Landlord opens first alcohol-free country inn: "Completely normal in the USA"

Created: 10/28/2022, 10:35 am

In a remote country inn in the Sauerland, an innkeeper dares something new.

He opened the first alcohol-free restaurant in the region - and probably nationwide.

Werdohl - The country inn is somewhere in the middle of nowhere: "It's four kilometers to Werdohl, ten to Lüdenscheid," says Manfred Stell (68).

He has been a restaurateur for 40 years.

With "Stells Landgasthof" he has just opened his 40th business: the first alcohol-free restaurant in the region - and probably even nationwide.

None of his previous shops were so remote.

Most guests come by car.

This persuaded the 68-year-old to make a virtue out of necessity and turn a seemingly daring business idea into reality.

Non-alcoholic restaurant: Probably the first of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia

Is he the first in North Rhine-Westphalia?

"We don't record anything like that.

But I've never heard of a similar attempt," says Thorsten Hellwig, spokesman for the German Hotel and Restaurant Association in North Rhine-Westphalia.

From his point of view, Stell's project has a chance: "Everything can work in gastronomy - if it's done well" - even if gastronomic businesses have had a difficult time recently, first because of the corona pandemic and now because of increased energy and food costs .

Stell sees himself as the pioneer of a trend “that is only just arriving in Germany,” as he says.

"It's completely normal in the US." Stell alludes to the "sober bars," which have their antecedents in the temperance movement of the 19th century.

Landlord Manfred Stell says he has opened the first non-alcoholic restaurant in North Rhine-Westphalia.

© Bernd Thissen/dpa

At first glance, Stell's drinks menu also seems completely normal: There are various beers, red wines, white wines, a rosé, spirits such as whiskey and gin - but everything is non-alcoholic.

"We don't even cook with alcohol," says Stell. Nevertheless, he has red wine shallots on the menu - prepared with non-alcoholic red wine, of course.

Landlord is a fan of non-alcoholic beer: "It tastes the same"

He sees no problem with non-alcoholic beer anyway: "It tastes the same, everything else just happens in your head." He even has two non-alcoholic Pilsner varieties and one wheat beer on offer as draft beers.

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The alcohol-free country inn has been open since mid-October and the number of visitors is "very good", says Stell, although there was almost no advertising. "Word got around very quickly."

TV chef Frank Rosin gave him the idea, albeit indirectly, the restaurateur reveals.

A few years ago, he tried in vain to save the previous restaurant: it was called "Culo del Mondo".

In English: "On the A... of the world."

You can't do anything with alcohol here anyway, Rosin said.

That's when it clicked for him, says Stell.

Host in non-alcoholic restaurant does not drink any alcohol himself

He himself shows how it's done: "I haven't been drinking alcohol for eight years." At that time he got pancreatitis from alcohol and then decided: never again alcohol.

"I'm doing great with it," says the 68-year-old.

In many conversations he noticed that he was not alone in giving up what he was doing, which in turn encouraged him.

He clearly contradicts critics who now accuse him of patronizing others with his offer.

He has nothing against pubs serving alcohol, like the ones he ran for 40 years in Dortmund, Hagen and other cities, but: "There must also be an alternative."

Two years ago, Germany's first alcohol-free bar "Zeroliq" opened - but in the middle of Berlin.

There, too, they rely on the Sober movement from the USA, which not least wants to avoid that "dry" alcoholics are constantly tempted to relapse when they go out.

However, like “Zeroliq” in Berlin, “Stells Landgasthof” definitely does not want to be seen as a therapy facility.

Non-alcoholic country inn in North Rhine-Westphalia: The trend is towards non-alcoholic drinks

The range of non-alcoholic beverages has not only grown significantly in recent years, non-alcoholic alternatives to beer, wine and spirits are on the rise.

The Australian beverage manufacturer Lyre's, world market leader for non-alcoholic spirits, was recently valued at over 115 million euros.

Health awareness has grown and the fear of the negative consequences of alcohol consumption has increased, say experts like Daniel Kofahl.

While beer consumption in Germany has been steadily declining in recent years, the sale of non-alcoholic beers has almost tripled since 2007, according to the German Brewers' Association.

But the truth is also: Alcohol-free beer, despite its growth rates, only has a market share of around seven percent.

Don't worry: after a week he already has the first bookings for family and Christmas celebrations in his calendar.

However, opinions about the non-alcoholic country inn are divided online.

Under a Facebook post by the Rheinische Post about the restaurant, the users discussed animatedly:

• "Alcohol-free and Sauerland are actually mutually exclusive."

• "Can I have some more, please."

• "This restaurant was doomed to die from the moment it opened."

• "Let the man run his restaurant the way he wants?!

  If it bothers you, open one yourself.”

• "Never - that doesn't work like non-smoking restaurants."

• "Since I drive myself most of the time I wouldn't have a problem with it at all, but generally not, I don't have to have beer, wine, liquor with meals..."

• "If I go to a restaurant and want to have a drink, it's my decision, I don't want to be patronized, I'm old enough and can make my own decisions.

  But OK, I'm not going anymore."

• "Where is the problem?

  No one is being forced to visit the restaurant!

  I think the idea is great!”

  
  

(dpa/red)