The city of Düsseldorf, on the Rhine north of Frankfurt, normally doesn’t come up when beer aficionados discuss where to find great German breweries. During a recent trip, I learned why it should.
Düsseldorf is the home of Altbier, or “old beer” in German. Altbier is a dark ale with a distinctive copper color and a hint of fruitiness. It’s produced using recipes and methods that are hundreds of years old.
History of Düsseldorf’s Altbier
Altbier evolved from medieval beers like Keutebier, a barley and wheat beer that contained hops and cloves. In 1838, Johann Matthias Schumacher, an innovative brewer, “invented” Altbier by experimenting with Keutebier and traditional Rhine beer.
Schumacher used less wheat, more hops, and top-fermenting yeast. He brewed it stronger, fermented and conditioned it at a lower temperature, aged it in wooden barrels, and allowed it to mature at a cooler temperature. The result was a beer with a cleaner, crisper taste, similar to lagers.
He named it “Alt” and promoted it as old-style beer to differentiate it from what were then newer lagers. Since then, Düsseldorf has become the center of Altbier brewing, though this style of beer is made by breweries throughout Germany and in other EU countries.
Altbier is available in the U.S., but it is not always made using traditional recipes. A few examples are Glacier Ale by Red Lodge Ales Brewing, Red Lodge, Montana; Schell Schmaltzs Alt by August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, Minnesota; and Ironworks Alt by Metropolitan Brewing, Chicago.
Altbier Culture
Altstadt, Düsseldorf’s picturesque old town, is the center of the city’s beer culture and nightlife and has a richly deserved nickname as the “longest bar in the world.”
More than 260 pubs, bars, and breweries are packed into roughly half a square kilometer (0.3 square miles). The scent of hops and the tart, spicy aroma of Altbier tempts you as you stroll down the cobblestoned streets and alleys. Every bar seems to invite you to stop in and try their specialties.
The large breweries offer their own beers and other choices, but the small ones usually sell one or two signature beers that they brew onsite. Many locals are fiercely loyal to their favorite brewery and gather around long wooden tables inside and outdoors to socialize while they drink.
Düsseldorf Brewery Etiquette and Traditions
Düsseldorf’s breweries have some unique customs and traditions that often confuse visitors. When you arrive at a brewery, you’ll see köbes (servers) walking around carrying kränze full of stangen of beer. A kranz is a circular tray, and a stange is a small, cylindrical glass.
Traditional köbes are exclusively men who wear blue shirts and carry a leather pouch that holds bills, change, and a credit card reader. They walk around the restaurant and beer garden, remove empty glasses, and replace them with full glasses.
When one walks by your table, get his attention and he’ll give you a coaster and ask how you prefer to pay. If you want to order one beer, tell him you’ll pay upfront. If you plan to stay a while, he’ll add a tick mark to the coaster for every beer you order.
When your glass is almost empty, a köbe will replace it with a full glass. When you want to leave, cover your glass with your coaster to show you’re ready to pay, or ask for the bill if you’re quick enough. You can be on your way once you pay the köbe for the beers shown on your coaster.
Don’t be offended if köbes seem aloof and unfriendly. In the past, they were the life of the party and entertained guests with stories, jokes, and small talk. Nowadays, they’re more curt and abrupt because their primary job is to sell beer and ensure customers’ glasses are full. So, don’t take it personally if they don’t engage in small talk or provide the level of service you’re accustomed to.
Düsseldorf brewers invented Altbier long before craft beer and microbreweries became trendy. When you visit, allow time to walk around Altstadt to get close and personal with the local brewery culture, and (of course!) sample Altbier.
My Altbier Safari
I joined an Altbier Safari to get the inside story on the Düsseldorf brewery scene. Of course, recipes and brewing methods are a closely guarded secret. However, I saw master brewers at work and tasted different brews. Some tours also include a guided visit to a brewery.
I met my tour group by the Schlossturm (castle tower), an 11th-century baroque castle that’s now the Schifffahrtmuseum (Maritime Museum). Kristoffer Thießen (“Kris”), our guide, led us on a walking tour to four breweries and one bar.
Brauerei im Füchschen
Our first visit stop was at Brauerei im Füchschen (Little Foxes Brewery) on Ratinger Straße. It’s been at this address since 1848 when Füchschen Alt, its house beer, was first brewed.
Many historians believe the brewery existed as early as 1640 under the name “Im Füchschen.” There were no address numbers on buildings at that time. The owners carved a sign with the brewery’s fox emblem from one of the building’s support beams. It’s still above the main entrance.
© Marni Patterson
We tasted Füchschen Alt, a dark ale similar to a light Pilsner or Irish ale. Brauerei im Füchschen introduced Füchschen Pils in 2017. It wasn’t included in our tasting, but locals describe it as tart and fresh with bitter hop notes refined by a floral hops aroma.
Brauerei Kürzer
We walked around the block to Brauerei Kürzer, a newer brewery on Kürzer Straße. There weren’t many people there when we arrived, but it gets very crowded later in the evening because Brauerei Kürzer has a loyal following among younger people.
We sampled the brewery’s signature beer, a dark ale that tastes like a pilsner. Surprisingly, it’s not overly strong, because of its higher malt content.
Olbermann Brauerei (Zum St. Sebastian)
The Olbermann Brauerei is outside Altstadt but sells its beers at Zum St. Sebastian on the corner of Kürzer Straße across from the Burgplatz (Castle Square).
Jan and Miriam Olbermann began experimenting with craft beer in their kitchen when they lived in the U.S. When they returned to Germany, they decided to turn their dream into reality.
They opened their own brewery in 2020 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. They knew it was a risky move, but believed they had something unique to offer Düsseldorf. Their resolve paid off and they bought Zum St. Sebastian the following year.
Locals and visitors stop by to enjoy their fruity, fresh pale ale, an IPA similar to one the Olbermanns liked in New England, and Classic Altbier, a dark ale with fruity notes. They also offer brews made through collaboration with other breweries and a large selection of wines, mixed drinks and specialty coffees.
Uerige Hausbrauerei
Uerige Hausbrauerei is one of the oldest breweries in Düsseldorf and is located on Berger Straße in the heart of Altstadt. The first thing you notice is its huge outdoor beer garden. People stand at tables and drink while they converse and watch the world go by. The interior is traditional, with dark wood, stained glass, and pub furnishings.
Uerige means “grumpy” in German because, as the legend goes, the owner was grouchy and rarely smiled. True to its name, Uerige Hausbrauerei prides itself on brewing the most bitter beer in Germany. The taste is comparable to a mild IPA.
We enjoyed reading (and, in my case, translating) the funny sayings on Uerige’s coasters. My two favorites were “Drink until you’re fat, eat until you’re fat, and shut up about politics,” and “It doesn’t matter how much you earn because taxes will take it away.”
Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel
We ended our beer odyssey on Bolkerstraße at Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel (At the Key), one of the most popular Altstadt breweries.
Back in the day, the keys to the Düsseldorf city gates were kept overnight in nearby inns. The name and trademark of Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel are reminiscent of this tradition. The key symbol is on the brewery’s glasses and coasters and above the building entrance.
Zum Schlüssel serves only home-brewed ales made with its own yeast (a trade secret). We tried Schlüssel Alt (Original Schlüssel), a dark ale that’s served fresh from the barrel. It’s stored at 4°C (39°F) and has a distinctive full-bodied, hoppy, slightly sweet taste.
Each spring and autumn, Zum Schlüssel brews Stike-Alt for Monks’ Day. In the 19th century, monks were prohibited from eating solid food during Lent. So, they secretly brewed themselves a strong beer they could drink to preserve their strength.
Zum Schlüssel has several rooms indoors, seating outside the entrance, and a beer garden across the street in the courtyard of the Neanderkirche.
If You Go
The easiest way to get to Düsseldorf is to fly into Frankfurt International Airport. From there, you can either rent a car or take a train.
By Car
In Terminal 1, the car rental center is in Hall A in the Airport City Mall area one level above the regional train station. In Terminal 2, it’s in Hall D on the arrivals level.
By Train
Catch the (free) airport shuttle bus to Terminal 1. Take the escalator to the second floor and you’ll see the Deutsch Bahn (German Train) ticket office by the train departures board. There’s a train to Düsseldorf every hour.
You may also like:
- Discovering the Wines of Rheinhessen, Germany on a BottleStops tour
- Discovering Lake Constance, Germany – Part I
- Discovering Lake Constance, Germany – Part II
Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH hosted the author’s visit.
Read more of Marni Patterson’s work at https://mptravelwriting.com/.
