There are many questions one could ask business partners Frank Goldstein and Roger Sieger. Why that name, why an Irish pub and why a new eatery/pub opening in the middle of the pandemic? "I ran the “Landgasthaus Schuld” until July, until it unfortunately washed away," Sieger responds. After the owner decided to demolish the building, he wanted to start something new - but as a tenant.

In Troisdorf, the 43-year-old has been running the Irish pub "The Old Dog's Head" since January 2020, which he stocks with his own products as managing director of the small Hennef brewery Butcher's Beer. Among other things, he supplies the "Saloon-Halfenhof" in Ramersbach an der Ahr, which Frank Goldstein has been running since May of 2019. "We were not directly affected by the floods, but we helped a lot, also in Schuld," says Goldstein.

The two men became friends during their work in the relief efforts and decided to look for a local pub they could run. "On Annaberger Strasse, you get a lot for your money," says the 46-year-old, who grew up in Wachtberg and went to school in Friesdorf. So the area here is not new to him. At the moment, they're still tweaking the interior. The Guinness clock is already up, but the big TV screen for sports broadcasts still has to be mounted on the wall, and a lot of glasses have to be put away and stools and tables set up. For the time being, they are still blocking the restrooms. “The Wild Hog” bosses are convinced of the very manageable one-room pub. "There are 30 seats and, in summer, two or three tables outside," says Goldstein.

Irish music is to be played, but there is not enough room for the classical fiddler. And, of course, beer will be served. "We have the light top-fermented Butcher's, the naturally cloudy pilsner 'Naturbursche' as well as Sion Kölsch, Jever Pils, Guinness and Kilkenny," Sieger introduces the list of beverages, which will be expanded to include wines from the Ahr and Mosel. "But we are a classic pub and only offer small beer-accompanying dishes," so to speak. It’s a nod they they are not competition to the Spanish "El Caballo" and the "Friesdorfer Hof" around the corner. The two business partners are convinced that their concept will work. "The location is excellent, plus we're well connected and very active on social media," says Troisdorf-based Sieger, who used to run "Butcher's Sportsbar" on Kaiserstrasse. The aim is to introduce the people of Bonn to Irish joie de vivre and beer culture; Sieger himself is married to an Irish woman.

The first employees are already in place in the form of students who live above the new pub. "But we are still looking for more help," says Goldstein. This Saturday, December 11, the grand opening is at 7 p.m.; after that, for the time being, it will be open Wednesdays to Fridays from 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 3 p.m., Sundays only during FC Cologne games. The last round, as in Ireland, is at 1 a.m. "We have a permit to stay open until 5 a.m., but we don't want to be a nightclub," Sieger emphasizes. Admission is in accordance with 2G rules. That leaves the question of the name they chose. "On the one hand, it suits us, and on the other, it was inspired by my favorite pub, 'The Stag's Head' in Dublin," says Sieger. Let's see if the "Stag's Head" can also be found in Bonn one day.

(Orig. text: Silke Elbern / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)