After your flight from London you’ll be met at Düsseldorf Airport and transported to your hotel. Stow your bags away and off we go for a short walking tour of Dinslaken, a 750 year old town on the Rhine. Having worked up a thirst, it’s time to visit one of the oldest pubs in the "Altstadt". You’ll be greeted by a couple rounds of bier on the house and a hearty dinner feast, home style, followed by a  local schnaps, prost..

Our man Hannes Holtbrügge, keeping us happy.

Feel like an after dinner pub crawl? Dinslaken’s picturesque center has 6 pubs where you can drink wonderful bier and meet an interesting mix of people to chat with. On Fridays the pubs stay open until 1-2-3? You should however be able to find your hotel as all these pubs are only minutes away.

Brunhilde Holtbrügge in action.

Late Saturday morning we start our brewery tour with the Walsumer Brauhaus, a rustic and cozy little place with a nice bier garden. In this peaceful atmosphere we’ll sip our first biers of the day as we sample the braumeister's wares, prost.

Well known Altstadt figure Uncle Nio says, "Come to Dinslaken, I'll buy you a beer."

A few words from the Essen-Borbeck Brewmaster.

A short drive further brings us to Schacht 4/8, a turn of the century bank magically transformed into a house brewery with amazing style. Once again you'll get a chance to see how the bier is made and all your questions will be answered. It's lunch time and this is a great place for it. An all you can eat buffet.  Where better do cooks understand the relationship between food and bier than in a brewery restaurant?  Naturally all the house biers will be given a try, and for the collector, this brewery has a very nice assortment of articles from pins and glasses to copper models of brew vats.

Kevin at the tap in Diebels.

A few minutes walk away and we've reached our third visit of the day, Websters. Only 10 years old but this brewery situated on a small open market place has quite a following and in the sunny months the outdoor tables are full of happy faces. The name may sound English but it's 100% German, with no connection to the U.K. Brewery. Here you can take part in a 45 minute seminar on how bier is made and of course sample the tasty results.

Time to go, and we cross over to the west side of the Rhine. If you're an ale fan, than this might be your favorite spot. Diebels Alt is the largest brewer of Alt in Germany. It is a top fermented brownish bier that is very popular with the local people. The brewery is located in a small town surrounded by typical Lower Rhine countryside, but it's visitors center, is frequented by people from miles around, as well as the occasional overseas group. Here after the "Roland Show", a special tour of the brewery,  you'll enjoy a hearty dinner, and be invited to tap the 10 liter barrels of bier at our own tables, help yourselves. Diebels also has a fully stocked giftshop with almost anything you could want bearing their logo.

Rainer, the Webster's Brewmaster teaches class.

Back across the Rhine. You haven't had enough? Someone in the "Altstadt" is still pouring them.

Sunday, after breakfast, take your bags, and we have a short drive east to the Essen Borbecker Brauerei, a large rambling old collection of brick buildings. They brew an interesting variety of bier, including a "dampf", or steam bier. The brewery hosts a weekly Sunday event called Jazz "Frühschoppen", or early Sunday pint. Each week there's a new jazz group playing in one of the halls to stimulate the thirst. If that's not for you, there are also quiet corners to relax and taste your bier in. After a look in the brew house and a last chance to buy souvenirs, we'll have a farewell lunch together, and if you like bratwurst, they have it here by the meter. It fits perfect with bier.

Now, after adding 20 some new biers from 5 different breweries to your experience, it's sadly time to head back to the airport and your flight home. But not to worry, we do this all the time. You can always come back. Prost.

The ladies at Schacht 4/8 on the job.