The passage from Heumarkt to the banks of the Rhine leads, as it has been for centuries, through the Salzgasse. In the Middle Ages the fish that were sold on the fish market were salted here.

Next door, in Lintgasse, the fish baskets were woven and around the corner “Unter Käster” the herring barrels were made for Cologne’s most famous export item, the salted herrings. So salt plays an important role on this street. It is also well known that salt makes you thirsty, so no one ever wondered why a brewery existed here in ancient times.

When the French dissolved the guilds in 1798, the last real brewer “Zur Täsch” was Christian Schuld or Schult. He had been councilor and member of the Gaffel during the imperial city period, a fact that suggests that the small house brewery must have had a good reputation. In 1838 – probably his son – Heinrich Schult ran the brewery until 1840.

He was succeeded by Johann Flatten until 1844, from whom Anton Hintzen took over the brewery until 1849. After him we find Sophia Decker as the owner in the brewer register, who ran the brewery for three years until 1852.

Gottfried Thelen, who had previously brewed in the “Verloren Sohn” located opposite the butter market, was the owner of the “Zur Täsch” until 1861 for three years.

The brewer Peter Brauweiler was registered as the operator of the brewery from 1861 to 1872 and after him Heinrich Hilgers from 1872 to 1877. Then Peter Werker brewed in the Salzgasse street for twenty years, until 1897. Shortly before the new century, Reiner Schallenberg took over the “Zur Täsch” brewery.

He was the last brewer in this traditional brewery. After his death in 1904, his widow continued to run the brewery until 1907, but then the fire under the brew kettle went out forever. The brewery continued to exist as a restaurant until the 1970s, but over the decades it had changed its appearance and its purpose several times through refurbishments.

Quelle: Prosit Colonia
Autor: Franz Mathar
Greven Verlag Köln