The cult of beer and brewing in Düsseldorf’s Old Town
Düsseldorf lives and breathes beer. It’s the amber blood that runs through the city’s veins, whether backstage with master brewers or during a craft beer tasting; while enjoying a toast with Düsseldorf’s famous altbier, late at night in the Old Town, or philosophizing about secret recipes.
Düsseldorf beer facts
- Düsseldorf has six microbreweries, five of which are in the Old Town. This is where people come together to celebrate local beer culture like nowhere else.
- Düsseldorf is the home of altbier, which has been brewed to the same recipe since the mid-19th century and enjoys cult status in the city.
- The Old Town is the hub of Düsseldorf’s beer culture and nightlife thanks to its more than 260 pubs and bars, hence its reputation as the ‘longest bar in the world’.
- Beer is more than just a drink, it’s a labour of love. And you can get the inside story on brewing from experts, brewers and bartenders on guided tours or at the bar.
Düsseldorf’s microbreweries are where it’s at
Altbier is one of the most revered products in Düsseldorf. A quintessential craft beer, it was around long before small artisan breweries started popping up everywhere. It’s also a regional speciality that has made a name for itself around the world. The colour of dark amber, this top-fermented beer is brewed in Düsseldorf’s microbreweries using a traditional method from the 19th century. There are six microbreweries in the city: Brauerei Kürzer, Hausbrauerei zum Schlüssel, Brauerei im Füchschen, Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei, Brauerei Schumacher and Hausbrauerei Alter Bahnhof. Five of the six brewhouses are headquartered in the Old Town, where they attract hungry patrons in the daytime and revellers at night. The brewhouses are where you’ll find the freshest and best beer, and many also serve rustic regional cuisine. They are a place for locals and travellers from around the world to meet and socialise. By the way, the waiters who serve beer in Düsseldorf’s breweries are called ‘köbes’.
The Altbier United gift box
Whether you want to hold your own beer tasting at home or take some bottles with you as a souvenir, the Altbier United craft beer gift box is the answer. The box contains altbier from five microbreweries, an altbier glass, and tasting notes and food pairing recommendations from a beer sommelier.
Behind the scenes – artisans at work
The recipes might be a secret, but you can still watch a master brewer at work, chat to the waiters – or ‘köbes’ – about how the beer is made and experience the fine nuances in flavour during a tasting. Bartenders are on hand to tell inquisitive types all about the qualities of the 3,000 or so beers they have already tried. And on a guided tour you can hear about the latest beer trends and tips for going out. At the Ham-Ham grill, Marinko Miletić, a local professional footballer turned food entrepreneur, serves up Düsseldorf’s famous schweinebrötchen, or pork rolls. Wherever you decide to go, don’t forget to try some altbier, a pale ale or a trappist beer.
A beer safari with local guides
A number of guided tours of the Old Town provide an introduction to the world of Düsseldorf beer. The ‘craft beer & street food’ tour, for example, includes a tasting and offers insights into the art of brewing and the city’s beer-drinking culture. What could be better than exploring the lanes of the Old Town with a local expert to hear stories about beer and food, leaning church towers, the birthplace of poet Heinrich Heine and the skyscraper skyline along the Rhine promenade.
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