Frequently asked questions

Absolutely! 😊
Our tours aren’t just about Kölsch, but primarily about history, anecdotes, and the Cologne way of life.

The beer halls also serve wine, soft drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Many of our guests don’t drink beer at all – and still have a great time.

Yes, depending on which tour you book, some Kölsch are included in the price. In any case, you can order the respective Kölsch in every beer house for a small price (expect to pay €2.50 per Kölsch incl. tip).

Guided beer hall tours usually last about 2–3 hours. Public tours have fixed times, while private tours can often be customized.

After booking, you will receive an invoice from us with a payment link. You can either pay conveniently online or by bank transfer.

If you would first like a non-binding offer, select “Request without obligation” at the end of the booking process.

Yes, that’s possible. However, if you’d like to meet new people or don’t want to worry about the planning, you’ll often benefit from a public guided tour.

Yes, dogs are generally welcome.
Just keep in mind that beer halls can get loud and crowded.
In NRW, dogs must be kept on a leash.

If a tour can’t take place for important reasons (e.g. minimum group size, illness, force majeure), we’ll refund the full tour price or, if you prefer, issue you a voucher.

A self-guided tour is good for spontaneous, small groups.
A guided tour is particularly good for:

• Bachelor parties
• Company events
• Birthdays
• Guests who want to hear background stories and anecdotes

Many visitors say that they only truly understood how Kölsch culture works with a guide.

Yes – the options depend on the chosen rate and the conditions displayed during booking.

• The applicable cancellation and rebooking rules are displayed in the booking form and are part of the contract.
• They are also documented in the booking confirmation or the offer.

Depending on the chosen rate, free cancellation up to a certain point in time, a rebooking, or a voucher may be possible.
For cheaper rates, a refund may be excluded.

👉 The conditions displayed during your booking are always decisive.

Yes — we can make that work.

Not every beer house in Cologne’s Old Town is fully accessible, as many venues have grown historically over time. But: we know our way around and always have suitable, accessible alternatives ready.

If a beer house isn’t suitable, we’ll adjust the route accordingly. That way, we make sure the tour stays relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.

The only important thing is that you let us know briefly in advance — ideally when you book or by replying to the booking confirmation. Then we can prepare everything perfectly.

Yes, it’s possible, and you can find our tips for heading out on your own right here: Self-guided beer hall tour in Cologne or with a guide? The honest comparison

However, if you want to meet new people or don’t want to worry about the planning, you’ll often benefit from a public guided tour.

The Köbes is the traditional waiter in the beer house. He refills Kölsch unprompted, writes tally marks on the beer mat, and is known for his direct, often humorous manner. This interplay is part of the authentic beer house experience.

Yes – changes to the number of participants are generally possible.

👔 Corporate Tours

For corporate tours, the following applies:

• Up to 7 days before the date, you can reduce the number of participants by up to 25% free of charge.
• After that, a reduction of up to 10% is possible free of charge until 24 hours before the date.

Further reductions are subject to the conditions displayed during the booking process.

🍻 All Other Tours

For all other tours, any reduction in the number of participants depends on the selected rate and the cancellation and rebooking conditions displayed at the time of booking.

Depending on the rate, a reduction may be free of charge, subject to a fee, or excluded. The regulations displayed in the booking form as well as the booking confirmation or offer are authoritative.

➕ Additional Participants

Additional participants can be added even at short notice—provided places are still available—and will be charged accordingly.

💡 Tip: If your group size is not yet finalized, pay attention to the respective rate conditions and deadlines when booking.

All bookings and payments are made online or via bank transfer in advance. Unfortunately, cash payment on site is not possible.

This way, we ensure our guides can fully concentrate on the tour experience – without additional organizational effort related to cash, receipts, or change.

Sure! You can also join alone – our public tours are great for meeting other travelers.
Public tours run when enough guests have booked (see booking page). Should a tour exceptionally not take place, we will inform you in good time and refund the amount or offer an alternative.

The Culinary Beer House Tour costs €95 per person. Included are: an experienced Kölsch Crew guide for 3 hours, unlimited Kölsch/soft drinks during the entire tour, Cologne tapas (Metthappen or Halver Hahn) at the first beer house, a Cologne delicacy platter (or vegetarian alternative) at Haxenhaus, and visits to 4 beer houses in the Old Town. Not included: other food and drinks, as well as travel to and from the tour.

For private beer hall tours, we require advance planning, as we do not have guides on call. Therefore, same-day booking directly at the location is unfortunately not possible. We recommend reserving private tours as early as possible, as dates – especially on weekends – sell out quickly.

For our public tours, same-day booking is often still possible, provided the tour is not yet fully booked. In this case, booking is exclusively online with direct payment. We operate completely cashless to keep the organizational effort for our guides low.

Kölsch is traditionally served in slim 0.2-liter glasses so it stays fresh and cold. Because it’s top-fermented, Kölsch loses carbonation faster than other beers. Small glasses make sure it never goes flat—and the Köbes automatically brings you another one as long as your coaster isn’t on top of the glass.

Under 18, participation is only possible accompanied by an adult. Alcohol is, of course, only served according to applicable law.

Yes, for private tours, we can include small challenges or custom elements, such as our bingo game with tasks for the bachelor.

For small groups (up to 4 people), you usually don’t need a reservation on weekdays. On weekends or for larger groups, we recommend booking ahead—or joining a guided tour where everything is taken care of.

The guide usually waits up to 10 minutes at the meeting point.

Please inform us at least 15 minutes before the tour starts if you are running late.
We will then try – without obligation – to find a solution (e.g., rejoining the group).

Unfortunately, participation cannot be guaranteed without timely information.

Best of all, where Kölsch isn’t just poured but lived: in a beer house. If you want to dive deeper, check out our public beer house tours or the private beer house tour in the Old Town.

Typically around 2–3 hours (depending on the tour/route) and includes visits to several beer houses.

Yes—especially if you want to celebrate in a relaxed way without having to worry about organizing anything.

On a self-guided tour, you only pay for your drinks and food. The cost depends heavily on how many stops you make and how much you consume.

A guided beer hall tour costs more, but includes organization, background knowledge, and often included Kölsch.

Yes. Both beer styles are top-fermented, but they differ significantly in color, malt profile, bitterness, and overall impression.

For most visitors to Cologne, the brewhouse tour is more exciting because you experience the unique Kölsch culture directly in the brewhouses – not just the technical production process.

Usually 2-3 hours, depending on the route and group dynamics.

Realistically, you can visit 3–4 beer houses in 2.5–3 hours. More stops often mean more stress and less enjoyment. In Cologne, it’s less about quantity and more about atmosphere and stories.

For stag/hen parties, we strongly recommend our private tours.

Stag/hen parties are generally not allowed on public tours, so everyone can enjoy a relaxed experience.

You’ll always find the exact meeting point in your booking confirmation. For public Old Town tours, we usually start at Heumarkt (stop).
Our tours usually end in the Old Town – close to Heumarkt/Alter Markt.
Small changes may be necessary for organisational reasons – we’ll let you know in good time by email (and, if applicable, via messenger/SMS if you’ve provided a number).

Altbier stayed truer to the maltier tradition of earlier beers. Kölsch emerged later, taking more inspiration from pale, clear beer styles.

A brewery produces beer. A beer house is a traditional pub where Kölsch is served – including the Köbes, the Stange glass, and typical beer house culture.

Generally yes—but not every beer house is thrilled about loud or heavily costumed groups. A guided tour helps ensure better acceptance.

For a classic route, we recommend, for example:

• Früh am Dom (stag parties aren’t particularly welcome here)
• Peters Brauhaus
• Brauhaus Sion
• Gilden im Zims (definitely take a look in the cellar! Stag parties aren’t particularly welcome here)
• Brauerei zur Malzmühle

These beer houses are fairly close to each other and offer different Kölsch varieties and atmospheres.

Our public beer hall tour in the Old Town lasts 2.5 hours. For private tours, corporate events, and bachelor parties, you can choose your preferred duration during the booking process.

The beer houses on our tours are usually very close to each other, so the walk between two beer houses typically takes no longer than 5 minutes.

Kölsch is a top-fermented beer, making it technically closer to an ale. However, due to its cool fermentation and long conditioning, it often tastes more like a lager.

Yes, that’s easily possible. But it requires planning, reservations, and local organization.

A self-organized beer house tour in Cologne is best started in the Old Town around the Cathedral, Heumarkt, and Alter Markt. Many traditional beer houses are located just a few minutes’ walk from each other. Plan about 2.5–3 hours and visit 3–4 stops. Groups under 5 people usually don’t need a reservation—but it can get crowded on weekends.

In Cologne’s Old Town, there’s only one Kölsch brewery left – Päffgen – but it doesn’t offer tours. If you’re looking for an authentic Kölsch experience in the Old Town, a brewhouse tour is usually your best bet.

Choose one of our three drinks packages when booking – additional drinks can be added on request.

Package A
2 crates of Kölsch (24 x 0.33 l)
1 bottle of Mexican (0.7 l)
1 bottle of Coke (1.0 l)
1 bottle of Sprite (1.0 l)
1 bottle of water (1.0 l)

Package B
3 bottles of sparkling wine or wine (0.75 l each)
1 crate of Kölsch (24 x 0.33 l)
1 bottle of Sourz Red Berry (0.7 l)
1 bottle of Coke (1.0 l)
1 bottle of Sprite (1.0 l)
1 bottle of water (1.0 l)

Package C
6 bottles of sparkling wine or wine (0.75 l each)
2 bottles of water (1.0 l each)
2 bottles of Sprite (1.0 l each)
2 bottles of cola (1.0 l each)

We have found that different groups drink different amounts and there are even people who don’t drink beer at all 😮 To simplify the whole thing, offer you more flexibility and be able to offer you a cheaper tour, we have decided to offer the tours without drinks included.

We want to be transparent: in the beer halls, we pay the same price for a Kölsch as any other guest. Including drinks would result in additional costs for us, such as accounting or payment processing fees during booking. To offer the tour with 4 included Kölsch, we would have to charge a significantly higher price. You can expect to pay about €2.50 per Kölsch (including a tip for the waiter).

On our tour, we won’t show you the breweries’ production halls – we’ll show you what really makes Cologne’s beer culture special: traditional beer houses and cozy old pubs in the Old Town.
Kölsch isn’t brewed there – it’s lived. Locals and visitors sit together, stories are born – and you’ll experience that atmosphere up close with us.
Many brewery tours are also fully booked weeks or months in advance. In the beer houses, on the other hand, you’ll discover the city’s authentic side – often in places with a long brewing history of their own.
And let’s be honest: brew kettles often look pretty similar around the world.
But the Cologne way of life? You’ll only find that here. 🍻

Yes, our tours run rain or shine! Please check the forecast and bring suitable clothing.

We will of course inform you in good time in the event of severe weather or security issues.

Our public tours can usually be booked on the same day, unless they are sold out. On our Last-Minute page, you can see available spots in real-time. For private tours, especially on weekends, we recommend booking as early as possible, as these dates are often fully booked weeks in advance.