The colourful beer festival in Cologne – join us in celebrating the hop harvest
The Hopfendankfest is back in Cologne!
Get your ticket now for the 2026 Hopfendankfest in Cologne. We look forward to welcoming you from 1 pm to 11 pm, with a wide selection of interesting beers from international breweries as well as local home and hobby brewers.
Also new this year: beer tastings and food pairings with Jutta Knoll and Brauwolf.
A ticket for Hopfendankfest costs € 10 in advance (€ 15 on the door) and includes entry to the festival site for the duration of the event, as well as a tasting glass. Beer samples can be purchased separately.
Tickets for the beer tastings can also be purchased separately. Please note: Places are limited. Tickets will go on sale shortly, so stay tuned!
Get your ticket now
Can’t see the ticket link? Try using the QR code.
These breweries will be waiting for you at the 2026 Hopfendankfest in Cologne
Also appearing at the 2026 Hopfendankfest
The Kölner Bierhistoriker e.V. (Cologne Beer Historians’ Association) has been tracing (almost) forgotten recipes and brewing traditions since 2014. Some of these will be showcased at the Hopfendankfest.
Members of the Bonner Heimbrauer e.V. (Bonn Homebrewers’ Association) will also be attending the Hopfendankfest and bringing along their home-brewed beers.
With the Hopfenpass, (Hop Pass) you can combine two of the best things in the world – beer and travel! Find out more about the Hopfenpass at the Hopfendankfest.
Beer-o-Meter is the most affordable and the easiest way to gain control over your brewing process.
This time, the food for the Hopfendankfest is being provided by Ziegenpeter at Rheinpark in Duisburg. Look forward to authentic Ruhrpott food rather than street food.
The sommeliers at the 2026 Hopfendankfest
Jutta Knoll: Master beer sommelier from Bonn
Jutta is from Bonn and has been a beer sommelier since 2017. She not only regularly demonstrates her passion and expertise in beer culture at her beer tastings and food pairings, but in 2024 she was even crowned German Beer Sommelier Champion. At the Hopfendankfest, you can see for yourselves just how knowledgeable they are. www.biertasting-bonn.de / @biertastingbonn
Brauwolf: A genuine love of beer from Dortmund
Whether it’s a beer tasting, a brewing course or a beer bar – Brauwolf is all about enjoyment and great experiences centred around beer, and proves that beer brings people together. You can enjoy a tasting session with him this year, not only in Dortmund, his home base, but also at the Hopfendankfest. www.brauwolfsbierwelt.de / @brauwolf_echte_bierliebe
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The venue
A Cologne institution and undoubtedly one of the city’s most interesting cultural hotspots – renowned not only as a venue for international artists. We are delighted to be hosting the Hopfendankfest on 5 September 2026 at Gebäude 9 in Cologne!
Address
Deutz-Mülheimer-Straße 117
51063 Cologne
Germany
Next KVB stop (Lines 3 & 4)
Koelnmesse approx. 10 minutes’ walk from/to Gebäude 9
Accessibility
Gebäude 9 has ground-level entrances. There is a wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Parking
Parking is not permitted anywhere on the premises. Free parking is available in the surrounding streets, but we would ask you to leave your car at home and use public transport. Thank you!
The Hopfendankfest crew
Ben: English Blood, Kölsch Hätz
Ben, the master brewer, brings together the best of two great beer cultures. We love him for his passion, his kindness and his vast knowledge (not just) of beer. Ben is a technical instructor for brewers and maltsters in North Rhine-Westphalia and a partner in the award-winning 40FT Brewery in London.
Roland: Schön makes beer
At his Cologne-based shop, BIER MACHT SCHÖN, Roland introduced people to the world of fine beers from 2017 to 2023: true gems, works of art both large and small, beers to taste and savour. In early 2024, he began specialising in B2B trade in fine beers. Roland is a beer ambassador (IHK), a designer, and brews his own beer with his friends at Bäm Bäm Bräu.
Torsten: Natural born cobra
It all began with a bespoke beer for the moped club “Die Kobras” (the cobras). Today, Torsten and his friends, led by Arne – a qualified brewer and maltster – are making waves with their Brauprojekt 777: producing wonderful beers from the Lower Rhine, made from hand-selected ingredients and brewed with heart and soul.
Anything else?
The Hopfendankfest was originally the brainchild of the homebrewers at Bäm Bäm Bräu – and doing things ourselves is still very much part of what we do. This has helped it retain its friendly, family-like atmosphere: here, we celebrate a beer culture that goes beyond industry and the mainstream – featuring beers from the region, from all over Germany and beyond. We share and celebrate the stories behind our beers, together with those who brew them. The Hopfendankfest brings together people who are keen to try something new, who want to brew, drink, serve and experience beer together. And who enjoy spending quality time with others.
The Hopfendankfest took place for the first time in 2015. Back then, the homebrewing group Bäm Bäm Bräu invited their friends and fellow (home) brewers to a private gathering to celebrate the hop harvest together and enjoy a wide variety of beers. After three further editions, Roland, Ben and Torsten formed a team to finally organise the Hopfendankfest as a professional event in 2019.
