Brewery in the Saxon Vogtland; has produced bottom-fermented beers and beer mixed drinks in accordance with the German Purity Law since 1436.
Wernesgrüner Brauerei GmbH
08237 Wernesgrün (Steinberg) · GermanyNew on Amplifa
About the brewery
Wernesgrüner Brauerei GmbH in Wernesgrün (Steinberg) in the Saxon Vogtland is the oldest existing brewery in Saxony. The company emerged from two brewery estates whose roots go back to 1436, and was rebuilt in 1906 as Lagerbier-Brauerei C. G. Männel with a listed façade designed by Ernst Lenk. The product range includes bottom-fermented full beers (Pils Legende, Helles, Alkoholfrei) as well as beer mixed drinks (Naturradler Zitrone, Naturradler Maracuja), brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516. The raw materials are spring and well water from two own wells on the Kuhberg and Steinberg, brewing barley and hops. The beer is sold in 0.33-l and 0.5-l bottles as well as in kegs; the brewery historically exported to many European countries and to the USA. Since January 2021, the company has belonged to the Carlsberg Germany Group; previously it was part of the Bitburger Brewing Group from 2002 to 2020. The parent plant at the Wernesgrün site comprises the brewery, the brewery estate with gastronomy, and a fan shop; annual production in 2018 was around 850,000 hectoliters.
- Site
- Wernesgrün
- Processes
- Beer brewing (bottom-fermented, according to the German Purity Law), Production of beer mixed drinks (Naturradler: beer + lemon/passion fruit lemonade), Brewery tours, Fan shop, Brewery estate with restaurant Brauschenke and event venues, Draught beer
- Materials
- Water (spring water), Brewing barley, Hops, Spring water, Beer mixed drinks
- Certificates
- German Purity Law
- Founded
- 1436
- Industries
- Brewing/beverage industry
- 01
Water extraction (own wells)
- 02
Malt and raw material storage
- 03
Brewing (bottom-fermented)
- 04
Fermentation and maturation
- 05
Filtration
- 06
Filling (bottle/keg)
- 07
Delivery
Raw materials & brewing process
Spring water
Crystal-clear water from two own wells on the Kuhberg and Steinberg as the main raw material of the beers.
Brewing barley
Selected brewing barley forms the basis of the bottom-fermented full beers.
Hops
Finest hop cones lend the beers a subtle hop flavor and bitterness.
Beer mixed drinks
Naturradler made of 40% Wernesgrüner Pils Legende and 60% naturally cloudy lemon or passion fruit lemonade with a high fruit content.
Sites
Wernesgrün
DEParent plant: brewery, brewery estate with restaurant Brauschenke, fan shop
- Materials
- Spring water, brewing barley, hops
Product range
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer brewing (bottom-fermented, according to the German Purity Law)Other (brewery/food) | – | – | – | – | Water (spring water/well water), Brewing barley, Hops |
| Production of beer mixed drinks (Naturradler: beer + lemon/passion fruit lemonade)Other (brewery/food) | – | – | – | – | Beer (Wernesgrüner Pils Legende), Lemon lemonade, Passion fruit lemonade |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
The beers are brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516; the brewery continuously invests in modern technologies, production processes and quality assurance.
| Evidence | Wernesgrün |
|---|---|
| German Purity Law |
History
- 1436
The Schorer brothers receive brewing and tap rights in Wernesgrün on 18 March – oldest existing brewery in Saxony
- 1589
Construction of the Gläser estate
- 1762
The Günnel family acquires the Schorer brewery
- 1774
The Männel family takes over the Gläser estate
- 1906
Rebuilt as Lagerbier-Brauerei C. G. Männel (listed façade, design by Ernst Lenk)
- 1946
Expropriation of the Günnel family
- 1972
Expropriation of the Männel family
- 1974
Merger of both breweries into VEB Exportbierbrauerei Wernesgrün
- 1990
Renamed Wernesgrüner Brauerei AG after German reunification
- 1991
Start of comprehensive modernization and expansion
- 1994
Privatization
- 2002
Acquisition by Bitburger Braugruppe
- 2003
Conversion from AG to GmbH
- 2011
Annual production of 740,000 hl
- 2021
Part of the Carlsberg Germany Group since January
- 2022
Complete overhaul of the brand presence