| Dortmund Pub Guide |
| Bars - Brewpubs - Beer gardens |
| Introduction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sic transit and all that. Forty years ago Dortmund was Germany's top
brewing city. It brewed more beer than anywhere else, had the largest
single brewery and was home to the most popular beer style. How did it
all go so wrong? Tell me if this sounds familiar. Ill-advised takeovers, panic mergers, jumping on the pils bandwagon and long-term decline in the region's heavy industry all played their part in dethroning Dortmund. Dortmunder Union, Germany's largest brewery in 1965, was one of the forces behind Brau and Brunnen, a kack-handed - and ultimately disastrous - attempt to create a national brewery. Their beers have disappeared and the brewery has been renamed Brinkhoff's. The Dortmund beer style - Export - has done a good imitation of mild, going from dominance to obscurity in a generation. It's now easier to find a Dortmunder in Holland. |
Index Dortmund Brewing Industry History of Dortmunder Beer Dortmunder Export Dortmund Pubs |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Dortmund Brewing
Industry When Michael Jackson wrote his "World Guide to Beer" in 1977 the Dortmund's breweries were still an impressive sight. "It is barely possible to leave the railway station without encountering a cluster of Dortmund breweries: Dortmunder Actien and Dortmunder Union in Rheinische Street, the Thier, Hansa, Ritter and Wenker Kronen breweries." he wrote. His walk would be very different today. At the beginning of the 20th century Dortmund was an insignificant town of around 5,000 inhabitants. The breweries it possessed were pub-based brewhouses producing small quantities of top-fermenting beer. But all that was soon to change. As Germany began to industrialise Dortmund became a major centre for the coal and steel industries. The population boomed and with it breweries to slake the workers' thirst. In 1842 Kronen was the first Dortmund brewery to swap to bottom fermentation. The lager they brewed was, as was usual at that time in Germany, a dark beer in the Münchner style. Throughout the the following 50 years a series of new, industrial lager breweries were established in the city. Organised on a similar basis to the city's other industries, they operated on a far larger scale than had ever been seen in North Germany. The small, alt-producing brewhouses were swept away. Dortmund's industrial brewers continued to expand in the 20th century (though with some interruption from two world wars), peaking in the 1960's. In 1965 the city's DUB and DAB breweries were the largest in Germany. As the popularity of Pils soared at the expense of Export, growth slowed, stagnated or even went into reverse. When, in the 1990's, the German economy plummetted into recession, the heavy industry of the Rhine/Ruhr was particularly badly hit. As output fell, Dortmund's breweries looked to mergers for salvation. Here's what happened.
Seven breweries became two. But that wasn't the end of matters, oh no. The new millenium was no kinder to German brewing than the previous decade. As beer consumption falls and over-capacity is rife, even more drastic consolidation is taking place. The purchase of Brau & Brunnen (DUB) and Radeberger-Gruppe (DAB) by Oetker has left both Dortmund's remaining brewers with the same owner. Which one do you think they'll leave open? The answer is DAB - it has a greater capacity and a larger site. You can read more about their plans here (if you understand German, that is).
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The History of Dortmunder
Beer The classic Dortmund beer style Dortmunder Export has its origins in the 1880's. Before 1842, when Kronen brewed their first dark lager, the local style had been a variety of Alt. Dortmunder Adambier was a strong, sourish top-fermenting beer. Wahl & Henius ("American Handy Book of the Brewing, Malting and Auxiliary Trades", 1902) has an analysis of the beer performed in 1889. It was around 18º Balling, 7.38% alc. by weight (9.4% ABV) and a lactic acid content about half that of a contemporary lambiek. The new bottom-fermenting beer quickly gained popularity and was the main product of the industrial breweries founded in the second half of the 19th century. The first pale lager was brewed by Dortmunder Union (DUB) in 1887. Initially, the beer was brewed at two strengths Lagerbier and Export. The greater popularity of the latter led to the dropping of the weaker beer and Dortmunder Export was born. It's great to see the classic "brewing mistake" story used to explain the origin of DUB's first pale lager in 1887. According to their website, the brewer "accidentally" used pils malt. Total load of bollocks, if you ask me. What was the malt doing in the brewery if they weren't going to use it to brew a pale beer? In the 19th century dark lagers were made from 100% dark malt. As pils malt was quite a bit more expensive, they must have deliberately bought it to brew a pale lager. Anyway, only a total idiot wouldn't be able to spot the difference between pils and münchner malt at a glance. After WW II, Export dominated the German beer market, accounting for as much as two thirds of sales. But this dominance was not to last. The meteoric rise of Pils in the 1970's quickly eroded Export's market share.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dortmunder Export Dortmunder Export is a malty, full-bodied beer with restrained hopping (somewhere between a Helles and a Pils). A bit like a strong West Country bitter (say Arkell's BBB), but fizzier. Once a gravity of at least 12.5º would have been the minimum, with an average at around 13º, giving an alcohol content of 5.2% - 5.5%. Gravities have been dropping over the last 20 years and now barely reach 12º. These are the only Dortmunder Exports still brewed in their home city:
Note that they all come from the same brewery, DAB. DUB (or Brinkhoff's, as they now prefer to be called) has totally abandonned Export. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dortmund Pub Guide |
| Pub Listings |
| Thanks to Nick Taylor for providing reports and photographs of several
of the pubs in this guide. |
| Wenkers Brauhaus | |
| Betenstraße 1, 44137 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 527 548 Fax: 0231 - 527 549 Email info@wenkers.de http://www.wenkers.de/ |
|
| Opening hours: Sun - Fri 11:30 - , Sat 10:.00 - |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 0 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €4-8, meals €8-15. Beer €3.50 a half litre. | |
| A brewpub on the site of the original home of the Dortmunder
Kronen brewery. The building was destroyed in the war and the architecture
of its replacement "refects the spirit of today", to quote their
website. (Translation: it's a typical modern glass monstrosity.) It's got the pine-topped tables that you would expect of an old Brauhaus, but is a little too bland and modern for my taste. It says much about the waning of Export's fortunes that it's not available here in one of its first homes. What a bunch of Wenker's. Here's what Nick Taylor has to say about this pub: "It is very modern on the corner of the square. Inside it is decorated with festooned hops that are illuminated everywhere. You can visit the brewery downstairs. They also do carry outs. I tried a few on the list and one that isn’t mentioned which was Wenkers Bierbowle, very strong and dark." |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Hövels Hausbrauerei | |
| Hoher Wall 5-7, 44137 Dortmund. Tel.: 0231 - 9145 47 0 Fax.: 0231 - 9145 47 20 Email: info@hoevels-hausbrauerei.de http://www.hoevels-hausbrauerei.de |
|
| Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00-01:00 | |
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: | |
| A large brewpub and beer garden in the old centre of Dortmund.
It brews various seasonal beers based on archive recipes. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Der Thüringer | |
| Markt 13, 44137 Dortmund. Tel.: 0231-5 33 05 68 Fax: 0231-5 33 05 69 E-Mail: info@heinz-goebel.de http://www.der-thueringer.de/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Sun 09:00 - 24:00 | |
| Number of draught beers: | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
| A large restaurant and beer garden in the centre of town.
Not sure of the beers, but it seems to be tied to DAB. Here's what Nick Taylor has to say about this pub: "It’s a modern glass fronted bar with seating under parasols outside. There is a restaurant downstairs and looks very popular. The beers I had were Hovels, Clarissen, Kronen Alt. bit like sitting in Ikea but the ale was fine." Picture courtesy of Nick Taylor. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Zum alten Markt | |
| Markt 3, 44137 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 572217 Fax: 0231 -525783 |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:00-1:00, Sun 15:00-23:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 5 | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
| Brauerei-ausschank on Dortmund's main square. Here's what Nick Taylor has to say about this pub: "There is outside seating and once inside its very German with wooden panels and alcoves, very brown and traditional. Bar is to the rear of the pub. They have upstairs seating on a mezzanine floor. A novel feature is seating in the disused fire place. Lots of stag's heads on the walls. They have a beer menu which had on it Clausthaler, Weizenbeir, Clarissen Alt, Thierpils, Hovels Bitterbeir, Vitamalz and Stades Leicht which all seem to be on draught. Very good bar." Picture courtesy of Nick Taylor. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Op de Tenne | |
| Hansastr. 74, 44137 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 950 4774 Fax: 0231 - 950 4775 |
|
| Opening hours: Mon - Fri 11:00 - 24:00, Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sunday closed. |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
| A pub/restaurant/beer garden in Dortmund city centre. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Einkehr | |
| Hansastr. 9-11, 44137 Dortmund. Tel.: 0231 - 142 100 |
|
| Opening hours: Mon-Thur 09:30-01:00, Fri-Sat 09:30-02:30, Sunday closed. |
|
| Number of draught beers: | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks. | |
| Supposedly a typical Dortmund pub. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Brinkhoff's No. 1 am Markt | |
| Markt 6, 44137 Dortmund. Tel.: 0231 - 525 815 info@brinkhoffs-no1.de http://www.pfefferkorn-dortmund.de/brinkhoff/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00-24:00 | |
| Number of draught beers: 2 | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €4-8, meals €8-16. Beer €2.25 for 0.3 l. | |
| DUB's premier city-centre outlet. A traditional-looking pub-restaurant
with lots of dark wood. Here's what Nick Taylor has to say about this pub: "Outside seating. Very traditional and very brown with a central bar and restaurant to the rear though you can eat anywhere. Excellent menu. Cheapest beer in the square and the staff were helpful." Picture courtesy of Nick Taylor. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Kronen am Rathaus | |
| Balkenstr .10, 44137 Dortmund. Tel.: 0231 - 950 9538 |
|
| Opening hours: Mon-Sat 17:00-01:00, Sunday closed. |
|
| Number of draught beers: | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
| Kronen (another part of DAB) outlet. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| B-trieb | |
| Kreuzstraße 103, 44137 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 122 940 Fax: Email: webmaster@b-trieb.de http://www.b-trieb.de |
|
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur 19:00 - 01:00, Fri - Sat 19:00 - 01:00 (03:00), Sunday closed. |
|
| Number of draught beers: 5 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 3 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €2-7, meals €7-10. Beer €2.80 for 0.5l. | |
| Corner pub in the southwest of Dortmund. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Lorenz Veltins | |
| Olpe 39, 44135 Dortmund Tel: 0231 - 2063 350 Fax: 0231 - 2063 349 Email: http://www.lorenz-veltins.de/standorte/dortmund/start/start_dortmund.php |
|
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur 11:00 - 01:00, Fri 11:00 - 01:00, Sat - Sun 09:00 - 02:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 3 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 2 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks, meals. Beer €2.80 for 0.5l. | |
| A rather posh Veltins pub/restaurant. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Gaststätte “Zum Erlenbach” | |
| Erlenbachstr.55, 44269 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 480 671 Fax: 0231 - 481 468 Email: gaststaette@zum-erlenbach.de http://www.zum-erlenbach.de |
|
| Opening hours: | |
| Number of draught beers: 3 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 2 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €3.50-7.00, meals €7-10. Beer €1.05 for 0.2l. | |
| Pub with a kitsch rustic interior. There´s a small beer garden
at the rear. In the basement there´s a skittle alley. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Hopfendolde Dortmund | |
| Hansastrasse 24, 44137 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 -571 620 Fax: Email: http://www.hopfendolde.de |
|
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur 10:00 - 23:00, Fri - Sat 10:00 - 24:00, Sunday and public holidays closed. |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 5 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €4-9, meals €6-17. Beer €2.10 for 0.3l | |
| Pub in the centre of Dortmund. | |
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Boomerang | |
| Kuckelke 20, 44135 Dortmund. Tel: 0231 - 586 2911 Fax: 0231 - 586 2910 http://www.boomerang-dortmund.de/ |
|
| Opening hours: Mon - Sun 15:00 - open end | |
| Number of draught beers: 7 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 0 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks €4-8, meals €9-19. Beer €3.70 for a pint. | |
| I've included this fake Australian pub because it serves
a couple of interesting draught beers. At least it makes a change from fake
Irish pubs. It doesn't look that bad inside, being fairly light and and
at least having the traditional pine-topped tables. The Australian theme is continued in the food, where there's a wide choice of kangaroo, crocodile and emu dishes. They have Sky and BBC if you're after somewhere to watch the football. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Leeds Pub | |
| Pub. Reinoldistr. 2, 44135 Dortmund. Tel: 0231-551703 |
|
| Opening hours: | |
| Number of draught beers: | |
| Number of bottled beers: | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: | |
| I have no further details on this pub, but have included
it for purely personal reasons. Wondering why there's a pub with this name?
Because Leeds and Dortmund are twin towns. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
© Ron Pattinson 2003 - 2006