Philosophy
One of the oldest pilsner breweries in Gemany established in 1861, we don’t just brew beer, we brew Hachenburger.
Our quality philosophy can be tasted – sip by sip. A nationally standardised taste has never been our idea of beer.
The secret of success is the strict quality philosophy in everything we do, the use of 100% aroma hops, a traditional 6-week maturing period for the beers and the Westerwald origin.
Managing partner of the
5th generation: Jens Geimer
Preserve what is good
and be open to new things.
The Westerwald-Brauerei is an owner-managed family brewery and is managed in the 5th generation by Jens Geimer. Besides the founder family Schneider, he is a shareholder of the brewery. Together with a good 80 employees and 10 trainees, beers have been produced in the modern brewery according to traditional brewing methods for more than 150 years now. Hachenburger beer specialties are mainly sold in the geographical Westerwald and the adjacent regions in the cultivated gastronomy and in the well-managed specialized and food retail trade.
In addition to the sale of draught and bottled beers, the Westerwald brewery is also a successful partner of numerous national companies with its 5-liter party keg in individual design. Hachenburger beers are also sold internationally, for example in China, Australia or other EU countries, to a wide variety of customer groups since 2011.
History
In 1861 the 25-years old Heinrich Schneider decided to found a brewery on the “Grün’schen Hof” in Hachenburg, although there were already 150 competitors in this region. A bold move to get into the act as a novice – but Heinrich Schneider had no fear.
He had a vision: the creation of unique quality beer.
The history of the brewery
Today, the liquid gold ripens in ultra-modern tanks, and at that time it was stored in the rock cellar on the Distelberg. Evenly cooled, the valuable barley juice has been reaching its special aroma for 150 years now. Because in the past and today, the long, cold maturing period is one of the basic requirements for a genuine Hachenburger. As is, of course, the use of high-quality raw materials.
The discovery of a spring in the nearby Rothbachtal valley thus became another key to the success story. Its pure and soft water is still today the perfect basis for a beer brewed in the Pilsener brewing method. In 1902, Heinrich Schneider was finally able to proudly announce that from now on he would supply his customers with an extremely fine Pilsner.
Innovations
- Introduction of Hachenburger Schwarze as one of the first West German breweries
- Variety diversification - today there are 12 varieties in total
- Introduction of the Plopp bottle
- Innovative marketing beyond the borders of the sales territory
- Opening of the transparent Hachenburger "experience brewery"