Päffgen Kölsch

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Brauhaus Päffgen, 2016
Brauhaus Päffgen around the turn of the century, historical illustration on a picture postcard

Päffgen Kölsch is a Cologne beer brand protected by the EU in its designation of origin . The Kölsch is brewed in the old Cologne brewery Päffgen GmbH & Co. KG in Friesenstrasse near Friesenplatz and is also sold and served there in the brewery .

History of the brewery

Hermann Päffgen founded the brewery in 1883, initially in the Rubens House on Sternengasse , where he took over an older brewery, but moved to Friesenstrasse in 1884. The company was rebuilt in a hall of a former haulage company more suitable for its profession . The location was conveniently located for the Cologne ring , which was built after the demolition of the city ​​wall, which began in 1881, and the developing Neustadt . The freshly brewed beer was served in the front building. There was also a simple home-style kitchen with regional Cologne dishes .

After Hermann Päffgen's death, his widow successfully continued the company from 1918. After that, her sons, Hermann Päffgen jun. And Ludwig Päffgen, took over the brewery in the second generation in 1934. Under the company name “Gebr. Päffgen, top-fermenting house brewery ”they are continuing the 50-year brewing tradition. Ludwig Päffgen died in 1954, and his brother Hermann now ran the company together with his wife Anna Päffgen, who also played a key role in the brewery business until 1992 after his death in 1980. Anna Päffgen and her husband had eight children, including Christa Päffgen's father , known as Nico .

The Second World War , in which 90% of the Cologne city center was destroyed, also brought Päffgen to a temporary end with the last major air raid on Cologne on March 2, 1945. The guest rooms in particular were almost completely destroyed. After difficult reconstruction, the brewery was able to reopen on Easter Monday 1949. The post-war years with their economic miracle also became the golden years of beer in general. The Kölsch finally became the national and favorite drink of the people of Cologne.

The brewery and the associated restaurant were expanded and modernized several times from 1934 onwards in line with the increased number of visitors. Until 1955 you still had to drive through the Schwemme in horse-drawn vehicles to deliver the malt . The tables located there can still be folded up today. In the 1950s, the beer garden was protected with a glass roof that could be rolled up in summer so that it could also be heated during the rest of the year. The bar of the brewery, a small housing from which the head of the restaurant used to keep track of Köbesse , beer and guests and where you could buy your keg, still exists today.

In 1964 the third Päffgen generation joined the company: Hermann Päffgen jun. became junior manager of the brewery after obtaining the master brewer diploma at the brewery college in Weihenstephan . When he died in 1971 after a serious illness at the age of 34, the fourth generation followed. In 1974, after completing the relevant training, Rudolf Päffgen took over the management of the brewery and in 1977 became managing partner of the Päffgen brewery. Udo Kaufmann became his master brewer , one of the most prominent representatives of his guild. Two other Päffgen brothers and their families run their own restaurants in and around Cologne.

The Kölsch

Päffgen sign with "Bierkönig" Gambrinus at the Bierhaus en d'r Salzgass

Päffgen Kölsch is brewed as a top-fermented full beer according to the artisanal brewing method and the purity law of 1516 and is not pasteurized . It can therefore only be stored to a limited extent. After filtering, the beer is poured into barrels and stored in a cool place until it is ripe.

Due to the low capacity of the brewery of 6,000 hectoliters annually, the sale of Päffgen is limited to a few Cologne restaurants. The first was the Lommerzheim in Cologne-Deutz operated by a former Köbes near Päffgen . In July 2007, Töller in Weyerstraße was added to the customer base. Päffgen Kölsch is not available in bottles, but only on tap.

Memberships

Beer garden, in the background the brewery building

The brewery is a member of the Cologne Brewery Association and has also signed the Cologne Convention of 1985. The brewmasters of the company are members of the St. Peter of Milan Brotherhood , which has existed in Cologne for over 600 years and maintains the special Cologne brewing tradition. During the 600th anniversary, Rudolf Päffgen was their praeses .

reception

The gastronomy critic Jürgen Dollase discussed in the FAZ the restaurant in the main building on Friesenstrasse as “clearly worked out, prototypical Rhenish cuisine”.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Anna Päffgen (1911-1992)
  2. ^ Brewery Päffgen GmbH & Co. KG (Päffgen Kölsch)
  3. ↑ Like a fountain in the Sahel zone - Töller Päffgen will start tapping on Saturday - An economic history in: Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger , June 29, 2007
  4. ↑ Barrel sales in: paeffgen-koelsch.de
  5. ↑ Päffgen for the 600th anniversary at the Cologne Brewery Association (accessed January 2016)
  6. ↑ https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/das-haben-restaurant-1-ueber-alle-vergleiche-hinweg-11770631.html

Web links

Commons : Brauerei Päffgen  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 50 ° 56 ′ 26.4 ″  N , 6 ° 56 ′ 30.6 ″  E