>My brother-in-law was from Neuss. When we would go to the North Hollywood Soccer Club (a German soccer club), I would order Spaten. All his friends (also from Neuss) would say to me, "What? That water from the South"? :)
>
>They drank some black bier (beer) that was very bitter and I avoided!

Hannen Alt, maybe? I drank black when I was in Neuss, but forgot the names - except that one, because its name was on the bottle opener I... took as a souvenir.

And bitter? No way. Just right.