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Deafening polka music and bastardized German traditions set the Essen Haus apart from most Madison-area bars. Lederhosen- and dirndl-garbed employees serve beer steins to customers in a dark, drafty, old building.

Just like they do in Germany … maybe.

Even if the “German” atmosphere is questionable, the Essen Haus tap beers are absolutely authentic, as they are all imported from Germany.

Also imported from Germany is the Essen Haus’ greatest lure — a two-liter glass boot filled with beer, meant to share alcohol and saliva-borne pathogens between friends. The large demand and small stock of boots means they go quickly; to ensure a full night of binge drinking, arrive early to claim your boot. For larger crowds and heavier drinkers, five-liter steins are also available.

But be careful — a $75 charge for a broken boot and a $125 charge for a broken stein don’t fit the budget of most college students. I’d also be careful about finishing a boot. Despite the drunken cheering that comes along with this accomplishment, emptying a boot means chugging warm beer and backwash.

As you’re chugging the dregs of your boot, be aware that your boot may not have been washed very thoroughly. Cleanliness is not something the Essen Haus is known for — the bar, the tables, the boots and the dance floor are often sticky. The ceiling drips, the carpets are dirty and the bar doesn’t exactly have a minty aroma.

But the lure of copious quantities of beer seems to overshadow any questionable cleaning practices, and students flock to the boisterous bar every weekend in search of the somewhat elusive boot.