Another spelling bee word. How many beerbibbers know what the word means?

Five views, no comments. No rats among us, who drink beer in cellar?
"rat" of "rath" is German for "counselor", legal or governmental type.

rathskeller
n.
5Ger < rath (now rat) (akin to READ1), council, town hall + keller, cellar: because frequently located in the cellar of the city hall6 a restaurant, usually below the street level, where beer is served

Makes me remember college days. Somehow to drink in the rathskeller had more serious heavy drinking involved. Not that I was one of 'em. Never could handle more than a couple of beers, and, even then, only in the summertime on very hot days.

I didn't check out that reference to "read"--and, feeling lazy, will ask: What does "read" have to do with drinking in a cellar? Or even with a counselor in the drinking cellar? Did the counselors drinking in the cellar?