"I have confetti in my blood"

Thea Ungermann on Schumacher Alt and other Düsseldorf specialties

Thea Ungermann runs the "Schumacher", the city's oldest home brewery. Düsseldorfers have been drinking Schumacher Alt since 1838 - during carnival, after work and in between. Ungermann and her team show that tradition has nothing to do with standing still with new Altbier creations and special service ideas. In this interview, Thea Ungermann explains what makes Altbier special and how guests can best get to know Düsseldorf.

Ms. Ungermann, you brew the oldest Altbier in Düsseldorf. What makes an Original Schumacher?

Our Alt is home-brewed in Düsseldorf in accordance with the Purity Law of 1516 using German cone hops, malt and water. In contrast to industrial breweries, where you can hardly see, smell or taste the raw materials, let alone the beer, our 20 brewery employees still do a lot of manual work and use traditional equipment. Every liter of Schumacher Alt is brewed, fermented, stored and filtered on the Oststraße in Düsseldorf.

For those who haven't tried it yet: What is so special about Altbier?

Alt means brewed in the old brewing style, before Carl Linde invented cooling machines. Top-fermented is also used for wheat beer, ale and Kölsch. Thanks to the dark malt and more intense hopping, however, Alt naturally has much more character than Kölsch. Storage breaks down the headache-inducing fermentation by-products, making the beer more tolerable - after a nice evening with a few liters per person, the brewer can no longer help it.

How many people know the recipe for your beer?

Not many, it's a secret family recipe.

You don't just call yourself a brewery, but a manufactory - is Alt on trend?

Our Alt is not subject to trends, the taste speaks for itself. And craft beer is what we have always done: Brewing and bottling beer by hand. To build a bridge to today's craft beer, we have developed the 1838: an Altbier 2.0, which we brew with the American aroma hop Cascade with a citrus character and the Australian hop Galaxy for berry aromas in cold hopping. The 1838 has a fruity, sparkling hop aroma, is perfect for beer cocktails and shows just how versatile Altbier can be.

The family business Rügenwalder now earns more with vegetarian products than with sausage and ham. Is it conceivable that meat-free beer snacks will catch on with you?

Many things are conceivable, but not that our Schumacher Alt will change. Of course, guests often request vegetarian dishes. Of course we have delicious dishes on the menu - and with the Altbier, we even have a vegan product! The classic Metthappen and the delicious Frikadelle from our brewery kitchen remain perennial favorites.

Who comes to you to drink a Schumacher Alt?

Our guests are as diverse as our offer. Everyone quickly feels at home at the Schumacher, young and old, Düsseldorfers and out-of-towners, from letter carriers to bankers, from trade fair visitors to regulars who read the newspapers here every lunchtime. Our brewery is like a second living room.

What should guests who are visiting you for the first time order?

This is all about the personal palate. If you like it hearty, you'll quickly find something on our menu. Of course, you should try all our old specialties. My personal tip: meatball with fried egg, roast potatoes and salad with Schumacher dressing

It's not just the beer that's special in Düsseldorf, but also the people who serve it. A word about the Köbes: what makes a good one?

The Köbes is an institution in a brewery. He brings the freshly tapped Alt. A Köbes must have good nerves, pay attention to hygiene and be an entertainer, joker and philosopher at the same time.

And what about female service staff?

A woman is a waitress, not a Köbes. This is a masculine term derived from the name Jakob.

Anyone visiting Düsseldorf for the first time and has one or two days: Which places do you recommend, where should day tourists go apart from the Schumacher?

Head to the Rhine embankment promenade and enjoy the view or continue past the town hall to the Medienhafen. This is the best way to gain an insight into the historical and modern Düsseldorf and experience the versatility and tolerance of this city. Then take a Rhine tour from the old town to Kaiserswerth or simply stroll along Lorettostraße, Luegallee or Kö - the city districts offer plenty of variety with great little stores. And of course, visiting the city during carnival, the funfair or Japan Day are special highlights. Then you can get to know and love the cosmopolitan Rhineland lifestyle.

Is it actually still unusual or not worth mentioning to run a family business as a woman in this industry?

It's unusual, unusually great. Otherwise, no. I was supported by my parents right from the start. And women have been in the management of our brewery for more than 50 years.

You would think that a traditional home brewery would tolerate little change. A mistake?

Since Joh. Matthias Schumacher bought the "Im Sonnenaufgang" brewery in 1838, we have preserved beloved traditions and added new ones. Our guests are delighted with these values. They convey consistency, a sense of home and provide stability, especially now. You have to skillfully combine innovation and tradition, because standing still means going backwards.

What did you miss most during this carnival season?

I have carnival on the brain and confetti in my blood! We all miss passing on the exuberant joie de vivre to our guests. Carnival is part of Düsseldorf's tradition and is in the blood of almost every Rhinelander.

What does your personal Düsseldorf look like, which places and restaurants do you like to visit?

Places that define Düsseldorf for me are Carlsplatz, the Maxkirche, the Kö and the forests! In culinary terms, it's the variety from Michelin-starred cuisine to the Büdchen culture, from Japanese to Korean and Italian to down-to-earth breweries.

Schumacher is work and family for you - do you still drink Alt in your private life?

Of course! "Everyone talks about drinking a lot, but no one talks about being thirsty", this saying is written on our beer mats.

Here you can find the Schumacher in Düsseldorf

"Stammhaus": Oststraße 123, city center
"Im Goldenen Kessel": Bolkerstraße 44, Old Town

Current information and opening hours for the Schumacher can be found here.

 Pictures: Schumacher, Header Thorsten Schmidtkord ("Lights out, spotlight on!")