Dresden brewery Watzke is expanding into the city's historic centre. At the turn of the year 2023/2024, the company will take over the former "Dampfschiff" beer house in the Hilton Dresden, located directly on Neumarkt. The opening of a new Watzke venue is planned for Easter 2027 and is set to feature more than 200 seats.
The move to Neumarkt represents a significant development for Watzke. For over 30 years, the company has stood for home-brewed, unfiltered city beer and established Dresden brewery culture. Its history began with the Ball- und Brauhaus Watzke in Pieschen. This was followed by Watzke am Goldenen Reiter in 2005 and Watzke am Ring in 2012. An expansion at the Ring location in 2015 saw the opening of a sausage kitchen, offering handcrafted sausage specialities to accompany the beer.
Strategic expansion in a central location
A location in Dresden's historic city centre has been of interest to Watzke for some time. The current opportunity arose from Hilton Dresden's decision to seek a new operator for its beer house. Martin Raich, General Manager of Hilton Dresden, emphasised that hotel operations, with its conferences and meetings, constitute the core business, which is why a new operator for the beer house was sought. Watzke was chosen because the company is regionally rooted, operates sustainably, and represents an asset for Münzgasse.
Nicole Rothländer, Managing Director of Hausbräu im Ballhaus Watzke GmbH, confirmed the handover of the keys on New Year's Day to commence renovation works. The intention is to give each Watzke house an individual character. The new premises on Neumarkt, with their size and central location, offer new possibilities for designing the concept, which should bear Watzke's signature while also developing its own distinct character.
Continuity and new jobs
The plans for the future appearance of Watzke at the Frauenkirche are not yet finalised. Intensive work on designs is currently underway. What is already certain is that the new venue, with over 200 indoor seats, will be larger than the current brewery taproom at the Ring. The existing Watzke team from the Ring location will transfer to Neumarkt, with additional new jobs also being created.
The company's presence at Dr.-Külz-Ring will be maintained. Watzke's sausage kitchen will remain at its established location and is unaffected by the move. It will continue to operate as an integral part of the gastronomy at Dr.-Külz-Ring. The Dresden Brewery Watzke thus commits to continuing this location, while the new branch at Dresden's Neumarkt realises the long-held vision of a presence in Dresden's historic centre.
