Brauerei zur Malzmuehle, Cologne

At Heumarkt No. 6, Brauerei zur Malzmühle offers a classic taste of Cologne’s brewhouse culture. The brewery was founded here by Hubert Koch in 1858, making it one of the oldest in the city. It was largely destroyed during World War II, but brewing resumed in 1948, initially with guests being served outdoors.

Once here, start with the house specialty, Mühlen Kölsch. This pale, top-fermented beer is somewhat fuller and maltier than many other Kölsch beers, while still remaining light and refreshing. Like Kölsch throughout Cologne, it comes in a slender 0.2-liter glass called a Stange.

For something different, try Koch’sches Malzbier, a dark malt beer with a sweeter, more pronounced malt flavor. The brewery also produces other specialties, including the naturally cloudy, low-alcohol Mühlen Freibier and the much stronger Von Mühlen Feynbier, an amber-colored beer with fruity, caramel, and nutty notes.

If you’d like something small to eat, a very Cologne choice would be the Halver Hahn. Although it means “half a chicken,” there’s no chicken involved. It’s a rye roll with Gouda cheese, mustard, and onions.

For a more substantial meal, try Himmel und Ääd, or “Heaven and Earth.” It combines blood sausage with mashed potatoes, apple compote and onions. Another local favorite is Rhineland Sauerbraten-marinated beef served with a slightly sweet-and-sour sauce, red cabbage, dumplings and apple compote. You’ll also find traditional brewery fare such as bratwurst and a large crispy pork knuckle.

The Malzmühle has attracted some famous diners over the years. Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of West Germany and a Cologne native, was among its well-known guests in earlier times. Decades later, during the G8 summit on June 17, 1999, US President Bill Clinton came here for Sauerbraten and Mühlen Kölsch. His visit is still remembered at the so-called Clinton Table, beneath a photograph of the occasion.

Although Mühlen Kölsch is now brewed at the company’s Brauwelt facility in Cologne-Kalk, this historic brewhouse remains one of the best places to experience it in the traditional Cologne way: a small glass of Kölsch, some hearty Rhineland food, and perhaps another glass arriving before you’ve even ordered it.