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Altbier & Brewhouses in Düsseldorf

Nothing is tied to Düsseldorf more tightly than Altbier, a dark, top-fermented ale that is essentially unique to this one city. In the historic Altstadt (the Old Town), countless pubs and brewhouses are crammed into a handful of narrow streets, which is why locals affectionately call the quarter the longest bar in the world. The beer has been brewed here for generations and is poured fresh in the Hausbrauereien, the house breweries that make their own beer on the premises. For most visitors a brewhouse crawl is the single most memorable evening of the trip, and a living piece of Old Town and Altbier culture.

Key takeaways

  • Düsseldorf's Altstadt is nicknamed the longest bar in the world thanks to its density of pubs.
  • Altbier is a dark, malt-forward, top-fermented ale with a deep amber to copper color.
  • The traditional house breweries are Uerige, Füchschen, Schlüssel and Schumacher; Kürzer joined later.
  • The Köbes is the classic Düsseldorf waiter, and he refills your glass without being asked.
  • Altbier goes with Rhineland specialties such as Halve Hahn and Himmel un Ähd.

The longest bar in the world

Within a few hundred yards of the Altstadt you will find more than 250 pubs, bars and brewhouses. That extraordinary concentration is what earned the quarter its nickname. From Burgplatz (Castle Square) past the Marktplatz (the market square in front of the old town hall) and out to the Rheinuferpromenade (the Rhine riverside promenade), it is one bar after another. In the evening the crowds from the individual houses spill into the lanes and merge into what feels like a single continuous bar, an experience you will not find anywhere else in Germany.

What top-fermented dark Altbier actually is

The name Altbier means old beer, a reference to the older, top-fermenting brewing method in which the yeast works at the surface and at relatively warm temperatures. The result is a dark, amber to copper-red beer with a substantial malt body, a clean hop bitterness and a full, rounded flavor. Unlike the pale bottom-fermented lagers most Americans know, Altbier is malt-forward and aromatic. It is traditionally served in slim, straight-sided glasses of 0.2 or 0.25 liters, roughly 7 to 8 fluid ounces, so that the freshly poured beer keeps its liveliness all the way down.

The house breweries of the Altstadt

At the heart of Altbier culture are the Hausbrauereien, breweries that brew and serve their beer under one roof. Four of them count as the classic addresses, and one much younger brewery has joined the group.

Uerige

The Uerige on Berger Straße is probably the most famous house brewery in the city. It is known for a particularly bitter, assertive Altbier and for its rambling building full of small interconnected rooms, and it draws visitors from all over the world. A specialty is the stronger Sticke, which is only poured on a handful of days each year.

Brauerei im Füchschen

The Füchschen (the little fox) on Ratinger Straße brews a rounder, very drinkable Altbier and is a long-established family business. The house is also known for its hearty kitchen and its snug, old-fashioned atmosphere, a classic meeting point for locals and visitors alike.

Brauerei zum Schlüssel

The Zum Schlüssel brewery (the Key) on Bolkerstraße pours a milder, well-balanced Altbier. The house belongs to the brewing family behind the well-known bottled Altbier brand Frankenheim, but in its own taproom it serves only its own freshly brewed beer.

Brauerei Schumacher

Brauerei Schumacher is considered the oldest surviving Altbier brewery in Düsseldorf and has been brewing since 1838. Its Schumacher Alt is especially malty and mild. The original house on Oststraße sits just outside the Altstadt near the Königsallee (the Kö, Düsseldorf's luxury shopping boulevard) and is an institution in this city.

Brauerei Kürzer

Brauerei Kürzer on Kurze Straße is the youngest of the Altstadt breweries and was only founded in 2010. It pairs traditional brewing with a modern, young look and serves its fresh Altbier in a contemporary room, proof that the Altbier tradition here is still very much alive rather than a museum piece.

The Köbes

The single most distinctive figure in brewhouse culture is the Köbes, the traditional waiter in a Düsseldorf brewhouse. You will recognize him by his blue apron, and he is famous for quick, sometimes gruffly funny remarks. If your glass is empty, the Köbes will simply put a fresh Altbier in front of you without asking and add another pencil mark to your coaster, which is how the tab is kept. Only when you lay the coaster on top of your glass do you signal that you have had enough. It is not rudeness, it is the system, and knowing it will save you a very confusing evening.

The Altbier safari and the brewhouse crawl

Anyone who wants to taste the full range of Altbier goes on an Altbier-Safari, a guided or self-planned walk through several house breweries. At each stop you try a different Altbier, which makes the subtle differences between the bitter and the mild versions easy to pick up. Guided brewhouse tours add the history of the Altstadt and of brewing itself along the way. Our travel planner has ideas for structuring a stay, and you will find places to sleep it off under hotels in Düsseldorf.

Rhineland specialties to go with your Altbier

Altbier belongs with the hearty cooking of the Rhineland. The classic is the Halve Hahn, literally half a chicken, which contains no chicken at all: it is half a rye roll with a thick slice of medium-aged Gouda, mustard and onions. Just as popular is Himmel un Ähd (heaven and earth), a plate of mashed potatoes with applesauce and fried blood sausage. Add Sauerbraten (marinated pot roast), Reibekuchen (crisp fried potato pancakes, usually eaten with applesauce) and the famous Düsseldorf mustard. More addresses for regional cooking are collected in our overview of restaurants in Düsseldorf.

Altbier and the history of the city

The Altbier tradition in Düsseldorf reaches far back and is woven into the history of the Altstadt. Breweries were part of the townscape for centuries, and the top-fermented beer shaped social life. To this day the brewhouses keep their customs alive without feeling staged, because they are ordinary, everyday meeting places rather than tourist attractions. Our History category has more on the city's past.

Conclusion

Altbier and the brewhouses are the liquid calling card of Düsseldorf. In the longest bar in the world, tradition meets a genuine appetite for life: the dark top-fermented beer, the quick-witted Köbes, the characterful house breweries Uerige, Füchschen, Schlüssel, Schumacher and Kürzer, and hearty plates like Halve Hahn and Himmel un Ähd. A brewhouse crawl through the Altstadt belongs on every Düsseldorf itinerary.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Altbier?
A dark, malty, top-fermented ale that has been brewed in Düsseldorf for generations and is poured fresh in the city's brewhouses.

Why is the Altstadt called the longest bar in the world?
Because of the unusually high concentration of pubs and brewhouses packed into a few hundred yards of old streets.

Which are the traditional house breweries?
Uerige, Füchschen, Schlüssel and Schumacher; the Kürzer brewery joined them in 2010.

Who is the Köbes?
The traditional Düsseldorf waiter in a blue apron, who keeps replacing your empty glass with a fresh Altbier until you put your coaster on top of the glass.

What do you eat with Altbier?
Rhineland classics such as Halve Hahn (a rye roll with a thick slice of Gouda) or Himmel un Ähd (mashed potatoes, applesauce and fried blood sausage).