Your East End weekend plans, via Cologne

The American brewing business doesn’t have a whole lot of actual “innovation” on offer these days. It’s kind of a problem! I report on it all the time, actually. But that’s in my capacity as a booze journalist. So here in Church Hill, in my capacity as a neighborhood journalist, I’m pleased to report that Triple Crossing Beer is looking to the past—and to the Rheinland—this coming weekend. The craft brewery’s fifth-annual Kölschfest returns tomorrow to the East End, and with it, casks of golden German “lagered ale” and one of the most leisurely, refreshing, and innovative beer-drinking traditions ever invented.

“At Triple Crossing, we have a deep appreciation for simple beers that have just been around for such a long time, so [Kölschfest] fits into that beautifully,” said Savannah Roberts, the production manager at the Richmond brewery’s Fulton location, which is hosting the event tomorrow from 12-5pm. It’s true that Kölsch is a simple beer to drink, an uncommonly light ale that hails from Germany’s Cologne (or Köln, hence the name.) But as Roberts was quick to note, it’s got “its own distinct brewing process” that straddles the line between ale, which is made with top-fermenting yeasts and served shortly after the brew is completed, and lager, which is made with bottom-fermenting yeast and finished in chilled tanks for weeks. The process makes Kölsch hard to categorize, but delightful to session. And the way you session Kölsch is a delightful process all its own.

Kölsch service dates back centuries, and while everything else has changed, the basics have remained the same. In brief:

1. Purchase a coaster. At a brewery in Cologne, a grumpy server (Köbes) would approach you shortly after you’ve been seated and toss a coaster in front of you, tallying each small glass (Stange) of Kölsch you drink and ringing you up at the end of your visit. At Triple Crossing tomorrow, it’ll work a bit different: you buy coasters up front for $12 apiece, each entitling you to four 200 milliliter pours of that sweet golden nectar.

2. Find a spot to place your coaster. Once you grab a coaster and a seat, display it like a placard on the table in front of you.

3. Await your Kölsch. As in Cologne, the servers at Triple Crossing will be roaming the brewery floors holding Kränze—essentially circular trays with cupholders around the circumference and a handle in the middle. Those cupholders hold glasses of beer in place as they make their way to you from the specialty brass faucets on the German gravity casks (stichfass) Triple Crossing bought for the event.

4. Drink and be merry. You drink Kölsch just like any other beer (unless you drink other beer weirdly, in which case, stop doing that I guess?) For each glass you receive, your server will punch a hole in your coaster. After four, you’ll need another. Or, if you’re done, place your coaster atop your glass, and your server will come ring you up.

Triple Crossing put together a clever little video outlining this process for their Instagram page, and I’m having trouble embedding it here for some reason. But that’s basically the deal. When we spoke on Thursday afternoon, Roberts told me the brewery had already pre-sold over 140 coasters online, but emphasized that walk-ins are welcome, too. “I think there are going to be a bunch of people that walk in, don't even know what's going on, and see it and hopefully join in.”

Of course, when most Richmonders hear Triple Crossing, they think of Falcon Smash, the brewery’s popular flagship India pale ale. Its Kölsch, brewed with Pilsner malt sourced from Durham, North Carolina’s Epiphany Craft Malt (which is owned and operated, incidentally, by a German-American maltster), is pretty damn distant from that juicy, hazy profile. The average Triple Crossing customer typically breaks one way or another. “It really is so split,” she said, hypothesizing that event may appeal more to fans of the brewery’s lager portfolio.

But even if you strictly wet your beak with Falcon Smash, you should consider Kölschfest anyway. Triple Crossing will be selling a select draft menu of other beers at the event, as well as bratwurst, sauerkraut, and pretzels, and Roberts and co. have booked a German band, The Sauerkrauts, for the afternoon. “It should be just a good time, and I think it'll be educational,” she said.

Of course, some attendees will need less teaching than others. “I do think there are people out there that have an affinity for Kölsch service,” added Roberts, musing about the composition of tomorrow’s crowd. “I don't know how many there are out there, but I'm sure they'll be coming out for that specifically.” Your humble Lookout editor is in that camp: my wife and I spent part of our honeymoon in Cologne, so we bought coasters as soon as we heard there’d be Kölsch service in the East End this weekend. The presale is over, but you’ll be able to do likewise tomorrow at Triple Crossing Fulton. Find me there for a “Prost!” to one of the greatest “innovations” beer culture has to offer.

📜 Possum Poetry

Possum Poetry is original verse written exclusively for The Lookout by Penelope Poubelle, the Lookout’s litter critter-at-large. If you spot roadside trash you’d like her to immortalize in doggerel, email a photo to [email protected]. All submissions anonymous!

🧱 New sidewalk who dis?

A couple months ago, The Lookout reported that Richmond’s Department of Public Works (DPW) had closed off the particularly jacked-up stretch of sidewalk over by Riverbend Roastery on the west side of North 27th Street in preparation to repair it. There was a sign and everything! Alas, the sign was removed shortly thereafter, and the jacked-up stretch of sidewalk remained. But lo: last week, DPW’s brick boys (AND GIRLS, OK?!?!) returned to actually do the job. Now it’s done, and the new masonry is looking downright handsome.

Of course, there are plenty of other busted sidewalks around the neighborhood, so if you see something, say something log it on the shockingly easy-to-use RVA 311 app. And send up a prayer to the pedestrian-infrastructure gods that DPW’s planned construction on the desperately needed sidewalk on the south side of E. Broad St. by the entrance to Chimborazo Park starts sometime in the near-ish future.

👋 Welcome to all the new Lookouts!

Some news about the newsletter: The Lookout recently passed the 500-subscriber milestone! As ever, if you know somebody who might enjoy news and views from Richmond’s East End, encourage them to sign up for free:

Welcome to all the new Lookouts who signed up recently, and big thanks to all the folks who have been reading since the very beginning.

📢 Happenings on The Hill

• Show your Pride: Union Market’s rescheduled drag show pops off tomorrow (7/26) at 7pm. Grab tickets.

• Rifle through racks: Mother Daughter Co is popping up at Dear Neighbor tomorrow from 11am-3pm with “curated vintage” and handmade clothes. New items are 15% off in person. More details.

• Buy old stuff: Dead People Stuff is bringing its vintage market back to Triple Crossing Fulton on Sunday (7/27) from 12-6pm. More details.

• Appreciate art: Second Bottle is hosting a discussion on the VMFA’s Fridha Kahlo exhibit on Monday (7/28) as part of its monthly Second Opinions series. Tickets still available.

• Get focused: The Richmond People’s Budget is seeking volunteers to participate in a virtual focus group this coming Tuesday (7/29) from 6-7:30pm. Info here.

• Meet and greet: There’s a 7th District community meeting this coming Thursday (7/31) from 6-7:30pm. I hear Council President Cynthia Newbille will be there. No link, but here’s the calendar listing.

Happenings on The Hill is a digital bulletin board for events, causes, and other items of interest to East Enders that don’t necessarily merit full editorial treatment. Got something for a future edition? Email the relevant details, links, etc. to [email protected] for consideration!

📸 A Very CHill Photo

Want to share your Very CHill Photo from the neighborhood? Email it to [email protected] with your name as you’d like it to appear for publication, and the camera you shot it on.