date with enough privacy to share a chat (or a pash as many locals will do without hesitation). The side-street location gives it a certain obscure/local charm.
Character: Typical Budapest neo-classical style with high ceilings and large windows facing into the street. The same rugged quality seen in other 'ruin bars' but with a greater sense of optimism rather than pure grime.
Decor: A haphazard mixture of deformed children's toys strung up, scribbled graffiti on the walls and a menagerie of charmingly mis-matched chandeliers gives the place a casual yet edgy cool.
Comfort: The main area is densely filled with tables and wooden chairs which could be a little more comfy but also add a nice amount of chaos to the surroundings. With table service you won't need to get up much so it's not too much of an issue. Seats at the bar for the budding Hungarian conversationalist.
Patrons: Very 'couply' the night we visited with generally smaller groups matching the small table type configuration. A welcome deterrent for the drinking & tourist crowd.
Staff: Attentive table service goes against the local standard of 'service with a scowl'. Floor staff speak English and can help you choose a suitable flavour of palinka, a fruity local liquor that legally at least 37.5% alcohol and often much stronger. Cute guys at the bar mostly speak Hungarian.
Selection: Extensive drink and cocktail menu with some nibbles. Standard selection of local and regional tap beers. Exceptional local type lemonade served in a jar with ice - highly recommended. Daytime cafe menu
L.S.R: DJs on the weekend, however tonight we're struggling through some Hungarian pop-rock styles - a missed chance to match the atmosphere with something a bit cooler. The chandeliers definitely do a better job of setting the tone.
Amenities: A bit small and cramped. However, a duck toilet seat features in the ladies. Ken and Barbie doll arrangements to show m/f.
Top Suggestion: A couple of meal options on the food menu would make this the perfect place to begin a night out!
Field Notes: An early closing hour is slightly disappointing but helps steer the atmosphere away from the more boozy tourist bars that can be found around town. As well as being a bar and cafe, Csendes also includes 2nd hand clothes shopping during the day.
Memorable Quotes: "It's got a great flavour!" (LMS, tasting palinka) which one did you get? "I have no idea!"
"An orgy of headless barbies!" DL

Arbitrary Score: 87
With a lively social atmosphere and a great choice of drinks (sadly the Hungarians aren't a beer-loving nation so you'll have to excuse that), Csendes manages to create a whole greater than the sum of it's parts. A great returnability factor will make you want to remember the address for your next foray into Eastern-Central Europe


Friday, 11 January 2013

Hirsch (Berlin) 07/01/13


"Schnitz B.E.E.R.S"

Attendees: Ben, George, Bronte, Jane
Price: €3.30 500ml tap beer, €7.50 Schnitzel
Location: Kopernikusstr. 3, just off Warschauer Str. in Friedrichshain, Berlin
Distance: A short stroll from our somewhat un-glamorous hostel digs.
Ambience:  Easy chats 
Character: Shows some age and history with some well worn timber around the place and rendered brick walls.
Decor: Classic beer posters and a vintage wooden cigarette machine add a classic touch with some interesting details like the "power plug & socket" men's & ladies toilet symbols.
Comfort: A smaller closed in area for smokers keeps the dining experience pleasant. Tables or booths let you spread out or take a stool at the bar.
Patrons: None of the grimy Berlin crowd we've become accustomed to, a more presentable mixture of mid-20s and older here. Less of the general "unemployed & proud" scene here. Still relaxed and unassuming though!
Staff: Helpful & cute local gents, they'll charm into an impulse pancake purchase with ease. Prompt table service goes a long way.
Selection: Basic range of good tap beers with plenty of bottled options to round out the mix. The glühwein (mulled wine) on the specials board proved too tempting to resist.
Outdoor Area: Seperate smoking area
Specials: Some food and drink specials available. Full food menu with some great German style options.
L.S.R: A very "jack be nimble" style candlestick holder on each table and some interesting overhanging lampshades made out of tin cans create a warm atmosphere, somewhat offset by the disappointingly obvious pop rock playing on the stereo. Some more careful music selections could compliment the mood better.
Amenities: Standard, clean enough. Ladies' room mirror is not optimally placed for short people.
Top Suggestion: Changing the music to something a little less poppy - maybe some twangy blues - could continue being different enough from the Berlin standard while still complimenting the mood.
Field Notes: Quality schnitz! Slightly pricey as compared with the local kebab shop but well worth a look for the döner-weary traveller in want of some more traditional German-fare.
Memorable Quotes: "They MASH the potatoes" BK
"What's German for schnitzel?" GK
"I couldn't say no!" BK, after ordering pancakes from cute waiter guy

Arbitrary Score: 69
Great service and food, but lacks a certain "ich weiß was nicht" - some kind of memorable quality that makes you want to come back.


Friday, 30 November 2012

Pllek (Amsterdam) 28/11/12

"Wharfie B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Ben and Sarah
Price: €2.50 250ml tap beer
Location: Tt. Neveritaweg 59, NDSM Wharf, 10min ferry north from Amsterdam Centraal Station
Distance: It takes a bit of effort to get there but well worth the giddy feeling of finding somewhere cool and tucked away.
Ambience:  Casual afternoon crowd with the usual peaceful effects of the water views slightly thrown off by some noisy ongoing construction works.
Character: Constructed from a "U" shape of double-stacked shipping containers with the large central area roofed over, Pllek has a pretty unique and DIY style appeal right from the start. The enormous river facing windows let in plenty of light and provide a spectacular view.
Decor: Coffe tables are made from stacked forklift palettes. Tasteful flower and candle arrangements add a homely touch and bring it back from being too over the top "industrial". A giant disco ball is a funky centrepiece to the room.
Comfort: Couches face outwards to the water while a myriad of chairs and tables on the main floor could easily seat 100+ people. More seats line the side areas and a second level atrium style deck as well. There's also some benches out the front for the warmer months.
Patrons: A quiet crowd on a wednesday arvo ranging from some older retirees enjoying lunch to younger local types sharing a beer or coffee. All welcome.
Staff: Friendly service and as always in Amsterdam, no troubles ordering in English. "Dank U" or "Bedankt" will get you far.
Selection: A couple of standard tap beers and bottled options aren't too much to get excited about but a cut above Carlton Draught nonetheless.
Outdoor Area: Bench seats with some weird old tram carriages lying around and an above ground skate bowl add plenty of interesting areas to poke around.
Specials: Turntables set up in the corner suggest some nighttime or weekend DJs.
L.S.R: The south-facing windows have sunlight streaming through them until late in the afternoon when it begins to get dark. Some quiet grooves waft in the background giving a friendly cafe quality to the space.
Amenities: "L" shaped container arrangement houses some cubicles. A little cold - not the spot to stop and ponder the universe.
Top Suggestion: Stay open until we come back! NDSM is a quickly growing area with some very interesting galleries and spaces around. Give it a couple of years and we're sure Pllek will be pumping.
Field Notes: Since Amsterdam changed it squatting laws recently, the artist community has been driven out of the city and forced to find new areas. NDSM Wharf is one such place and is definitely worth checking out - a welcome respite from the madness of the city centre. It was a real shame we didn't visit until our last day - it would have been great to come back and check it out after hours. "Pllek" is simply Dutch for "place".

Arbitrary Score: 84
A laid-back dining hall with a grand vision for the future - we're sure all the seats will be filled before long! Well worth checking out to see where Rembrandt and van Gogh's modern counterparts are setting up shop today.

Cafe van Leeuwen (Amsterdam) 25/11/12


"Jazzy B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Ben and Sarah
Price: €4 330ml tap beer. We went for a delicious dark porter, perfect for winter.
Location: Kaizersgracht 711, on the corner with the very charming Utrechtesstraat, south side of Amsterdam. Boutique retail with a pleasing lack of tourist hordes & a little more laid back than the "9 Streets" area.
Distance: It's in Amsterdam. Chances are you can walk, ride or tram there from anywhere in the city.
Ambience: Cozy lounge room atmosphere with a friendly conversational buzz. Easy to meet and chat with fellow patrons. Every Sunday there is live jazz starting at 5pm which creates an amazing vibe in such a small and intimate space.
Character: Traditional Amsterdam with no space wasted. Small without being claustrophobic and plenty of polished wooden charm. The very large windows on both outward facing walls (its on the corner) maximise the often cloudy daylight. Not too showy and easy to pass by on the street.
Decor: Very basic yet effective. Large diffuse overhanging lights and strategically placed candles add plenty of warmth to chase away the winter chills. The stage is a compact riser at the end of the room and the band is clearly the main feature with no-one's view getting blocked.
Comfort: Grab a stool at the bar or sit back on the heaters below the large windows. Plenty of options for the generally small amount of people the place can accommodate.
Patrons: A mixed local crowd with a couple of edgier jazz types, older gents and a group of friends sharing a few drinks. Everyone gets into the music and there's plenty of interaction in between tunes (you might need to know a little Dutch to decipher it).
Staff: A typically tall Dutch guy with a snappy haircut and a friendly manner, happy to recommend a good beer and provide a sample tasting of the tap options.
Selection: A couple of great local beers on tap and a few more bottled options. Basic but hits the spot.
Outdoor Area: Nothing outdoors (at least during winter) however there is an upstairs dining area for lunch.
Specials: Live jazz every Sunday beginning at 5pm through til around 9.
L.S.R: These musicians are a great representation of the local interest in jazz and really know how to play together and create an atmosphere. Expect to hear heavy, groove laden licks with a couple of virtuotic solos thrown in. Top marks.
Amenities: Take the incredibly steep spiral stairs down to a smaller basement area with some clean and tidy toilets. A candle on the sink is a classy touch.
Top Suggestion: A coat hook by the door would do wonders, we stripped off quite a few layers from walking around in the cold weather outside.
Field Notes: While it might be a tiny bar on a typical street, this is a great spot to relax, catch up with a friend, see some jazz or even just read a book. The lack of tourists is extremely encouraging - they probably got caught up in a coffeeshop somewhere up the street!

Arbitrary Score: 85
With plenty of traditional Amsterdam charm, Cafe van Leeuwen keeps it simple and offers a genuine local drinking spot with killer local jazz to boot.


Thursday, 4 October 2012

Beat Geeks @ Monarch (Berlin) 02/10/2012

"Hiphop B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Ben and Cam
Price: €3 500ml tap beer. Free entry
Location: Skalitzer Str 134 near Kotbusser Tor, Kreuzberg
Distance: 4 min walk
Ambience: Super relaxed and cruisey Tuesday night crowd, even though it is jam packed. Popular local hangout that is not known by tourists. Hiphop/beatfreak culture of music appreciating Berliners and expats.
Character: Wall length windows overlooking busy intersection and train line. Bar is situated in the second floor of a derelict building above a kebab shop. Unassumingly gritty, but not grungy.
Decor: Sparse apart from a few choice lamps and chandeliers. The disco ball above the dance floor takes pride as the centrepiece of decorations. Near the entrance is a 'gaming area' with "knockers" (fusball) and a pinball machine.
Comfort: The whole venue is lined with couches, stools and tables providing a lot of comfortable seating options providing you can commandeer one. Great use of limited space—there are a lot of seats compared to the size of the venue, yet still leaves ample area for the d-floor. Stools at bar are a great vantage point for scoping out the room and DJs.
Patrons: Motley crew of hiphop nerds, beat geeks and uncool, cool people. People do not care what they're dressed like, nor about anyone else, just there to listen to good music and have a good time. Wearing a cap, flat cap, or hoodie will make you feel at home amongst peers.
Staff: The coolest people in here. Tattoos, big guns, big boobs.
Selection: Standard beer and liquor selection, but having a tap beer is a massive positive. Bottled beers are classily served in fancy glasses.
Outdoor Area: N/A
Specials: Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month Beat Evolution presents Beat Geeks, a Hiphop Producer night hosted by Suff Daddy and LeBob. Different types of gigs on most nights, catering to all music tastes.
L.S.R: Disco ball, soft lighting and banging beats make a fantastic combination.
'A Tribe Called Quest' eloquently summarises, "I like my beats hard like two-day-old shit."
Amenities: Compact, with no wriggle room to speak of, but relatively high cleanliness considering the number of users.
Top Suggestion: Suggest it to your mates! Nothing we can think of to improve this place.
Field Notes: No bullshit, have a good time on your own terms. Even though you can see the bar pumping away on the second floor, the entrance is very obscure, our first time here we had to stake out the entrance and wait to follow people in. Once you're in there, you feel part of a fun, music-loving culture that congregates fortnightly to enjoy banging tunes.
Memorable Quotes: "Did you know bar hubbub sounds the same in every language?" BH
"Except in Asia, it's about an octave higher." CLG
"Black is a shit biro colour, end of discussion." BH

Arbitrary Score: 91
Special mention has to be made to the fact that Monarch pumped us enough to get into the Berghain for a truly unforgettable night/morning.


Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Barbie Deinhoff's (Berlin) 01/10/12

"Terrorist Barbie B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Cam & Ben
Price: €2.80 500ml Berliner, €1 for the DJ
Location: Schlesische Str 16, Kreuzberg
Distance: 22min stroll (including now regular ice-cream stop)
Ambience: Tea candles and lamps takes the edge of a somewhat punk inspired atmosphere. A satisfying palette of red, pink and orange lighting sets a relaxed tone.
Character: Fairly basic in the architectural sense. A large pink neon sign out front lets you know where to go.
Decor: A contrast between colourful charm (Barbie) and punky artwork (Deinhoff). A feature wall is adorned cardboard placards printed with song lyrics beginning with "Don't". The door is draped with a curtain giving a certain mystique upon entering. Interesting tables collaged with some intriguingly explicit cutouts.
Comfort: Stools at the bar create a familiar patron / staff interaction. Plenty of couches, chairs & tables to pick from and a quieter, darker back room for more privacy.
Patrons: An all embracing mix, think straight friendly gay bar rather than vice versa. Black clothing is a must, piercings recommended.
Staff: See above.
Selection: Good range of cocktails and liquor with a standard bottled beer selection. No tap beer.
Outdoor: On street seating
Specials: 2 for 1 drinks Tuesday nights. DJ most nights.
LSR: A subdued mix to accomodate a relaxing midweek drink. Most likely picks up on the weekend. The garage / punk tunes help set this bar apart from the typical house & techno heard most places.
Amenities: Broken urinals, generally run down & grotty.
Top suggestion: Push the theme & decor a bit further and make the weirdness stand out more. Top suggestion for patrons: wear black.
Field notes: The name "Barbie Deinhoff's" is apparantly a combination of the owner's fascination with Barbie dolls and the Baader-Meinhof militant faction group. If it's what you're into, enjoy a respite from the more typical Berlin scene. However if you're a tourist you might feel a little out of place with the locals here. Don't let the bartender's permanent "pissed off" face throw you off.

Arbitrary Score: 66
While something of an institution in the local gay & alternative scene, this cruisy little bar gets by more on the reputation of it's patrons than by it's own unique qualities. Worth checking out but not if you're pressed for time in Berlin.


Wednesday, 26 September 2012

Club der Visionaere (Berlin) 25/09/12

"Berlin B.E.E.R.S. begins!"

Attendees: Herr Houghton & Herr Louis-Gleeson
Price: €2 entry, beers from €2.50, €8 pizza
Location: Am Flugtraben 1, Alt-Treptow, along the canal.
Distance (from Castle Kreuzberg): 25min walk (including ice-cream stop - highly recommended)
Ambience: Tuesday night relaxed crowd with bouncy house grooves keeping the vibe positive. Canal-side deck with moody lighting and overhanging willow creates a unique setting and atmosphere.
Character: This former boat shed cum bar / nightclub shows its origins with worn out timber construction and plenty of dark nooks and crannies. Circular portholes add nautical flavour while the views over the water bring it all together.
Decor: A handful of grimy couches, copious spider webs and a bunch of interesting metal sculptural pieces give a haphazard approach to decorating. Along with the funky red lighting the decor creates an unpretentious, late-night ambience for those just starting their night or those finishing it.
Comfort: Plenty of seating options, none particularly comfortable however. A plush couch would seem right out of place here though. A winner is sitting on the deck dangling your feet over the water.
Patrons: Laid-back Berliner crowd ranging from young hipsters to old leather-daddies.
Staff: Cool babes. Friendly and happy to take your order in a range of languages or politely smile at your pitiful German.
Selection: Standard range of good German beer. Mixed drinks and a couple of cocktails as well.
Outdoor: Canal-side open air deck is the most unique part of the venue.
Specials: DJs every night, pizza bar upstairs.
LSR: Optimal. You can get away with anything with this amount of dim red lighting. LSR adjusted to match party levels as the night wears on.
Amenities: Pretty grotty
Top suggestion: Move the DJ booth away from the bar service area to face the dancefloor more.
Field notes: A bit of a mismatch but the unpretentious approach of the venue rubs off on everyone and creates an easygoing atmosphere where you can share a drink with friends or make some new ones.
Memorable quotes: "I'm glad I didn't fart too hard or I might have sharted." - BH
"How do you pronounce Kreuzberg?" "Like Russell Coight, with an R" - BH

Arbitrary Score: 78
Without having checked it out as a late night spot to kick on or for a lazy summer day session, this understated spot is incredibly versatile and is often open continuously for the entire weekend. For the modest door charge of €2, we'll definitely be paying Club der Visionaere another visit. A great venue for our first international B.E.E.R.S!