Brewery in Kaufbeuren: beer, non-alcoholic beverages and wine-based mixed drinks, documented since 1308
ABK Betriebsgesellschaft der Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren GmbH
Kaufbeuren (production) · Ellwangen (Jagst) (registered office/postal address) · Kaufbeuren-Märzisried (inventory warehouse)New on Amplifa
About Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren
ABK Betriebsgesellschaft der Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren GmbH operates the brewing business of Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren at its site in Kaufbeuren in the Allgäu region. Production covers bottom-fermented and top-fermented beers (including Helles, Dunkel, Pils, Weizen and Doppelbock), non-alcoholic beverages such as cola mix, lemonade, table water and juice, beer-based mixed drinks and wine-based mixed drinks. The value chain comprises brewing, fermentation and storage, filtration (including kieselguhr), bottle and keg filling as well as logistics and distribution via retail, gastronomy and the web shop. Raw materials are water, barley and wheat malt, various hop varieties from Hallertau, Tettnang and Spalt, and yeast. In addition, licensed bottling is carried out for international partners, e.g. ABK Hell for M+S in the UK. The company employs around 84 people and supplies primarily the Allgäu region, the district of Swabia and parts of Upper Bavaria. Since 2026, the operating company has been in insolvency proceedings under self-administration with the aim of restructuring and seeking an investor.
- Site
- Kaufbeuren
- Processes
- Beer brewing (bottom-fermented and top-fermented), Production of non-alcoholic beverages (cola mix, lemonade, table water, juice), Production of wine-based mixed drinks (wine spritzers), Beer-based mixed drinks (Radler), Bottle and keg filling, Laser engraving, Web shop (direct sales), Retail & gastronomy distribution with ordering app
- Materials
- Water, Barley malt, Wheat malt, Hops (Hallertauer Tradition, Spalter Select, Hallertauer Herkules, Tettnang Tettnanger), Yeast, White wine, Rosé wine, Sugar
- Certificates
- EMAS (environmental statement according to EMAS III), EMAS III (environmental statement)
- Founded
- 1308
- Employees
- 84
- Industries
- Beverage industry / brewing, Retail, Gastronomy, Sponsoring/Trade fairs/Events
- 01
Brewing (brewhouse, bottom-fermented/top-fermented)
- 02
Fermentation and storage (ZKL cellar, wheat cellar)
- 03
Filtration (kieselguhr)
- 04
Bottle and keg filling
- 05
Labelling and best-before-date printing
- 06
Logistics and distribution (retail, gastronomy, web shop)
Raw materials and processes
Water
Main component of all brewing and soft drinks
Barley malt
Base raw material for bottom-fermented beers such as Helles, Dunkel, Pils and Doppelbock
Wheat malt
Raw material for top-fermented wheat beers with bottle fermentation
Hops (Hallertau, Tettnang, Spalt)
Varieties such as Hallertauer Tradition, Spalter Select and Tettnanger shape bitterness and aroma
Yeast
Used for fermentation of beers and non-alcoholic beverages
Carbonic acid
For carbonation of beer, lemonades and wine spritzers
Sugar, orange juice concentrate
Raw materials for non-alcoholic soft drinks (cola mix, lemonade)
White and rosé wine
Base for wine-based mixed drinks (Fräulein wine spritzers)
Kieselguhr
Filter aid in beer filtration
Laser engraving
Finishing process for slate coasters with ABK logo
Locations
Kaufbeuren
DEBrewery, production, delivery and pick-up address for goods and production materials
- Materials
- Water, barley malt, wheat malt, hops, yeast
- Brewhouse
- ZKL cellar (pressure storage with spunding)
- Wheat cellar with storage tanks and spunding
- Refrigeration system 92 kW, 4 power stages (2024)
- CIP system
- Keg filling line with digital keg scale
- Keg exterior washer
- Inkjet printer (best-before-date printing)
Ellwangen (Jagst)
DERegistered office and postal address of the GmbH
Kaufbeuren-Märzisried
DEInventory warehouse
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer brewing (bottom-fermented and top-fermented)Casting | – | – | – | – | Water, Barley malt, Wheat malt, Hops, Yeast |
| Production of non-alcoholic beverages (cola mix, lemonade, table water, juice)Casting | – | – | – | – | Water, Sugar, Orange juice concentrate, Carbonic acid |
| Production of wine-based mixed drinks (wine spritzers)Casting | – | – | – | – | White wine, Rosé wine, Lemonade, Table water, Carbonic acid |
| Beer-based mixed drinks (Radler)Casting | – | – | – | – | Beer, Lime lemonade |
| Bottle and keg fillingAssembly | – | – | – | – | Glass, PET, Aluminium |
| Laser engravingSurface | – | – | – | – | Slate, Stone |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigeration system | – | 1 | 92 kW refrigeration capacity, 4 power stages | 2024 | Wheat cellar Kaufbeuren |
| CIP system (cleaning) | – | – | – | – | Kaufbeuren |
| Digital keg scale | – | 1 | Fill quantity control of beer kegs | 2024 | Keg filling line Kaufbeuren |
| Keg exterior washer | – | 1 | – | 2024 | Kaufbeuren |
| Inkjet printer (best-before-date printing) | – | – | – | – | Kaufbeuren |
| Storage tanks | – | – | Pressure storage with spunding (ZKL cellar, wheat cellar) | – | Kaufbeuren |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Environment
Quality management and the laboratory test the products in the lab; the brewery publishes an environmental statement in accordance with EMAS III with annual key figures.
| Evidence | Kaufbeuren |
|---|---|
| EMAS III (environmental statement) |
History
- 1308
First documented mention: Heinrich der Twinger bequeaths his brewhouse (Sedelhaus) to the Heilig-Geist-Spital Kaufbeuren
- 1325
Foundation of the Kaufbeuren brewers' guild with a purity regulation predating the Bavarian Purity Law
- 1807
Construction of a beer cellar at the Tänzelhölzchen, establishing today's operating site
- 1885
Conversion into the Actienbrauerei zur Traube through the takeover of the Brauerei Zur Traube from Gustav Walch
- 1907
Merger with the Löwen-Brauerei E. Wiedemann, renaming to Aktienbrauerei Traube und Löwe
- 1920
Renaming to Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren
- 1958
Start of production of non-alcoholic beverages
- 1997
Takeover of the Rosen-Brauerei, the last local competitor
- 2013
Spinning off of the brewing operations into ABK Betriebsgesellschaft der Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren GmbH (45% AG, 55% ROK Stars PLC)
- 2017
John Paul DeJoria, via JP's Nevada Trust, also acquires the Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren AG
- 2019
International marketing under ABK Beer, among others on Williams Formula One racing cars
- 2024
Shutdown of the old storage cellar, expansion of the wheat cellar, new refrigeration system (92 kW)
- 2026
Application for insolvency under self-administration (Amtsgericht Aalen); restructuring and search for investors, around 84 employees affected