Brewery in Hiddenhausen, known for Herforder Pils; production ends with closure in August 2026.
Herforder Brauerei GmbH & Co. KG
Hiddenhausen (Schweicheln near Herford)New on Amplifa
About Herforder Brauerei
The Herforder Brauerei GmbH & Co. KG, based in Hiddenhausen (Schweicheln near Herford), originated in 1878 from the Felsenkeller brewery founded by the brothers Gustav and Georg Uekermann. With an output of around 515,000 hectolitres (2006), it was, alongside the private brewery Ernst Barre, the largest brewery in East Westphalia; in the 1980s under managing director Manfred Abicht, with up to 1.1 million hectolitres annually, it ranked among the major German private breweries. The range includes Herforder Pils – which accounts for around 90 % of the brew volume – Herforder Export, Landbier, Helles Dittken, Alster naturtrüb as well as alcohol-free Pils and seasonal beers. Since 2007 the company belonged to the Warsteiner Group (later 100 %), and from 2023 the Haus Cramer Group invested around 20 million euros in the site, including a new bottle filling line commissioned in 2024. In May 2026, the closure at the end of August 2026 was announced; the Herforder brands are to be brewed in Warstein in the future.
- Site
- Hiddenhausen
- Materials
- Herforder Pils, Herforder Export, Herforder Landbier, Helles Dittken, Herforder Alster naturtrüb, Herforder Pils Alkoholfrei
- Founded
- 1878
- Industries
- Brewing / Beverage industry, Beverage industry, Brewing / Beverage industry
- 01
Brewing
- 02
Filling (bottle/keg)
- 03
Distribution
Beers and Product Range
Herforder Pils
Main product accounting for around 90 % of the total brew volume, one third in kegs.
Herforder Export
Beer variety in the brewery's core range.
Herforder Landbier
Beer variety in the brewery's core range.
Helles Dittken
Beer variety in the brewery's core range.
Herforder Alster naturtrüb
Naturally cloudy beer from the product range.
Herforder Pils Alkoholfrei
Alcohol-free variant of Herforder Pils.
Locations
Hiddenhausen (Schweicheln near Herford)
DEBrewery site
- Rail siding to Herford station (historical, 1895)
- Bottle filling line (since 2024)
Industries
Reference customers
History
- 1878
Foundation of the Felsenkeller brewery by the brothers Gustav and Georg Uekermann in Schweicheln near Herford (1 April).
- 1895
Commissioning of the 1.3 km long rail siding to Herford station (15 September).
- 1927
First bottle filling (malz beer).
- 2003
125th anniversary.
- 2006
Renaming to Herforder Brauerei GmbH & Co. KG; output 515,000 hl.
- 2007
Sale of a majority stake to the Warsteiner Group; integration as of 1 July, later 100 %.
- 2018
Warsteiner Group seeking a partner or a sale (February).
- 2021
Sale and partnership search abandoned in January.
- 2023
Haus Cramer Group invests approx. €20 million in the brewery and the Hiddenhausen site.
- 2024
New bottle filling line commissioned in summer.
- 2026
Announcement of closure at the end of August 2026; Herforder brands are to be brewed in future at the main site in Warstein.