Craft organic brewery in the Wendland: unfiltered and non-pasteurized beer from the 15-hl brewhouse in Kussebode
WendlandBräu, Inh. Mathias Edler
Kussebode (Clenze) · Kussebode 10, 29459 ClenzeNew on Amplifa
About the Brewery
WendlandBräu is a craft-run organic brewery in Kussebode (municipality of Clenze), Lower Saxony. For over 20 years, the business has been brewing beers in the former agricultural outbuilding using a 15-hl brewhouse, following a traditional, organic production method. The beers (including Festbier Märzen style, Wendisch Pilsener, Helles Zwickel, dark Hefeweizen, Black Wendish Dry Stout, Roter Bock) are bottled without filtration and without pasteurization. Hops and malt from organic cultivation are used, along with brewer's yeast and brewing water; the business is certified under DE-ÖKO-001. Filling takes place in kegs (10, 15 and 30 l, flat fitting) as well as in 1.0-liter and 0.5-liter swing-top bottles with deposit return. The beer is sold to gastronomy and retail in the region (including Lüchow-Dannenberg, Uelzen, Lüneburg, Salzwedel) as well as to Hamburg and Hanover, and also directly from the farm. Additionally, tap systems and festival equipment are available for rent.
- Site
- Clenze
- Processes
- Beer brewing (craft brewing process with brewhouse, fermentation, storage), Keg filling (draught beer in 10, 15 and 30 l kegs, flat fitting), Bottle filling (1.0 l and 0.5 l swing-top bottles), Bottle cleaning (Weichrad pre-cleaning with lye, rinsing machine, manual work), Keg cleaning (semi-automatic interior cleaning), Rental of tap systems, tap hardware, carbon dioxide, glasses, folding counters, glass rinser stand,, Direct farm sales, Distribution to gastronomy and retail
- Materials
- Hops, Malt, Brewer's yeast, Water (brewing water), Hops from organic cultivation, Malt from organic cultivation, Brewing water
- Certificates
- Organic control body DE-ÖKO-001, DE-ÖKO-001 (organic control body), ISO 9001
- Industries
- Brewery/Craft Beer, Gastronomy, Retail
- 01
Malt and hops intake (organic cultivation)
- 02
Mashing and boiling of the wort (gas-heated brew kettle)
- 03
Lautering (lauter tun)
- 04
Fermentation (2 fermentation tanks of 15 hl each, 1 CCT of 30 hl)
- 05
Storage/maturation for at least 4–6 weeks (8 storage tanks of 15 hl each, 50-hl
- 06
Cleaning of kegs and bottles
- 07
Keg filling (10/15/30 l) or bottle filling (Seitz Tirax Bj. 1962)
- 08
Distribution to gastronomy, retail and direct farm sales
Raw Materials & Brewing Process
Hops from organic cultivation
Basic raw material for aroma and bitterness, organically grown.
Malt from organic cultivation
Basic raw material of the wort, organically grown.
Brewer's yeast
Ferments the malt sugars in the wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Brewing water
Main component of the beer and the basis of the brewing process.
Locations
Kussebode (Clenze)
DEBrewery with brewhouse, fermentation tanks, storage cellar, keg and bottle filling
- Lot size
- Brew size 15 hl; kegs 10/15/30 l; bottles 0.5/1.0 l
- Materials
- Hops, malt (organic cultivation), brewer's yeast, brewing water
- 15-hl two-vessel brewhouse (gas-heated brew kettle, lauter tun)
- 2 fermentation tanks of 15 hl each with jacket cooling
- 1 CCT of 30 hl
- 8 horizontal storage tanks of 15 hl each
- 50-hl storage tank (outdoor area)
- Seitz Tirax bottle filler, Bj. 1962, 12-station
- Bottle rinsing machine (25 rinsing stations)
- Weichrad for bottle pre-cleaning
- Keg washing system
- 18 hl hot water tank
- 1800-l solar hot water tank
- 13.5 kW photovoltaic system
- Cold store as keg warehouse (since 2021)
Beers & Containers
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer brewing (craft brewing process with brewhouse, fermentation, storage) | – | – | – | Brew size 15 hl | Hops (organic cultivation), Malt (organic cultivation), Brewer's yeast, Water |
| Keg filling (draught beer in 10, 15 and 30 l kegs, flat fitting) | – | – | – | – | Beer |
| Bottle filling (1.0 l and 0.5 l swing-top bottles) | – | – | – | – | Beer, Glass (swing-top bottles) |
| Bottle cleaning (Weichrad pre-cleaning with lye, rinsing machine, manual work) | – | – | – | – | Glass (deposit return bottles) |
| Keg cleaning (semi-automatic interior cleaning) | – | – | – | – | Kegs |
15 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewhouse (two-vessel brewhouse: gas-heated brew kettle + lauter tun) | 15 hl brewhouse | 1 | 15 hl | – | Kussebode |
| Fermentation tank | – | 2 | 15 hl each | – | Brewhouse room |
| CCT (cylindro-conical fermentation tank) | – | 1 | 30 hl | – | Brewhouse room |
| Hot water tank | – | 1 | 18 hl | – | Brewhouse room |
| Bottle filler (Seitz Tirax) | Seitz Tirax | 1 | 12-station | 1962 | Brewhouse room |
| Storage tank (horizontal) | – | 8 | 15 hl each | – | Cold room |
| Cold water tank | – | 1 | – | – | Cold room |
| Storage tank | – | 1 | 50 hl | – | Outdoor area under lean-to roof |
| Keg washing system | – | 1 | – | – | Cleaning room |
| Bottle rinsing machine | – | 1 | 25 rinsing stations (text also mentions a 20-station rinsing machine) | – | Cleaning room |
| Weichrad (bottle pre-cleaning) | – | 1 | 1.0 l bottles | – | Outdoor area |
| Cold store (keg warehouse) | – | 1 | – | 2021 | Outdoor area |
| Hot water tank (solar) | SolarWend (Christian Deußing) | 1 | 1800 l | – | Brewery roof |
| Photovoltaic system | S+S Energietechnik GmbH (Andreas Schütte) | 1 | 13.5 kW | – | Brewery roof |
| Filling machine (bottle filling, external) | – | – | – | – | Celle (outsourced) |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Certification
The beer is delivered unfiltered and non-pasteurized; cleanliness in all cleaning steps (keg and bottle cleaning with Weichrad and rinsing machine) has top priority, with follow-up checks carried out by hand and by eye. The business is organically certified (control body DE-ÖKO-001).
| Evidence | Kussebode (Clenze) |
|---|---|
| DE-ÖKO-001 (organic control body) | |
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 19. Jh.
In the mid-19th century, eleven breweries alone in the Wendland supplied the surrounding village taverns with beer.
Brewery for over 20 years in the former agricultural outbuilding (formerly horse stable, carriage house and bakehouse) in Kussebode.
- 2021
Expansion with a cold store as keg warehouse and a workshop container.