Brewery History

In the heart of Cologne's Old Town, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages.

When you sit at a table in the Brauhaus zum Pfaffen, you are sitting on over 800 years of Cologne history—and drinking a beer that has been brewed according to a unique family recipe for three decades.

The Building

1176 years of
history at Heumarkt

The building where the Brauhaus zum Pfaffen welcomes its guests today was built as early as 1176 on Roman foundations—in the middle of Cologne’s Old Town, just a stone’s throw from the City Hall and the banks of the Rhine. After a varied history, the house was renovated in 1973 and has served as a brewery taproom ever since.

Those who visit Heumarkt today are not just sitting comfortably—they are literally sitting on a piece of Cologne’s city history.

The Brewery

From monastery courtyard to family business

Tradition begins where passion is passed down from generation to generation.
Pfaffen beer has its own history—one that begins at the historic Klasberg farm estate, just outside the gates of Cologne.

Brewing continues on this farm estate to this day. Maximilian Päffgen, grandson of Hermann Päffgen—the founder of a traditional Cologne family brewery and the last master brewer to date with the name Päffgen—brews the original Pfaffen beer here according to his own recipe, with a view of the spires of Cologne Cathedral and following old artisanal traditions.

The Beer

Craftsmanship instead of mass production

Every batch is produced according to traditional brewing methods and strictly in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516—exclusively from water, malt, hops, and the specially developed Pfaffen yeast. Preservatives are intentionally avoided entirely.

Around five weeks pass from mashing to the finished bottling. This is the time the beer needs to develop its full character—because quality cannot be rushed.

The result: a full-bodied, easy-drinking beer with a balanced character, a fine malty note, and a pleasant hop bitterness. With 4.9% alcohol, the original Pfaffen beer is a top-fermented specialty—honest, full of character, and unmistakable.