Welcome!
Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel
At our traditional brewery in Düsseldorf’s Altstadt (old town), you can experience Düsseldorf’s brewing and drinking culture in its most original form – with our Original Schlüssel beer, brewed on site and served fresh by a Köbes (traditional Rhineland waiter). We are the only brewery that still draws beer from traditional 100 litre wooden barrels.
Since 1850, we have been brewing beer using traditional brewing methods on the legendary Bolkerstraße – the heart and soul of the old town, and fondly known as the longest bar in the world. Our specialities, in particular the award-winning Altbier, are considered among the highlights of the Rhenish art of brewing. And this has been recognised by experts; Original Schlüssel has twice been awarded the gold medal for best Altbier at the European Beer Star.
At our brewery, our Köbes waiters serve hearty and honest dishes that perfectly match the taste of our Altbier.
Zum Wohl. Zum Schlüssel!
Behind the city gate
Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel represents a living chapter in the history of Düsseldorf’s old town. Ever since 1632, when tradition has it that the keys to Düsseldorf’s city gates were kept in neighbouring inns, our existence has been closely intertwined with the city’s history.
A new era began in 1850 when today’s brewery building was purchased by a young baker who started to work with yeast and produced beer, also known as ‘liquid bread’ back then.
Since then, we have been the first port of call for Düsseldorfers and travellers alike, a place of warmth and cultural exchange. Here, where the Schlüssel once guarded the city, it now brings our guests closer to an authentic piece of the Düsseldorf way of life.
The art of alt: our philosophy
At Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel, we combine traditional brewing craftsmanship with enthusiasm for our Düsseldorf Altbier. Since 1850, we have been a place of community and the scene of countless anecdotes, where our guests become the authors of their own Schlüssel moments. Our craft-brewed and multiple award-winning speciality Altbier with the distinctive key symbol has long been a loyal companion.
The key is our trademark and symbolises the key to enjoyment. Deeply rooted in the identity of our brewery, the key not only adorns our glasses and beer mats, it also represents our promise to offer excellent Altbier.
Originality
Moving away from monotony and standardisation – we brew Original Schlüssel by hand, never pasteurised, always traditional. We only use our award-winning Original Schlüssel yeast.
Local
Brewed in the heart of the old town, our Altbier reflects the local customs and tastes of Düsseldorf: a dark speciality beer with a strong body and balanced hop bitterness, with open fermentation typical of the region and local malting barley.
Our expertise
The keys to our quality are skill and care; Original Schlüssel is carefully tested by beer sommeliers Baas Karl-Heinz Gatzweiler and master brewer Dirk Rouenhoff before it is released for consumption. And we’re not the only ones who love the taste – as confirmed by our two awards for best Altbier at the European Beer Star.
My colleagues and I make sure you don’t go thirsty!
Tasso
Köbes (waiter) since 2017
Schlüssel moments
Discover more #originalschlüssel on Instagram
Schlüssel-Lädchen:
Der Online-Shop für wahre Schlüssel-Enthusiasten
In unserem Schlüssel-Lädchen finden Sie neben unserem Original Schlüssel Alt eine exklusive Auswahl an feinen Dingen für den echten Original Schlüssel-Fan.