Visit Uerige Brewery in Dusseldorf's Old Town

Just steps from the River Rhine Promenade, the Uerige Brewery beckons thirsty patrons young and old. Situated on a cobblestone street in Düsseldorf's Altstadt (OldTown), the bustling pub has been a social fixture of the city and a central figure in the perpetual enjoyment of good beer and good company.

The exact age of the town house on Berger Straße where the Uerige brews and serves its famous altbiers is unknown. However, it is a contender in the title for the oldest pub in town, a debate long enjoyed over glasses of fresh brew. The history of the building dates back to at least 1658 when it was the private residence of the Pfeilsticker family. In the mid-18th century, it was an imperial coach station and lodging house.

Over the decades the Uerige housed several types of businesses including a bakery and a grain mercantile. In 1838 the building was refurbished and became a wine tavern with guest rooms. The tavern was owned and operated by the widow of grain merchant Anton Joseph Bender. In 1862, Mrs. Bender sold the property to brewmaster Wilhelm Cürten.

Cürten resided in the building and started brewing top-fermented beer on the first floor. When he died in 1886, his son continued the brew craft and updated the brewery's technology with an ice machine, the epitome of modernity. The young Cürten met an early death just after the turn of the century. But his widow picked up and carried on the brewing tradition by employing brewmaster Jean Keller. She eventually sold the house, brewery and business to Keller in 1912. The Keller's operated the Uerige until 1934, then leased the space to brewmaster Jakob Lotz for three years. In 1937, the business and property was sold to Rudolf Arnold.

Soon after Arnold took over, the Second World War brought new challenges. A bomb smashed the front of the Uerige in 1943 and then a year later an air raid led to a destructive fire in which the brewery was burnt down completely.

Arnold was undeterred and rebuilt the Uerige as soon as the war ended. With help from returning staff he began with a modest reconstruction of the brewery and pub. Arnold's reign at the Uerige spanned forty years and was filled with colorful stories. One of the most famous stories about Arnold was how he refused to pay tax for high-percentage liquor. In rebellion, he just refused to serve liquor and hung signs that said:

Schnapsgenuß während des Bierkonsums ist hier untersagt, es stört Ihre Gesundheit und mein Geschäft!

"The consumption of schnapps while drinking beer here is forbidden, it ruins your health and my business!"

The signs still hang on the walls today at the Uerige as a testament to one of its most beloved owners. Rudolf Arnold died in 1976 but secured the Uerige's beer crafting tradition by tapping Christa and Josef Schnitzler to take over. Schnitzler was a brewmaster in the truest sense of the word and part of the Schumacher brewery tradition. The Schumacher is another of Düsseldorf's top breweries still in operation today under the guidance of Josef Schnitzler's sister Getrud.

The Schitzler family invested heavily in the Uerige renovating the interior and boosting the brewery technology. In 1999, Josef and Christa's son Michael took over the brewing tradition at the Uerige and today the business is a fusion of tradition and technology.

The renovations in the 1970s created a remarkable interior experience. The details throughout the pub include scrubbed wood, colorful glass windows, polished copper and plenty of cozy nooks for parties of 2 to parties of 200. Raised seating areas, extensive carved wood benches and an interior daylit atrium create endless areas for sitting, drinking and enjoying good company.

Outside the Uerige Brewery is just as cozy as inside. On Berger Straße, beer benches and tables are gathered around cobblestone steps where hundreds of people congregate. The spot is a popular meeting place after shopping or waltzing along the Rhine. In the afternoons, the sun seems to set on the Uerige and the glasses of altbier are never-ending.

The best brew by far at the Uerige is the Uerige Alt, a local legend. The recipe for the Uerige's altbier is unchanged since 1862 maintaining its legacy as a full-bodied, aromatic brew. Like all brewers in Germany, the Uerige adheres to the Reinheitsgebot, or Purity Law, from 1516. The Reinheitsgebot sets a beer crafting standard for purity by making natural ingredients the basis for every brew.

While the Alt is the favorite beer, the Uerige also offers several other selections with a loyal following. The Uerige Sticke is only available on the third Tuesday in January and October. This special brew is higher in alcohol than the Alt with more hops and more malt. Its exclusive tasting time frame requires the faithful to mark the calendar or order ahead!

Other brews at the Uerige include the Alt unfiltered, the Uerige Weizen (wheat beer)and a special brew for export to the United States. The Uerige also has a full service kitchen cooking up delicious dishes to complement their brews. The brewery is famous for its pea soup and Grünkohl (kale with smoked sausage). The menu is filled with authentic local cuisine including Black Pudding with bread and onions, Liverwurst, Smoked Bacon, Pickled Eggs, Frankfurters and the house specialty the Uerige Knuckle of Pork with slaw and yeast roll.

The Uerige is open every day of the year but two. It is closed only on Rosenmontag (Monday before Lent) and Christmas Day but is otherwise open from 10 a.m. to midnight. The brewery is always available for impromptu meetings but also offers several stuben (rooms) for formal gatherings.

The Hans Müller-Schlösser Stubeis perfect for parties of 25 to 30 persons. The rustic Handwerkerstube seats up to 45 people. The Rittersaal or Knight's Hall can give up parties up to 85 the royal treatment and the fabulous Brauhaus showcases the best of the brewery with several levels of seating for up to 200 people and a full view of brewhouse. The Brauhaus was the last great endeavor of the Uerige's colorful owner Rudolf Arnold and opened its gorgeous carved wooden doors on the brewmaster's 85th birthday in 1974.

Arnold's colorful era is just a piece of the Uerige's long and legendary story. Today, the brewery stands as an important piece of Düsseldorf's history and German beer brewing traditions. Its magnificent town house exterior, its rich interior details, inviting atmosphere and delicious beers make the Uerige Brewery an experience that can't be missed.