Everything about customers

The brewery Krug Bräu in Breitenlesau is one of the largest and most successful breweries in Franconian Switzerland. Konrad “Conny” Krug is the fifth generation to run the family business. He brews his beer not only with the power of the sun, but with a great deal of passion. Whether as a beer artist at the brew kettle or DJ at the in-house dance center – the lively brewery boss is full of creativity and drive. Find out why his brewery emerged as a winner during the pandemic, what a late-night caller from the Dortmund Christmas market had to say to him, and what a Porsche 911 has to do with Konrad Krug’s success.

In 2018, the traditional brewery Eichbaum launched its own craft beer brand Steam Brew, which is sold exclusively via Lidl throughout Europe. Not least thanks to its creative brand identity, Steam Brew has since made a “rocket-like ascent,” according to Marketing Manager Dennis Sandhöfer. For the first time, one of Steam Brew’s six craft beer varieties, which are available exclusively in cans, has now also been filled into Envases’ five-liter party keg – as a specially designed Christmas edition for the Irish market.

Beer has been brewed at Rhanerbräu in Upper Palatinate since 1283. Even though the owner family Plößl can proudly look back on centuries of brewing tradition, they are always looking toward the future. Always be open to new things, is their motto. This includes a creative craft beer division as well as a regenerative heating plant, which also serves as a marketing tool thanks to its eye-catching appearance. In the course of resource-conserving and sustainable production, Rhaner also relies on the mini-keg as a completely recyclable container: Since Corona, the “Rhaner Festbier dahoam” (“Rhaner home festival beer”) in the five-liter party keg has become firmly established in the product range.

The party keg celebrates a round birthday. The anniversary “50 years of Minikeg” is not only a good occasion for a look back, but also for a look ahead. After all, Envases has steadily developed the 5-liter keg over the past decades – and continues to do so. But breweries are also focusing on innovation and further development of the popular disposable container. One successful example is the Krombacher 5-liter freshness keg.

“You couldn’t drink my first beer,” Stefan Stretz recalls with a laugh. As a 16-year-old, he discovered a recipe for brewing beer in his grandmother’s cookbook and simply tried it out – with moderate success. But he never gave up: After graduating from high school, he trained as a brewer, then added an engineering degree in brewing technology, and later traveled the world for the job. Today, the 52-year-old runs Schanzenbräu, now the largest private brewery in Nuremberg, which he founded in 2004.

Manfred Reichert from Uetzing in Upper Franconia has already transported donated goods to Ukraine five times since the war began. The Upper Franconian butcher and self-made brewer supports the people in his girlfriend’s homeland not only with relief supplies and food. With his home-brewed “Metzgerbräu” beer in five-liter cans, he wants to cheer up the Ukrainian soldiers and provide motivation.

According to the Brand Index 2021, Rothaus’ Tannenzäpfle is Germany’s strongest beer brand and is popular not only among Black Forest farmers but also among city hipsters. The brand logo, which has remained unchanged for 50 years, and also the party keg, which attracts new target groups for this traditional beer from Germany’s highest brewery, both contribute to this success.

For some, it’s a tin can. For Thomas Deloy, it is “an excellent communication vehicle with enormous creative options. The head of marketing and PR at the private brewery Gaffel relies on campaigns that are “emotional, modern, and up-to-date. Gaffel has already proven several times that the minikeg is ideally suited to this.

Only regional malt, the famous Saaz hops and water from deep springs are used in the traditional Czech brewery Tradiční pivovar v Rakovníku, a.s.. The brewery’s success confirms that it is doing well – it is the winner of many awards. Valentina Nikulina, Development Director at Tradiční pivovar v Rakovníku, a.s. sees the international awards not only as confirmation of the quality of the beers, but also as a reflection of national and international perception.

Arcobräu boss Holger Fichtel has not only awakened the traditional castle brewery in Moos, Lower Bavaria, from its slumber. His “Mooser Liesl,” launched in 2015, rose to become the most successful mono-brand in the “Helles-style beer” segment within a very short time. Remaining a brewer at heart, the go-getting businessman relies on determination, gut feeling and talking beer labels.

Brewery Meinel exists since almost 300 years in Hof in Upper Franconia. Since roughly 35 years it is run by women. The sisters Gisela and Monika Hansen conduct the business of the brewery in 13th generation. With innovative ideas they want to lead the traditional company into a bright future.

As an down to earth entrepreneur with a passion for beer and soccer club Borussia Mönchengladbach Michael Hollmann helped the world’s oldest alt beer brewery to shine in new splendor. In doing so, he relied mainly on the excellent taste of the Bolten beer, the local people, as well as the MiniKeg from Envases.