Brauhaus Sion
Historic Cologne brewery tavern with roots going back to 1318 — home of Sion Kölsch and a stop on the Brewery Trail.
Brauhaus Sion is a former brewery now operating as a traditional tavern in Cologne's Old Town. The site traces its history to a pub first recorded in 1318 under the address "Unter Taschenmacher zu Köln."
At a Glance
- Type
- Brewery tavern / traditional inn
- Location
- Altstadt-Nord (city centre), on Alter Markt
- Address
- Unter Taschenmacher 5–7
- Tradition since
- 1318
- Brand
- Sion Kölsch
- Seating
- approx. 600
- Cuisine
- Regional Rhenish cooking
The Brauhaus Sion has not brewed its own beer since World War II: after the in-house brewery was destroyed by bombs in 1942, Hans Sion had Sion Kölsch produced as contract brewing at other Cologne breweries – since 1993 at the Bergische Löwenbrauerei in Cologne-Mülheim.
Things to do here
- Try freshly tapped Sion-Kölsch straight from the barrel
- Enjoy Rhineland classics like Halver Hahn, Rievkoche or Kölscher Kaviar
- Soak up the cozy traditional brewpub atmosphere of Cologne's old town
- Dine amid more than 700 years of brewing tradition
- Make it a stop on the Cologne Brewpub Trail
- Stop in by the Alter Markt and take in the lively old-town bustle
History
Records from 1318 show a brewer named Johannes Braxator as owner of the property, documented in the parish register of St. Laurenz. At the time, the house produced Medebier, a herbed honey ale. Because brewing rights in Cologne were tied to the property rather than the owner, the tradition is considered established from the early 14th century — a heritage the Sion brand claims to this day. Jean Sion, from a brewing family in the Eifel region, ran the house brewery until his death in 1915; Hans Sion took over in 1936. In the late 1930s, the establishment was forced to drop the name "Dombräu" after the Hirsch-Brauerei from Bayenthal won a trademark case over its "Dom-Pils" brand.
Destruction and Rebuilding
A bombing raid on 31 May 1942 largely destroyed the in-house brewery, and the building was completely lost by the end of the war. Hans Sion rebuilt and reopened under the name "Brauhaus Sion," though brewing was never resumed on-site. The beer has since been contract-brewed at other Cologne breweries — from 1993 onwards partly at Bergische Löwenbrauerei in Cologne-Mülheim.
Good to Know
Brauhaus Sion is one of the stops on the Cologne Brewery Trail (Brauhauswanderweg), which Hans Sion founded in 1997 together with author Franz Mathar and the Hans-Sion-Foundation.
Today
The menu focuses on Rhenish classics. Alongside draught Sion Kölsch, guests can enjoy local specialities such as Halver Hahn (rye roll with aged Gouda), Rievkoche (potato fritters), and Kölscher Kaviar (black pudding with onions).
Timeline
- 1318First documented mention as a brewery at "Unter Taschenmacher Nr. 5"
- 1835Christian Peter Herbertz operates the house as a home brewery
- 1904Jean Jüsgen renames the brewery to "Dombrauerei" / "Dombräues"
- 1915Jean Sion, founder of the Sion line, dies; his heirs take over
- 1936Hans Sion takes over the brewery and brewpub
- 1942Bombing on 31 May largely destroys the home brewery
- 1993Sion Kölsch brewed as contract beer at Bergische Löwenbrauerei
- 1998Hans Sion dies; son Hans Georg Sion takes over management
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Unter Taschenmacher 5-7
50667 Köln
Hours
Mo: 12:00–00:00
Di: 12:00–00:00
Mi: 12:00–00:00
Do: 12:00–00:00
Fr: 12:00–00:00
Sa: 12:00–00:00
So: 12:00–00:00
Contact
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Comments
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@brauhaussion)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-23)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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