“Mustard Club? What the heck is a Mustard Club?”
That’s the usual reaction when members mention Mustard Club to those unfamiliar with our group. But we’re always happy to answer the question! The Händlmaier’s Mustard Club Cincinnati (officially: Händlmaier’s Freunde Cincinnati e.V.) is the first and only US chapter — and one of only two clubs located around the world — dedicated to sharing the gemütlichkeit that is Händlmaier’s Mustard. (The other is in Germany, and we now have more members — they said it couldn’t be done!)
Händlmaier’s Mustard comes in a variety of flavors, from sweet to spicy, and are a great complement to the German buffet that we have at our “monthly meeting” (SECOND SATURDAY, 11am, at Wiedemann Brewing). Händlmaier’s also offers a wide range of sauces, and Mecklenburg Gardens and many of our members have created special recipes using those sauces. We use so much Händlmaier’s Mustard at our “meetings” that we have to import it in very large quantities every year: to be cost effective it’s shipped via pallet, on a boat!
While the mustard continues to be a rallying cry of our group, our gatherings are all about laid-back camaraderie of the traditional German social event — the gemütlichkeit. Our meetings and other events (like our Pub Crawls and “Yellow Shirt Invasions“) are a great way to catch up with old friends, and make new ones! Our meetings are also family-friendly, and we see Mustard Club members from multiple generations attending together.
Cincinnati has a strong German heritage, so we’re very proud to participate in other German organizations’ festivals, parades, and other events around the city. We’ve even won awards for our Bockfest parade entries (we’re definitely a creative bunch!).
Started by a few friends back in 2006, we now boast more than 430 members, and Händlmaier’s Mustard Club Cincinnati has garnered a lot of interest from people in the tri-state area and beyond. And we’re always welcoming new folks to the fold — you don’t even have to like mustard! There are a number of members who care for mustard, but keep coming back for the good times (and bier). And guest are always willkommen!
Now that you know a little more about us, we invite you come to a “meeting,” join in the fun, and share in the gemutlichkeit!
