Are you a beer aficionado? If so, you won’t want to miss the taste, as well as the unique culture that is Düsseldorf’s alt bier. With atmospheric pubs and cranky waiters, this is the place to go for beer in northern Germany.
One of the most fun trips Jim and I have taken lately was a relaxing weekend in Düsseldorf. Sometimes you just need to take a break, and I don’t think we really do that enough. On this particular weekend, we wanted to eat some Japanese food and drink the locally famous altbier. That’s it.
We did do a couple of other things, but they weren’t planned, so there was no schedule, just time to fill. I loved it. We found Düsseldorf to be such a great city, and now it’s become our go-to getaway-from-it-all place. What else did we do, you ask? We hit the Balloon Museum and took a stroll down Kieferenstrasse, the graffiti street. So.much.fun!
At any rate, one of the things we were most looking forward to is checking out some of the altbier breweries in the city, which turned out to be a blast.
What is Altbier?
I like an amber, more full-bodied beer. I’m not really a fan of lights, wheat beers, or Belgian beers, which I know for a beer-lover can be a bit controversial. My favorite beer of all-time is an Alaskan Amber, but alas, we live in Germany and you just can’t get that here.
Luckily, there are plenty of other options, and my new favorite? You guessed it, an altbier. For me it’s the perfect combination of sweet malt and bitter hops. I honestly was so surprised how much I liked it.
Also, it comes in small glasses, so you don’t have to drink a full or half liter before you have another. It keeps it at the perfect temperature.
Düsseldorfer Altbier was developed in the early 1800s, and it’s called “old” because it follows an older tradition of brewing that includes a bottom-brewing yeast. Apparently, it went against the newest beer-making trend of using a top-brewing yeast such as used in lagers. This was important at the time, because the Bavarian beers were getting popular and in the brewer’s eyes, too accessible.
The first altbier brewery, Schumacher’s, was opened in 1838 and still exists. For us, it was definitely fitting to try the original first, and that’s just what we did.
The Culture of Altbier
Unbeknownst to us, Schumacher’s was about a block from the hotel we were staying in. We’d chosen a hotel not far from Immermanstrasse, where all the Japanese stores and restaurants were, so that when we walked back after dinner, it wouldn’t be too far.
So, the very first day we were there, we had to stop and have a beer. We had no idea what to expect.
It was a nice day, and there were quite a few people standing at the outside tables, so we assumed the inside would be full. Wrong.
This is one of the first things you learn is that Düsseldorfers like to drink their beers outside, if possible. We haven’t been there in the rain, but I imagine this changes with the wet weather. At any rate, we took a table, sat and the waiter came by with a tray of glasses and coasters and set us up.
The .25-liter glass is a perfect size for me. In the Netherlands, this size is pretty standard, but appropriately, it is called a “biertje” or “little beer.” Düsseldorf is pretty close to the Netherlands, and maybe they conveniently borrowed the idea. I don’t know, but I like it.
Ordering and Paying for Your Altbier
You don’t. No, really. You don’t really have to “order.” It’s understood that you want a beer. Why else would you be there?
The waiter constantly walks around with a tray of full glasses and coasters, or in German, “deckels.” He first gives you a deckel, and then he puts down a glass of beer.
He will keep passing by your table, and when you are done or very close to being done, he’ll give you another glass and make a tally mark on your deckel. Don’t worry, though. He won’t take your first glass until you nod or finish off the last of it. Waste not, want not.
Herein lies the problem with not really having to order, and the small serving glasses. If you are not careful, you can go through quite a few glasses. Before you know it, you’ve had four or five glasses. And yes, I am talking from experience.
If you can’t drink any more or it’s time to go, you can put your deckel on your glass. The next time the Köbe comes around, he will total your tally marks. You pay him right there. Just round up to the nearest Euro for a tip. (If you’re paying for the whole party, an extra 5 or so Euros will be appreciated.)
The Altbier Waiters or “Köbes”
Watching and interacting with the Köbes, altbier waiters, is 100% part of the experience. They have a long-standing (read: centuries-old) reputation to uphold, and they do it well.
The word Köbe is actually derived from the name Jakob (Jacob). Apparently, it was a common name for common people, the people who would be beer servers, not the bar owners.
Köbes have a reputation of putting up with no nonsense. No time-wasting. You want a beer? Here’s your beer. You want to pay? Hurry it up! I’ve got more beer to serve.
This came about, because Köbes weren’t paid by the bars. They were only paid a commission on each beer they sold. It was in their interest to serve as many as possible, in the shortest time possible. You get it.
Nowadays, of course, they are paid a wage, and don’t have to rely on commissions, but it’s a fun “attitude” they get to display, so they tend to love it.
The lesson here is, don’t get upset when the Köbe gives you a little ‘tude. He’s supposed to. Join in.
Altbier Breweries to Visit in Düsseldorf
I’m not sure how many active altbier breweries currently exist in Düsseldorf, but there are quite a few. I’ve been assured that each time I come back, I can visit a new one. That’s if I want to.
Jim and I have found that we love a couple of the ones we’ve been to, and in true sheep fashion, I think we’ll just keep returning to those over and over again. I am a creature of habit after all.
And I have to say, Shumacher’s is already at the top of my list. We loved it there. We’ve been twice already, and I’m sure there are many more visits in our future.
The breweries are all similar yet different to each other.
One thing about altbier, well maybe all beer really, is that it’s much better straight from the barrel. The breweries all have huge barrels that they are constantly filling the glasses from. Therefore, the bar area itself is the main draw.
Most of the breweries sport a traditional, hard, heavy wood, old German style. The windows are beveled and often stained. The tables are sturdy, and the seats are hard. (This may be why standing outside is so popular…hmmm.)
Each brewery has its unique recipe, bar foods, and maybe even a full dinner menu, so you really can just stay there as long as you want.
We visited the main breweries found in the Old Town. By the way, the Old Town of Düsseldorf is also known as the “Longest Pub” in the world. This is purportedly because there are over 200 bars in the area. No! We didn’t try them all.
Four Main Düsseldorfer Altbier Breweries
Together with Schumacher, we’ve visited five altbier breweries. All of them came highly recommended, and we enjoyed them all. I have a feeling it wouldn’t matter which ones we went to; we’d still love them all. Or is that just the beer talking?
These four breweries are conveniently located in the city’s downtown area. We took a tram there and back from our hotel because old towns notoriously have very crowded parking, and well, hey, we were planning to drink.
Uerige
Established in 1862, Uerige is one of the most famous breweries in the city. It couldn’t be the oldest, so it needed a superlative. It’s the largest. For us, it rates right up there with Schumacher as being completely authentically German.
The outside tables were spread all over, and when we were there, they were so full that people were sitting on steps and leaning against the walls; it was pretty crowded. Again, though, the inside had plenty of room to sit, so we did.
Not only did we try the beer here, but we tried some of their bar food. They are famous for a few quirky items, like boiled eggs, rye rolls, and a chocolate and beer mousse. Interesting, I know, but fun and tasty.
Zum Schlüssel
Another favorite, we really had fun at Zum Schlüssel. It really had an old-timey feel. This is probably because even though the altbier brewery was established in 1850, the brewing family had been around since the 1300s, so they really knew how to do it. The whole place was fun!
Brauerei im Füchschen
This altbier, “Little Fox,” was yet another downtown gem. It was quiet, and the beer was tasty. Next time, we might go here first.
Brauerei Kürzer
Our least favorite of the altbier pubs, Kürzer has a much younger, newer vibe. But maybe it was just because we were pretty done by the time we got there. It sure was a lively pub. The table next to us was going full steam.
We did like the way the beer was served here. The waiter would fill up a “flight” versus a tray of beer.
No matter which brewery you pick, you will love the whole Düsseldorfer altbier experience. Like me, you’ll want to go back time and time again.
Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.