June 15, 2023

Cologne and Its Kölsch: A Rough-and-Ready Guide

Cologne is famous for its majestic Gothic cathedral known locally as the Dom, a massive edifice that took over six centuries to complete. It’s the symbol of Cologne and the most-visited landmark in Germany. There’s even a beer named after it: Dom Kölsch.

You know you’re in a place that takes its beer seriously when the name of the local beer style is the same as the name of the local dialect spoken in the region. Kölsch is part of the very fabric of Cologne, as important as Carnival.

Where to Get Your Kölsch On

It’s around this time every year when beer groups on social media light up with people asking for suggestions about where to go in Cologne for Kölsch. The short answer: Just about any Kölsch pub. Unlike the fairly marked variations between the Altbiers of Düsseldorf just downriver, Kölsch is like a ski race. Yes, there are differences between the Kölsch from different brewhouses, but for the most part, the quality is measured by the fraction of a second. You won’t leave disappointed.

There’s way more to the story of Kölsch — the Kölsch Convention of 1986 that granted the beverage protected status, for example, or the difference between Kölsch and a local historical style called Wiess (not to be confused with Weißbier), which was the precursor of Kölsch. There’s also the Köbes, the illustrious beer servers of Cologne. But I’ll leave all of that out here and just give you a quick run-down of pubs and brewhouses for your next visit to Cologne.

And because I get asked this all the time, I’ll just mention it here: My two favourite Kölsches are the ones from Päffgen and Malzmühle.

Kölsch in Cologne: Päffgen with Köbes — *Portrait of a Kölsch with Köbes in the background.*

*Of note: This post is made up of excerpts from a draft of my book chapter on Cologne and Düsseldorf. There you’ll find much more on the history of Kölsch and Altbier, cultural notes on things like Carnival, the Köbes, and serving traditions (the wreath of Stange glasses in Cologne and Becher glasses in Düsseldorf), along with tasting notes and impressions of each pub. We’re still a ways out, but the book is getting that much closer to seeing the light of day. Stay tuned!

Cologne’s Kölsch Pubs

Here goes (sans commentary on the Kölsch of each place, and in no particular order):

Früh am Dom:

What a pub this is! It’s a rambling collection of discrete spaces that are almost like beer galleries. Some are dark, some lit by daylight streaming in from large windows, others lit by skylights. I wind my way through the Wappensaal (coat of arms hall) and into a glassed-in room aptly called the Sauna before finding a seat in front of one of the large stained-glass windows opening out onto the square. It’s like I’ve wandered into a medieval banquet hall.

Sion:

The terrace outside Sion is humming. Inside, groups of friends and families lean in to clink glasses with yet another round of Kölsch. As I wait for a Kölsch of my own, I drink in the design features typical to Rhenish pubs: stained glass, ornate chandeliers, and a mix of vintage photos and etchings lining the walls. The atmosphere feels a shade more elegant here than at other Kölsch pubs, a slickness that borders on polished.

Malzmühle:

Founded in 1858, the Malzmühle is named after the grain mill that once graced the market square. In a nod to Cologne’s historic grain mill, Malzmühle’s Kölsch showcases a subtle malt complexity uncommon for the style. Malzmühle also shares the distinction with Päffgen of being one of Cologne’s only two remaining genuine Hausbrauereiein — what we’d call brewpubs.

Päffgen:

Step into Päffgen and you’ll find all the signature features that make these traditional Rhenish taverns what they are. What sets Päffgen apart is the airy passage from the street to the small brewhouse in the back. Horse-drawn wagons plied their routes through the city right up until 1955, and this passage was for the beer wagons that brought the beer from the brewhouse to a thirsty public beyond. Those four tables set to one side? They could be folded up and fixed in place to make way for malt and hop deliveries coming in, or beer deliveries going out. (*File Päffgen under “must visit.”)

Schreckenskammer:

It’s peaceful here in the shadow of the Church of St. Ursula, and the name of this particular pub — Chamber of Horrors — belies the repose of the neighborhood. No one really knows where the name came from. One morbidly colourful explanation has it that the brewery was once on the route between the courthouse and the execution site at the Weckschnapp Tower. Prisoners who were sentenced to death were conducted into the pub for their last meal before continuing on to the Weckschnapp. Hopefully they got a beer or two out of the deal as well.

Brauhaus Sünner im Walfisch:

Sünner enjoys a privileged position in Cologne’s brewing history. The brewery is credited with bringing the first Kölsch to market in 1918. Significantly, this was the first time the word Kölsch was used to refer to this clear, top-fermented “lager” beer that grew out of Wiess around the turn of the twentieth century.

If time’s short, Sünner im Walfisch (The Whale) just off the Heumarkt is an excellent alternative to the outlying Sünner Keller und Brauhaus. The wrought-iron whale sign marks the spot. Spread out over a Schwemme in front and a mezzanine atop, the Walfisch is more snug and narrow than most of Cologne’s pubs. Cozy as it is, the massive front windows and high ceilings lend the space a lightness that invites lingering over a few Kölsch.

Peters Brauhaus:

It was abundantly clear from the moment I first visited Peters that this was a popular place. Peters occupies the spot of one of Cologne’s most beloved historic brewery-taverns, Brauhaus zum Kranz. After the Peters family resurrected the establishment in 1994, it became an immediate sensation. Its popularity hasn’t waned in the decades since, which is why I’m still waiting for a table after 9:00 p.m. That’s fine: the Kölsch will taste all the better after I drink in all the wonderful aromas of rich sauce and roasted meat wafting out from the kitchen.

The wait also gives me time to look around. Wrought-iron window decorations, a stained glass ceiling, ceramic tilework, a large chandelier hanging over the Schwemme, and the warmth of the woodwork: it’s the kind of tavern where you could easily spend hours once you’re ensconced at your table. (Some folks criticize Peters Kölsch. I find it just fine.)

Gaffel am Dom:

Gaffel is right next to the cathedral, which is right next to the main train station. Even if the refined interior is less gemütlich than many of the other Kölsch pubs in the city, you can’t beat the location for a quick Kölsch on your way in or out of the city.

Bierhaus en d’r Salzgass (Päffgen):

A plaque on the outside of the tavern gives us a few clues about the connection between salt, herring, and beer particular to this alley named after the white gold of the Middle Ages. Back then the catch was salted before delivery to the basket weavers resident on the nearby Lintgasse. There, the basket weavers packed the fish for export, but some salted herring stayed behind for the local tradesfolk. As we all know, salt makes you thirsty, and it wasn’t long before one brewery after another sprung up to quench the thirst of the fishermen and basket weavers. A perfect circle.

Kölsch in Cologne: Salzgass with chandelier — *A chandelier for the ages*

Inside, the bustling Schwemme with its high ceilings is like the nave of a church. The wrought-iron chandelier is impossibly large and hangs above the happy crowd below like something out of an Edgar Allen Poe novel. A jovial Gambrinus gazes out over the sea of people and holds up a large goblet as if urging them on.

Ausschank Brauerei zum Pfaffen (Brauerei Max Päffgen):

First off, a word of warning if you’re in Cologne for a short time and absolutely want to drink Päffgen Kölsch: don’t confuse Pfaffen with Päffgen. A dispute between Max and the rest of the Päffgen family resulted not only in the name change, but in an entirely different beer — a bit of a stylistic outlier that isn’t my favourite Stange of Kölsch. Locals report that not much has changed inside from the time it was a Päffgen tavern. The elaborate carvings and woodwork are a treat for the eyes, as is the stunning stained glasswork.

Bierhaus am Rhein (Päffgen):

Despite a name that sounds more like something out of a frat house movie, Bierhaus am Rhein is as unique as they come. Pilasters topped by Corinthian capitals rise up to support an ornate coffered ceiling in the sitting room, and a gallery’s worth of oil paintings line the walls. The light fixtures add to the overall effect, casting a calming ambient glow. Even the large painting of Gambrinus, the unofficial patron saint of beer, depicts him in all his regal earnestness rather than as an icon of joviality. This is a “date night” kind of place.

Gilden im Zims:

Located on the Heumarkt in a building with a stunning step-gabled façade, Gilden im Zims is the official tap of Gilden Kölsch and a convenient stop during your tavern ambles through the Altstadt. Recently renovated, Zims is an interesting if not always compelling attempt to reframe the past through the lens of twenty-first century gastronomical aesthetics. The exposed brickwork redeems the space from cosmopolitan anonymity, while the well-curated selection of photos, prints, and engravings proves that it’s not always about the beer alone in European pubs and taverns.

That’s a solid dozen Kölsch establishments for you to choose from. You definitely won’t go thirsty during your urban beer adventures. (The only Kölsch widely available in North America but not represented here is Reissdorf. I haven’t yet made it out to their tap beyond the city center.)

If you enjoy this kind of writing about the culture and history of beer, subscribe to my Beerscapes Newsletter, which comes out three to four times per year. Prost!

Sources

John P. Arnold, Origin and History of Beer and Brewing (Chicago: Alumni Association of the Wahl-Henius Institute of Fermentology, 1911; reprint 2005).

Eric Warner, Kölsch: History, Brewing Techniques, Recipes (Boulder: Brewers Publications, 1998).

Interpretive plaques throughout the city

Brewery websites and informal interviews with Köbes (beer servers) and the brewers at Päffgen

Brauhaus Sion Zeitung (May 2017). And excellent source not only on the role of Hans Sion, “the father of Kölsch,” but also on Kölsch in Cologne’s history.

All images: Franz D. Hofer