Pfungstädter Brauerei

The Pfungstädter Brewery is one of the few medium-sized breweries in Germany that is still 100% family owned. For generations, Pfungstädter has stood for sustainability and innovation as well as regional solidarity in South Hesse. Pfungstädter is now the largest family owned brewery in the state. In 1831 when the brewmaster Justus Hildebrand moved back to his home town of Hahn near Pfungstadt, he opened a brew pub to start brewing his own beer. Shortly after, it became well known in the area that the best beer was brewed at the “Hirschen zu Hahn”. Justus soon realized that Hahn was not perfectly located to brew his preferred bottom fermented beer. He needed deep basement cellars with cool temperatures. Since the groundwater level was too high in Hahn to build deeper into the ground. In 1846 he decided to move the brewery to the town of Pfungstadt. In 1868 the brewery built its own malthouse directly at the brewery compound due to the high demand of malt. Just a few years later in 1872 Justus bought the second industrial ice-machine that was ever built. Today the ice-machine as well as the heavy steam-engine that powered it can still be visited at our historical machine house. In 1872 it was one of the most significant innovations in the beer industry. It did not take long before the beer was known all over Germany. The brewery had subsidiaries in Berlin, Hannover, Kassel and more. Many international awards for best “Pilsener style” beer followed soon after. A lot of things have changed over the last 180 years of Pfungstädter history. Numerous new and delicious beer styles were introduced and inspired local and international beer enthusiasts. However, one thing never changed: The traditional “Ur”-Recipe of our refreshingly hoppy Pfungstädter Edel-Pils. Since Justus Hildebrand himself started brewing the Pils. Over generations the recipe has been passed on from brewmaster to brewmaster.