Uerige is the most characterful of the four classic Altbier brewpubs in Düsseldorf's Altstadt, a institution since 1862 that still brews its own dark, bitter Altbier on the premises. The interior is a labyrinth of low-ceilinged rooms, dark wood, and old tilework, filled at most hours with local regulars and a steady stream of visitors who have made the pilgrimage for the beer.
The Köbes — the blue-aproned waiters — move through the crowd carrying circular trays loaded with the small 0.2-litre glasses. They replace your empty glass without being asked, adding each drink to a tab they keep by tally marks on a coaster. The brewery is visible through a window, and on brew days the whole building smells of malt and hops. Simple Rhineland food — Sauerbraten, Halver Hahn (a rye roll with aged cheese), blood sausage with onions — is served throughout the day.