This Fort Greene bar adds to the neighborhood’s already full dance card of establishments from dive bars like the Alibi (full disclosure: I tend bar there on occasion), sports bars like Mullanes, wine bars like Stonehome and even the hood’s own “secret” bar,The Hideout. So, if Der Schwarze Kolner can’t offer a garden to drink in, what does it bring to the already bar-saturated area? Beer. Glorious German beer.
Take advantage of the bier part of the garten with delightfully cheap (running $5 to $8 for half-liter draft or bottle) German brews.The bar offers 36 beers, half on draft and half in bottles.With its smooth and sweet flavor, the Schneider Aventinus is a wheat beer worth checking out along with the dark, rich Weltenburger Asam Bock. A half-liter of the thick, carameltasting Weihenstephaner Dark went down far to easy, followed by a bottle of the light, grassy Kulmbacher Pils.
Besides suds, Der Schwarze Kolner serves German wine, Kupferberg Gold champagne and some food choices, like the simple and filling Halve Hahn ($4), which is comprised of pickles, Gouda, mustard and bread, and the savory currywurst ($4).You can also get a traditional German pretzel ($3) or an Obazda mit Brezel ($7)—a Bavarian cheese spread made with Brie, beer, butter, cream cheese and spices.
Named for owner Dale Hall, Der Schwarze Kolner means “the black man from Cologne” (which Hall is) and opened in an old hardware store on the corner of Fulton and South Oxford streets.While the nicely refurbished space looks good, and I am partial to the black-and-white checkered floor, its fault comes in the lack of soundproofing.This means once the place fills up, it’s hard to hear your companion, even if he’s sitting right next to you.There aren’t many tables either, but somehow, on a busy Friday night, the waitstaff managed to fit everyone somewhere.
This quick, calm thinking proved just one aspect that made service at the Der Schwarze Kolner excellent. Also, each time our giant glasses threatened to run out on us, our waitress showed up with a menu and a smile.
At this point, as winter encroaches, it’s easy to forget the lack of outdoor space, which the manager swears is coming next year, though it will serve more as a backyard than an actual al fresco drinking space. Obviously its impact has yet to be seen, but, if they keep up the good service and cheap brews, this spring we can see how this garten really grows.
> Der Schwarze Kolner
710 Fulton St. (at S. Oxford St.), Brooklyn, 347-841-4495
