Name: Festival of Dortmund Beer Culture 2026
Start: 2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-06T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Friedensplatz

Festival of Beer Culture

About Festival of Beer Culture

From June 3rd to 6th, 2026, the Festival of Dortmund Beer Culture at Friedensplatz celebrates the brewing tradition of the beer city of Dortmund. Over 300 beers and craft specialties from around 100 breweries, the Hopfenreise-Pass (Hop Journey Pass) for guided tastings, and direct contact with the brewers – a must-attend event for beer lovers.

Dates 03 Jun — 06 Jun 2026

Venue Dortmund (05913)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Festival of Beer Culture — edition 2026

Tickets →

Over 300 beers from 100 breweries at Friedensplatz Dortmund. Free admission, Hopfenreise-Pass for guided tastings. Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 PM, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 PM — until midnight each day.

The Festival of Dortmund Beer Culture 2026 opens Friedensplatz for four days for the regional and national brewing scene. Breweries from all over Germany — and international guests too — will present their products directly at the bar.

Highlights Festival of Beer Culture 2026

Over 300 beer varieties for tasting
Around 100 breweries — regional and international
Hopfenreise-Pass for the guided tour
Direct contact with the brewers
Free admission

Programme Festival of Beer Culture 2026

Wed, June 3, 2026 (5:00 PM–12:00 AM)

Opening with keg tapping
First tastings, Hopfenreise-Pass sales

Thu, June 4, 2026 (2:00 PM–12:00 AM)

Full brewery operation
Guided hop journeys in the afternoon

Fri, June 5, 2026 (5:00 PM–12:00 AM)

After-work atmosphere at Friedensplatz
Brewery talks and brewing demos

Sat, June 6, 2026 (2:00 PM–12:00 AM)

Highlight day with all approx. 100 breweries active
Closing tasting in the evening hours

Beer Styles (Selection)

Classic Dortmund Export & Pils
IPAs, Pale Ales, Stouts, Porters
Sour and barrel-aged specialties
Non-alcoholic craft beers
International guest breweries

Prices Festival of Beer Culture 2026

Free admission. Beer prices at the stands (small tasting sizes available). Hopfenreise-Pass with different package prices.

Practical information

Practical information — Festival of Beer Culture

Getting There

Subway station "Stadtgarten" directly at Friedensplatz. 10 minutes walk from the main train station.

Admission

Free admission. Pay for consumption on-site. Hopfenreise-Pass with different package sizes: single pass for individual tasting, team and group passes for 4–10 people.

Tip

Thursdays and Saturdays are the longest days. If you want to try several beers: small portions (0.1 l tasting glass) instead of 0.5 l glasses. Travel by public transport!

Beer Festival in the Beer Capital

Dortmund was once the largest brewing city in Germany — in the 1970s, it ranked first ahead of Munich with its Aktien-Brauerei, Hansa, Kronen, Thier, Stifts, and Union breweries. Although the concentration of the brewing industry has diminished this diversity, the beer culture is more vibrant than ever today: with the craft beer wave, new breweries emerged, and traditional brands were revived. The Festival of Dortmund Beer Culture, founded in 2016 by the association Hopfen sei Dank! (Thanks to Hops!), celebrates this new diversity once a year.

Over 300 Beers at Friedensplatz

From June 3rd to 6th, 2026, Friedensplatz in Dortmund's city center will transform into a beer garden of a special kind. Around 100 breweries from Germany and abroad will showcase their specialties — from classic Dortmund Lager varieties to IPAs, Stouts, Sour Beers, and barrel-aged specialties, to non-alcoholic craft beers. A total of over 300 different beers will be available for tasting.

Hopfenreise-Pass — The Guided Beer Tour

The centerpiece of the concept is the Hopfenreise-Pass: with it, visitors can visit several brewery stands on a guided tour and experience the diversity in a targeted way. Packages are available as single passes, team passes, and group passes. In conversations with the brewers, visitors can learn directly about hop varieties, brewing processes, and their respective product philosophies.

Program and Opening Hours

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM (Opening)
Thursday, June 4, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Friday, June 5, 2026 — 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Beer City Dortmund — Cultural Heritage

With over 600 years of brewing tradition, Dortmund (an independent city in the north of North Rhine-Westphalia) is one of Germany's oldest brewing locations. The Brewery Museum on Steigerstraße documents this history. The Festival of Beer Culture is its annual living variant: instead of a museum, it's about tasting, meeting, and experiencing contemporary beer culture.