Dresden-Neustadt, Sachsen (Saxony):
Gastätte zum Bautzner Tor

Friday 11th April 2014

Bob Thompson

This cheerfully idiosyncratic pub is the tap of the Neustädter Hausbrauerei, located in Dresden-Neustadt north of Neustadt Railway station. It is a small brewery with most of its output (200hl) consumed in this pub. It was founded in 2002 by Christian Schwingenhauer.

In the old walled city the gate (Tor) on the road to Bautzen was here, hence the pub's name. It is actually in Hoyerswerdaer Strasse, at its intersection with Bautzner Strasse. It is extremely convenient to reach as there is a tram stop outside and another around the corner.

I'm not sure if the ground floor of the building was built as a pub. Looking at the architectural style I would guess it dates from between 1890 and 1910.

Many of these tenement type buildings were constructed in German cities at the end of the 19th century. A number had shops and pubs at street level. The interior layout suggests it was once two businesses, one bigger than the other.

Up the outside stairs and the bar area / service counter is on the right. Opposite there are some high tables suitable for those who are not eating, not that there is any specific area for this, it is possible to just have a drink anywhere as it is more pub than restaurant. In front of the bar were a couple of stools but I would think that you would be in the way if you sat there.

The remainder of the room is filled with the normal chairs and tables you'd expect but very few are similar to the others. The walls and shelves around the room support an amazing collection of bric à brac. Apart from the more obvious photographs and paintings (some wonky), there are sculptures, tools, old radios and televisions.

In the middle of the room is a papier maché statue of a waiter who proffering a tray, the problem is, it's empty. Now, I've seen this guy in other restaurants and he is always offering a free sample, but not here.

I think the management should rectify this, in Russia his tray was covered with gratis shot glasses of vodka! Yet all this weirdness somehow all combines together to provide an atmosphere of chaos, yet the pub is efficiently operated.

The pub offered three draught beers from Neustädter Hausbrauerei: Elbhang Rot (4.7%), which is a Red Ale and is quite malty; Neustadt Hell (4.7%) which is a light organic beer and Lenin's Henf (5.2%) which is brewed using Hemp. It has no hallucinogenic effects and it is not that unusual, I have come across it as an ingredient in the past. It is a plant relative of the hop, after all. It's notable that BT Pils, advertised on their beer mats and brewed especially for the pub, see top of page, and is no longer one of the draught beers on sale.

They also produce a number of bottled beers and some of them are: Wilder Mann (7.0%), a dark winter bockbier; Hecht Alt (4.7%) in the Düsseldorfer Alt style and IPA (6.5%) which is said to be a very hoppy version of this type of beer. At this point it is worth mentioning that this brewery uses top fermenting yeast which is very unusual in Germany except for the production of wheat beer.

The brewery says you can obtain these bottled beers at the pub and I asked there, but was told there were none. There are off-sales from the brewery at Schönbrunnstrasse 1 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 15.00 although I note that they will only sell you beer if they receive empty bottles from customers, because of a shortage. This is possibly why there was none in the pub.

You should visit this pub if you are in Dresden, and not only for the unusual beers, as it is an interesting pub. There is a full menu available to 23.00 but please note the late afternoon opening.

Important Information:

Zum Bautzner Tor, Hoyerswerder Strasse 37, 01099. Dresden-Neustadt
Tel: 0351 803 8202

Open: Monday-Sunday 17.00-02.00

One of the Bautner / Rothenburger Strasse tram stops is literally outside the pub. This is served by the 6 and 13 routes. The stop of the same name around the corner in Bautzner Strasse is on the 11 route.

It is worth mentioning that these routes collectively serve the three other brew pubs of Dresden and this pub can be regarded as the centre of the hub.