History
The name is a joke: a Röggelchen normally comes as two halves, and the Brauhaus story says that guests short of money once asked the Köbes for 'ne halve han' (a half one). Brauhaus Pütz's menu adds that a disappointed guest who expected a chicken sued and lost, and the court recognised the dish as culinary heritage. Päffgen, Peters Brauhaus and Brauhaus Sion all list it, with Dutch or medium-aged Gouda.
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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 fresh rye bread rolls (Roggenbrötchen)
- 150g medium-aged Dutch Gouda, cut in 5mm slabs
- Mittelscharf (medium-hot) German mustard
- 4 large gherkins, sliced into spears
- 1 small white onion, sliced in thin rings
- Sweet paprika to dust
- Cold butter, in small pat
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Split each rye roll horizontally. Lightly butter the cut faces.
- Lay a thick slab of Gouda on the bottom half of each roll, allowing the cheese to overhang the edges slightly.
- Dust the cheese with a pinch of sweet paprika and a grind of black pepper.
- Top with raw onion rings (optional in the most traditional version) and prop the gherkin spears alongside.
- Spoon a small mound of mustard onto the plate, never directly on the bread.
- Serve with a 0.2L Kölsch on the side; the bread soaks up the beer between bites.
Tip from the editors. Use medium-aged Dutch Gouda (mittelalt), the cheese Brauhaus Sion and Peters name on their menus.
Where to eat halve hahn
Halve Hahn in Cologne
Brauerei Päffgen ★ 4.0
Päffgen at Friesenstraße 64-66 is the last house brewery in Köln, brewing at the Klapperhof and pouring its Kölsch across the street only from the barrel.
Peters Brauhaus ★ 4.4
Peters Brauhaus at Mühlengasse 1 has stood in the old town since 1994. The building was first mentioned in Cologne's tax books in 1544 as Zum Kranz.
Brauhaus Sion ★ 4.4
Brauhaus Sion at Unter Taschenmacher 5-7 serves food with Kölsch in the historic centre of Cologne. It is about five minutes on foot from the main station.
More cities are in research. Want halve hahn covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.