Food & Beer Culture

Basel's Fasnacht begins at four o'clock in the morning. On the Monday after Ash Wednesday, every light in the city center goes dark, and with the Morgestraich, the marching groups (Cliques) set off with drums, piccolos, and illuminated lanterns. Afterward comes Basel Mehlsuppe, a brown soup made from roasted flour, served in the taverns of the old town.

Why does Mehlsuppe pair well with beer? It's hearty, lightly toasted in flavor, and often eaten with cheese. A pale lager stays understated, washes away the richness, and lets the roasted note linger. Alongside it come Zwiebelwähe and Käsewähe, flat tarts topped with onions or cheese and baked with cream.

Cervelat is part of the spread too, the classic Swiss sausage often served as a sausage salad with vinegar and onions. The light acidity pairs well with a mild lager. For dessert there's Basler Läckerli, a hard pastry made with honey, almonds, and candied fruit, which pairs with beer less adventurously than it sounds.

In Basel, drinking happens in a Beiz, as the Swiss call a pub, or at a table along the Rhine riverside. Orders usually come down to a Stange, a small "Stängeli," or a bottle. During Fasnacht, beer flows freely, but so do tea and coffee.

In Rheinfelden, the brewery itself is a destination. Visitors come for the castle, which is worth seeing even without the beer. The region lives off beer and the Rhine alike, and takes both in easy stride.