Craft organic brewery and whisky distillery: Nuremberg Rotbier and organic single malt whisky from Nuremberg
Hausbrauerei Altstadthof GmbH
Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19New on Amplifa
Hausbrauerei Altstadthof – revived Nuremberg brewing tradition
Hausbrauerei Altstadthof GmbH is a brewery tavern refounded in 1984 at the historic site of the former Rotes Brauhaus on Bergstraße in Nuremberg's old town and was the first brewing facility to brew exclusively with organic raw materials. In the craft brewing process, beer specialties such as the Original Nuremberg Rotbier are produced in copper kettles and wooden fermentation vats according to traditional recipes and modern organic standards; specially roasted red specialty malt and organic cone hops from regional cultivation are used. Since 2005, master brewers Reinhard Engel and Max Engel have distilled Germany's first organic single malt whisky in the company's own AYRER's whisky distillery, which matures on site in American white oak barrels as well as in 30- and 50-liter barrels with various prior contents (sherry, bourbon, port). In addition, malt products such as snack malt and malt candies, RotBierSenf (red beer mustard) and spirits are produced. The company operates gastronomy (Rotbierstüberl, restaurant, summer garden, Schmelztiegel), a brewery shop, an online shop and guided tours through historic rock cellars. All products are produced according to DE-ÖKO-001 organic standards.
- Site
- Nuremberg
- Processes
- Beer brewing (craft brewing process, traditional in copper kettles and wooden fermentation vats), Whisky distillation (organic single malt whisky), Malt roasting (specially roasted specialty malt / snack malt roasted in the oven), Brewery tours/guided tours through historic rock cellars, Beer gourmet menu, Private whisky barrels (Private Cask, over 15 barrel variants), Gastronomy (Rotbierstüberl, restaurant, summer garden, Schmelztiegel), Online shop
- Materials
- Barley malt / red specialty malt, Organic cone hops, Copper (copper kettles), American white oak (barrels)
- Certificates
- Organic certification DE-ÖKO-001
- Founded
- 1984
- Industries
- Brewery (craft beer), Whisky distillery, Gastronomy
- 01
Barley malt from regional cultivation (in-house roasting of the specialty malt)
- 02
Mashing in the copper kettle
- 03
Fermentation in the wooden fermentation vat
- 04
Beers: filling and storage
- 05
Whisky: distillation in the AYRER's whisky distillery (since 2005)
- 06
Whisky: maturation in new American white oak barrels
- 07
Whisky: post-maturation/finishing in 30- and 50-liter barrels (sherry, bourbon,
- 08
Filling and distribution (brewery shop, online shop, gastronomy)
Raw Materials & Processes
Barley malt / red specialty malt
Specially roasted specialty malt, the basis for Rotbier and AYRER's whisky
Organic cone hops
Aromatic hops from organic cultivation for the beer specialties
Copper (copper kettles)
Traditional material of the brewing kettles for the craft brewing process
American white oak (barrels)
New barrels with defined toasting for the first maturation of the whisky
Locations
Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19
DEBrewery, whisky distillery, gastronomy, brewery shop, online shop
- Materials
- Barley malt, organic cone hops, copper, American white oak
- Copper kettle
- Wooden fermentation vat
- AYRER's whisky distillery (since 2005)
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer brewing (craft brewing process, traditional in copper kettles and wooden fermentation vats)Other (brewery) | – | – | – | – | Barley malt, Organic cone hops |
| Whisky distillation (organic single malt whisky)Other (distillery) | – | – | – | – | Red specialty malt (barley malt) |
| Malt roasting (specially roasted specialty malt / snack malt roasted in the oven)Other (food) | – | – | – | – | Barley malt, Salt, Sugar |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper kettle | – | – | – | – | Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19 |
| Wooden fermentation vat | – | – | – | – | Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19 |
| AYRER's whisky still | – | 1 | – | 2005 | Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19 |
Additional services
Quality
Production takes place exclusively according to organic standards and is certified under DE-ÖKO-001 of German agriculture. The craft production in copper kettles, wooden fermentation vats and the company's own distillery is overseen by master brewers Reinhard Engel and Max Engel.
| Evidence | Nuremberg, Bergstraße 19 |
|---|---|
| Organic certification DE-ÖKO-001 |
History
- 1984
Founding/reopening at the historic site of the former Rotes Brauhaus on Bergstraße in Nuremberg's old town; first brewing facility to brew exclusively with organic raw materials
- 2005
Start of the company's own AYRER's whisky distillery by Reinhard Engel and Max Engel; Germany's first organic single malt whisky
- 2015
Interwhisky Gold – Best German single malt whisky (AYRER's PX)
- 2016
Destillata Gold (AYRER's RED Virgin American Oak)
- 2017
Destillata Gold (AYRER's RUBY Port Cask finished)
- 2018
ISW Gold Best Whisky National (AYRER's LOUIS XVI – Cognac Cask); Destillata Gold (AYRER's RED Virgin American Oak)
- 2019
ISW Gold (AYRER's MARTINIQUE Rum Cask finished); Falstaff Whisky Trophy 95 points (AYRER's AYLA)
- 2020
ISW Grand Gold, Best German Single Malt (AYRER's ALLIGATOR)
- 2022
ISW Gold (AYRER's RUBY – Port Cask)
- 2023
ISW Gold (AYRER's RED – Medium Toasted)
- 2024
Destillata Gold (AYRER's ALLIGATOR – Char 4)
- 2025
1st place Whisky Trophy 2025 (AYRER's PX – Sherry Cask); Destillata Gold 2025 (AYRER's TOWER No.1 – Char 3)