Bitburger

rtable. Our top priority is for people to be respectful, polite, and tolerant with each other so that this vision of ours is a reality. That is why we ask you to read through our conduct policies and follow them:

Please respect each other and use a factual tone. We do not tolerate offensive comments, insults, sexual innuendo, discriminatory statements of any kind, or other patronizing content. We are committed to the responsible consumption of beer. For this reason, we explicitly distance ourselves from content that makes excessive or undue alcohol consumption seem socially acceptable. Images and videos that depict children or people below the legal beer-consumption age are also unacceptable to us. We reserve the right to delete content of this nature immediately. Please observe copyrights and only publish or share content of your own and for which you hold rights. Please also be aware that Bitburger will not take responsibility or be held liable for content that you publish or for content belonging to third parties. Image material that is officially supplied by Bitburger for social media can be used by our partners on social-media channels for the Bitburger brand. Our platform is not a place for personal promotion. Commercial posts and advertising for third parties are generally not allowed. Posts of this nature must be deleted without warning. Comments that are part of a campaign or are generated automatically (e.g., by bots) must be removed. Protect people’s privacy: We ask you to ensure that consumers do not publish any personal, sensitive data such as addresses or telephone numbers on our pages. Bitburger is based in Bitburg, at the heart of the southern Eifel highlands in Germany, and is one of that country’s leading breweries. Our beer has been brewed according to the highest quality standards and the German beer purity law since 1817. Selecting first-rate ingredients and applying stringent quality controls gives our premium beer its unique taste. We are Germany’s No. 1 draft beer, so quality is our top priority. Our more than 200-year-old brewery has a product range featuring many other items alongside the fantastic Bitburger Premium Pils. Unique Taste and Quality That Is Bound to Impress! The high quality of our premium beer has been a staple of our brewing for more than 200 years. Bitburger Premium Pils is made exclusively of hops, water, yeast, and barley, just as German purity law demands it. The finest ingredients and regular investment in research, development, and equipment for our brewery guarantee the unique Bitburger quality. Our innovation helps us achieve perfection in taste and enjoyment. Bitburger Seal Hops

We use high-grade seal hops for Bitburger Premium Pils. They come from the Hallertau hop-growing region in Bavaria and from Holsthum, near Bitburg in the southern Eifel nature reserve. Both regions have a location and climatic conditions that make them some of the world’s best hop-growing terrains. We choose our hops based on stringent quality requirements and carry out sophisticated on-site quality inspections on them. These quality inspections are enormously important because hops are what gives Bitburger its characteristic aroma and quintessential bitterness. Because we select only the best hops for our beer, we can ensure the unique, slightly acerbic taste that our premium range is known for. Bitburger Water

Bitburger has collected water from the depths of the southern Eifel highlands for generations. From the Triassic syncline, to be exact. The layers of rock found there work like a natural filtration system, purifying the water that sinks down from precipitation. This rock also enriches the water with precious minerals. The Bitburger brewery’s five active, deep wells carry up to 700,000 liters of this pure water per hour. It is used in production to brew beer as well as for operational purposes. There are numerous scientific examinations that are conducted in the brewery’s own laboratory and in partnership with the University of Trier. Based on them, Bitburger can always guarantee the outstanding, high quality of the water it uses for brewing. Bitburger Barley

The origins of the barley have a key role in beer brewing. Barley from Rhineland-Palatinate has enjoyed extreme popularity for many years and holds up to Bitburger’s high quality standards, so most of the malt used for brewing comes from local barley. It is characterized by its moderate protein level, high proportion of starch, and good ability to germinate. The barley grain develops enzymes during the malting process, and these enzymes turn the starch in the grain into fermentable maltose – a crucial requirement for brewing beer. The exceptionally high quality of our barley is the main thing that determines the flavor profile of our premium beer as well as its color and unique taste. Bitburger Natural Yeast

The natural Bitburger yeast that goes into the production of Bitburger Premium Pils has been used since as far back as 1913 and is patented. We deliberately utilize classic fermentation methods at low temperatures and are happy to go the extra mile for this more complex production process. Every extra day is worth it. Thanks to the long maturation period, Bitburger yeast cultures make for a unique aroma and add the finishing touch to the Bitburger Premium Pils taste. Since yeast cells adapt to their surroundings over time, we grow a pure yeast strain every six weeks to ensure consistent quality. In the end, though, our natural yeast is nowhere to be found in a finished Bitburger Premium Pils. Its job is done once maturation is over, filtered out. That is how we make a clear, pure beer with a unique taste. The Bitburger Story

The Early Beginnings (1817 – 1876)

The brewery that would go on to become one of Germany’s most significant private breweries started in 1817, when Johann Peter Wallenborn built a brewery out in a rural area. After he died in 1839, his widow Anna Katharina took over the co-owned brewery first. However, when her daughter Elisabeth married Ludwig Bertrand Simon in 1842, he picked up the craft of brewing and opened the “Zum Simonbräu” taproom within the family house. This establishment is still one of the best-known culinary addresses in Bitburg today. The opening of the railroad between Trier and Cologne in 1871 was an important development for the brewery, which was still small at that stage. The new transport routes represented economic advances and progress. Beer could now travel from Bitburg
out into the Rhineland by train. The nearest station was situated in Erdorf, though, which meant that a horse and cart were still needed to cover the six kilometers in between. The long awaited Erdorf–Bitburg railroad only opened many years later in 1910, and it made transporting the beer considerably easier when it did. Theobald Simon began his mail-order business for the first time in 1876 so that customers would not need to collect their beer on a horse-drawn carriage anymore. Bitburger draft beer started being supplied to taverns in the region by horse and cart. The Start of the Modern Brewery (1876 – 1945)

As the son of Ludwig Bertrand Simon, Theobald Simon developed his first few ideas about expanding the taproom brewery and started managing the company as sole proprietor in 1876. He modernized the brewery with targeted investment in new technologies and expanded the mail-order business in 1879, raising the beer’s profile outside Bitburg, too. He married Amalie Servatius in early 1879 and they had four children together. The brewery’s total output reached more than 1,000 hectoliters for the first time in 1877. This output would grow tenfold over the next fourteen years. Another milestone was the completion of the new “art cellar” in 1879, where beer could be chilled all year round using natural ice. It had now become possible to brew bottom-fermented beer, so the production of top-fermented beer was canceled on August 20, 1879. The bottom-fermented version was better suited to long-distance transport due to its optimal shelf life. Beer sales kept rising in the years that followed, so the company invested in a new brew kettle in 1880 and put it into operation on April 15. Bitburger beer was also bottled for the first time that year and given a cork closure. These bottles were designed for at-home consumption and opened up an entire array of sales channels for the company. Distribution was outsourced to numerous independent representatives – today’s beverage wholesalers. However, things became difficult in the winter of 1883/84 when the mild winter drastically reduced the amount of ice that could be delivered. The brewery had to pay a high price to replace the ice, but it was a worthwhile investment when Theobald Simon became the only brewer in the Trier region who could sell his top-quality beer in summer as well. Modernization Continues

The owner purchased his first beer-filtration system in 1887 and added more storage capacity in 1888. Theobald Simon completed his new steam-engine brewery two years later in 1890 to power all machinery and pumps. The 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago was considered an international exhibition of technical and artisanal prowess – and Bitburger was represented at it. Thanks to technological progress, the options for refrigerating beer developed rapidly over the following years. The company acquired its second steam engine soon after in 1896 so that it could meet its constantly growing demand for energy. This investment also made it possible to launch the first ammonia-refrigeration system, which from then on pumped –10°C brine through the cooling pipes and kept the fermentation and storage cellars at a consistent, low temperature no matter the season. Theobald Simon’s sons Josef and Bertrand became part owners of the brewery in 1907. The first deep well also began operation on the Bitburger brewery’s property two years later. The water needed for brewing has been sourced from the Triassic syncline beneath the town ever since this point in time. When the much-anticipated railroad between Erdorf and Bitburg finally opened in 1910, the steadily growing brewery was able to expand its sales all the way to the Cologne and Aachen regions. The Pilsner Verdict and Impacts of World War I

In 1911, breweries located in Plzeň (German: Pilsen) in western Bohemia felt compelled to go to court against companies that were based outside their city and marketing their beer as “pilsner”. After various hearings and appeals that initially ruled in the Plzeň breweries’ favor, the German supreme court in Leipzig overturned the verdict in 1913. Consequently, Bitburger was able to keep marketing its beer as “Simonbräu-Deutsch-Pilsener” and paved the way for other brewers to advertise their beer as a “pilsner” variety. In order to make its beer known among a wider area, the Bitburger company procured a truck in 1914 for the sole purpose of transporting beer. This fleet grew steadily as time passed by. The Bitburger brewery turned 100 almost unnoticed in 1917, with the turmoil of the first World War and lack of resources making an extravagant celebration inconceivable. The company acquired a lemonade machine in 1918 to make up for this shortage of materials. Producing a popular fizzy lemonade in lemon and raspberry flavors, it sold 206,000 bottles in the first year alone. The brewery was only able to brew a full pilsner based on the familiar formula again in 1919, when it restarted production for the first time since World War I broke out. Even Theobald Simon knew that high quality could only be achieved with regular checks and inspection. The company set up a brewery laboratory for this reason in 1921. Considered highly modern for the time, it examined the quality and storage life of the beer. Theobald Simon Made an Honorary Citizen of Bitburg

With his culinary farsightedness and innovative ideas, Theobald Simon led the once-small taproom brewery to great success and made its name known far beyond Bitburg. The town of Bitburg bestowed honorary-citizenship rights on him on May 11, 1922, giving him its equivalent of the keys to the city due to his support and commitment to his hometown. Even after Theobald Simon died, the Bitburger company maintained its commitment to mutual welfare. For example, it started its first pension fund in 1925 so that the well-being of former workers was ensured after they retired. Bertrand Simon developed the so-called “Simon Cutter” in 1928 to filter the beer and keep improving its quality. This invention used metal cuttings to filter the maturing beer. The continually growing company expanded its marketing activities as years passed by, launching the “Beer Drinker” logo and labeling its own glasses. Bertrand Simon’s three sons, Dr. Theobald Simon, Dr. Hanns Simon, and Bert Simon, took over the family business in 1935 and brought it into its fifth generation of owners. The company experienced enormous demand a short while later and achieved annual sales of 100,000 hectoliters in 1938. The Bitburger brewery was not able to escape the bombardment of World War II and suffered heavy losses. Rebuilding after the War (1945 – 1976)

The three brothers in charge oversaw the rebuild of the almost completely destroyed brewery after World War II. They reestablished the old distribution channels, leaving nothing in the way of nationwide expansion. They were even able to mix the first brew of beer in 1945 – albeit a weaker beer – after repairing the refrigeration system. Four years later the bottles started being sealed with a cap, which was a feat attributable to the new, manually operated bottling machine. Compared to the former swing-top closures, the bottles could now be cleaned more easily while the beer lasted longer. Another milestone was the launch of the reusable 0.33-liter steinie bottle in the early 1950s. Also known as a “stubbie”, this bottle still enjoys cult status today. Ultimately Bertrand Simon was also appointed an honorary citizen of the town of Bitburg in 1955 due to his considerable commitment. The Bitburger company had been growing strongly after the war and while rebuilding, so a new brewhouse was built a few years later in 1958. It occupied the exact location where Johann Peter Wallenborn had started his taproom brewery in 1817 and laid the foundation for its global success. The company continued modernizing, with Bitburger gradually switching its bottled-beer loading operations to pallets in 1961. What’s more, innovative, lightweight metal barrels replaced the heavy wooden ones that same year, making deliveries easier and reducing freight costs. To make Bitburger Pils even more well known in more distant areas, the brewery began opening its first special gastropubs in appealing city-center locations in 1965. They had a high-end fit-out that guaranteed a consistent overall appearance among their food-preparation partners and a high recognition factor. The brewery set itself apart from its competitors around the country with this new concept. When building its new brewing facility in Bitburg South in 1971, the company laid the foundation for further major expansion. Its annual output reached 1 million hectoliters for the first time in 1973. Exports grew too in 1976 with new outposts in Italy and the Netherlands. The stage had been set for the Bitburger brewery’s continued growth. Successful Years – the Family’s Sixth Generation Takes Over (1976 – 2017)

The family’s sixth generation began managing the company in 1975. Dr. Michael Dietzsch, who is married to Dr. Hanns Simon’s daughter Christa, took over the Marketing and Sales divisions while Dr. Axel Th. Simon, Bert Simon’s son, took the helm of Technology and the Environment. Responsibility for Human Resources and Financing was given to Dr. Thomas Niedwodniczanski, who has been married to Dr. Theobald Simon’s daughter Marie-Luise since 1960. They built one of Germany’s most modern brewing facilities at the new site in Bitburg South and expanded sales nationally. The second bottling line was put into operation at Bitburg South and new technologies trialed soon after in 1976, with the first export to the United States shipped out in 1978. Construction also began on a new brewhouse for the Bitburg South production site that same year. Honorary citizenship of the town of Bitburg was also bestowed on Dr. Hanns Simon in 1979 owing to his commitment to society and culture. Pils Becomes Bitburger Premium Pils

Another milestone in this successful story was the “Premium” epithet in 1982, which Bitburger Pils was able to carry thanks to its high quality and particular renown. Another goal was achieved by expanding the brewery facility in Bitburg South even further: Bitburger had grown to become Germany’s largest beer brand in 1987. To keep building on this fantastic success, the company invested in its own experimental brewery in 1990. It continues to investigate new systems and methods, examine raw materials, and develop and trial products today under the name Craftwerk Brewing. Bitburger came to be an umbrella brand in 1992 with the launch of new varieties such as Drive and Light, increasing its renown even further. The next big milestone came in 1992, when the Bitburger brewery’s sales of roughly 1,225,000 hectoliters per year gave it the distinction of being Germany’s number one draft-beer brand. Bitburger still remains the most popular draft beer on German taps. The company christened its own sewage-treatment system in 1996, laying another important foundation for the success it has today, and was awarded for being an environmentally friendly organization in 1997. Matthäus Niewodniczanski took over the management of Bitburger Holding in 2000 and has overseen the brewery’s development since then. New products such as Bitburger Radler, Bitburger 0.0% Alkoholfrei, and Bitburger Fassbrause; innovative crates, and an ultramodern multipack system followed in the subsequent years. Bitburger, König Pilsener, Köstritzer, Wernesgrüner, and Licher – the five traditional brands – have been operating under the united umbrella of Bitburger Braugruppe GmbH since 2007. Together they stand for heritage, craftsmanship, quality, and knowledge; they successfully continue what Johann Peter Wallenborn once began in 1817. Bitburger also acquired distribution rights for the popular Benediktiner beer in 2011, working on behalf of Benediktiner Weissbräu GmbH, and expanded its range further. In order to keep meeting demand, the Bitburger brewery decided in 2016 to build a new bottling system. It was assembled and put into operation in record time – within just seventy-five days. The facility could now fill up to 50,000 bottles per hour in up to four different bottle shapes. Bitburger Celebrates 200th Anniversary

Bitburger’s 200th anniversary meant 200 years full of history, quality, and craftsmanship. To celebrate this occasion fittingly, the Bitburger brewery organized a full year of highly varied, cultural, and entertaining events for workers and residents of the wider region. The highlight of it was a high-key anniversary gala on the Bitburg South brewery property, where guests could enjoy an exciting, diverse program with a number of different stages. It was also possible to get a unique look at the production of the popular Premium Pils on this day. The brewery offered its customers a year’s worth of first-rate enjoyment with the limited-edition Bitburger 1817 anniversary beer.