Gräflich von Mengersen'sche Dampfbrauerei Rheder GmbH & Co. KG

About Schlossbrauerei Rheder

Schlossbrauerei Rheder is a traditional brewery in East Westphalian Rheder, a district of Brakel in the Höxter district. On 2 July 1686, Christian Falcko Freiherr von Mengersen received the brewing rights from the Prince-Bishop of Paderborn; since then, beer has been brewed in the horseshoe-shaped outer bailey of Rheder Castle. To this day, the beer is brewed by hand in copper brew kettles from 1964/1965 and matured in the historic rock cellar. The private power plant generates up to one third of the electricity demand depending on the water level of the Nethe, and biological clarification ponds have treated the wastewater since 1978. Around 15,000 hectoliters of beer are produced annually; the filling line handles about 12,000 bottles or 60 kegs per hour, complemented by a can filling line. In addition to brewing operations, the company includes direct sales, brewery tours, gastronomy and event venues such as the Schlaun’sche Scheune.

Site

Brakel-Rheder

Processes

Brewery tours, Direct sales, Event venues (Schlaun'sche Scheune, Parkscheune, Orangerie), Café & beer garden, Own power generation (power plant)

Materials

Brewing water from the Nethe, Brewing barley

Founded

1686

Industries

Brewery/Beverage industry, Gastronomy, Events/Tourism

1. 01

   Water extraction from the Nethe

2. 02

   Brewing barley processing

3. 03

   Brew house with copper kettles

4. 04

   Fermentation and maturation in the rock cellar

5. 05

   Filling (bottles, kegs, cans)

6. 06

   Direct sales and deliveries to gastronomy

Brewing process and raw materials

Location

Inside the production

History

1. 1686

   Granting of brewing rights to Christian Falcko Freiherr v. Mengersen by the Prince-Bishop of Paderborn (2 July)

2. 1716

   Construction of the horseshoe-shaped outer bailey by Baroque architects (Johann Conrad Schlaun); the brewery has been located there ever since

3. 1750

   Construction of the Baroque Rheder Castle and the Antoinettenburg farmstead

4. 1830

   First expansion and conversion into a steam brewery modeled on the Bavarian example

5. 1902

   The von Spiegel family takes over agriculture and the brewery again

6. 1964

   New construction of the brew house with large copper kettles

7. 1971

   Replacement of the turbine system after a fire; the own power plant generates up to one third of the electricity demand

8. 1978

   Commissioning of biological clarification ponds for wastewater

9. 1980

   Expansion and modernization: stainless steel tanks and new filling line (approx. 12,000 bottles or 60 kegs/hour)

10. 2014

    Elmar Freiherr von Spiegel passes away; his son Ferdinand takes over the business

11. 2019

    Jens-Uwe Göke joins as an additional partner

12. 2025

    Jörg Siekmann joins as a partner; investments including a can filling line

13. 2025

    Acquisition of the brand rights of the former Kassel brewery “Hütt” including the brand “Hessisch Löwen”