Looking at the Heinzelmännchen fountain while having the Kober breathing down your neck - welcome to the Früh brewery house. It is one one the most popular brewery house amongst visitors of the Rhine metropolis. Their one-liners might not be original Cologne tongue anymore but the waiters here still serve a quick-witted joke with practically every glas in their confident way to their regional and international cliental.

Address: Robert-Bosch-Straße 15-17, 50769 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Fri 11am-midnight, Sat, Sun, National Holidays 9am-midnight
Bookings: 0221/26130, www.frueh.de

Walking from the cathedral towards Alter Markt, you automatically pass the brewery house Sion. Because of its proximity to the landmark, it used to be called Cathedral Brewery („Dombrauerei“) until 1936. After his father, Jean Sion, bought the brewery in 1912, Hans Sion took over in 1936 - and made Kölsch extremely popular after World War II - he was even nicknamed „Father of Kölsch“.

Address: Unter Taschenmacher 5, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Thur 11.30am-midnight, Fri - Sat 11.30am-1.30am, Sun 11.30am-midnight
Bookings: 0221/2578540, www.brauhaus-sion.de

This is one of the younger brewery houses in the old town, also located near the Alter Markt. It opened only in 1994, but was erected on historical grounds. Originally this was where the old brewery „Zum Kranz“ was located, which was one of Cologne’s most popular breweries until 1898.

Address: Mühlengasse 1, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: daily 11am-0.30 Uhr
Bookings: 0221/2573950, www.peters-brauhaus.de

In the oldest still standing building at the Alter Markt, you can find the Gaffel brewery „Zum Prinzen“. The house it is in, was first mentioned in 1213. During WW II it burnt down to the walls and was rebuilt in 1955. In 1987 Gaffel took over. In the bar area a historical board with 22 crests reminds of the 22 „Gaffeln“, the political arms of the craft guilds in Cologne.

Address: Alter Markt 20-22, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Thur noon-midnight, Fri - Sat 11am-1am, Sun 11am-11.30pm
Bookings: 0221/2577692, www.gaffel-haus.de

It is also possible to drink good brewery Kölsch on the right hand side of the Rhine. The Sinner Keller is particularly inviting during warmer days (and nights) because the large beer garden has space for about 400 guests. But the vaulted cellar is also something else. It used to be a cool storage room for freshly brewed Kölsch, and is now popular for work parties and birthday celebrations.

Address: Kalker Hauptstraße 260-262, 51103 Köln
Opening Times: Tues - Thur and Sun 5pm-midnight latest, Fri - Sat 3pm-midnight latest, closed on Mondays
Bookings: 0221/98557400, www.suenner-keller.de

This family business in the fifth generation is already more than 100 years old. The family Schwarz bought the brewery house in 1912. It was named after a nearby malt grinder. After it was destroyed in the war the family rebuilt the brewery and the facilities which were completed in 1948. It remains one of the most popular breweries in Cologne. A fact that didn’t get missed by the White House apparently. During the World Economy Summit in 1999, the then-US-president, Bill Clinton, called in…

Address: Heumarkt 6, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Thus 11.30am-midnight, Fri - Sat 11.30am-1.30am, Sun 11.30am-11am
Bookings: 0221/92160613, www.malzmuehle.de

This one is probably the most beautiful of all of them. It wasn’t originally built as a bar or restaurant in 1568, but as one of the oldest historical buildings it was turned into one when Johann Sims bought it in 1920. After the destruction during the war it was rebuilt and continued its success. The famous race cyclist Hans Zims made it famous as a „house of sports“.

Address: Heumarkt 77, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Fri noon-1am, Sat 11am-3 am, Sun 11am-11pm
Bookings: 0221/16866110, www.gilden-im-zims.de

Karl Unkelbach and his wife Henriette were irrepressible. Twice they had to witness their property being destroyed by bombs. Twice they had the strength to rebuild their business - but eventually they moved into the current premises on Luxemburger Strafe 260. By the way, this place is also popular for „Himmel un Äd“ and its carnival parties…

Address: Luxemburger-Str. 260, 50937 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Fri 5pm-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10pm
Bookings: 0221/414184, www.hausunkelbach.de

The whale image at the entrance sign represents the name of this brewery house at the Salzgasse. This one did not get affected by the war but was still rebuilt bit by bit anyway. Strange fact: The building date of the house shows transposed digits: Instead of 1629 which would have been correct, one reads 1626. This place is very popular amongst the younger audience.

Address: Salzgasse 13, 50667 Köln
Opening Times: Mon - Sun noon-midnight
Bookings: 0221/2577879, www.walfisch.net

Opened in 1883, the Päffgen is the oldest home-brewing brewery house in Cologne. Still today, the Kölsch gets brewed on the premises, and then sold across the counter. In the beer garden, one sits underneath two massive chestnut trees which founder Hermann Päffgen himself planted in 1884.

Address: Friesenstraße 64-66, 50670 Köln
Opening Times: Sun - Thur 10am-midnight, Fri - Sat 10am-0.30am

Please note: This is a list of breweries in Cologne, which makes no claim to be complete nor objective. The running order is not a ranking of any kind. The order is random and the breweries were picked in a subjective manner. If you think there is a brewery missing that should be in there, please get in touch via online@ga.de.

Original text: Direkt Himstedt. Translation: Mareike Graepel