Location | Warstein, Germany | ||||||||||
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Opened | 1753 | ||||||||||
Annual production volume | 2.34 million hectolitres (1,990,000 US bbl) in 2015 | ||||||||||
Owned by | Catharina Cramer | ||||||||||
Active beers | |||||||||||
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Warsteiner beer is brewed in the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park outside of Warstein, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. Warsteiner has been owned by the Cramer family since 1753. Warsteiner is Germany's largest privately owned brewery; its most popular beer is Warsteiner Premium Verum.
Warsteiner ranks fifth among Germany's best selling breweries.
The history of the brewing family begins in 1753, when farmer Antonius Cramer had to pay a tax of 1 thaler, 19 guilders on beer he brewed and sold himself.
His son Johannes Vitus followed in his footsteps and brought the selling of home-brewed beer into his house, in the heart of Warstein. His company benefited from its central location. However, in 1802 a devastating fire left Warstein in ruins and ashes - the business of the Cramers fell victim to the flames.
At the same time, they rebuilt their house as a guest accommodation and became through the establishment of the St. Pancras Church the centre of the town.
The headquarters of the Warsteiner Brewery, the Domschänke, still stands today in the historic core of Warstein.
Breweries in the Rhine valley were bombed during World War II, and the Warstein brewery sustained some damage.
The newly remodelled brewery can fill and package 5,000 bottles per hour.
To appeal to German young adults, Warsteiner began a beer-mix drink campaign that includes a Premium Cola, which contains caffeine, as well as Premium Lemon and Premium Orange drinks. Furthermore, Warsteiner has created a long-neck beer bottle and a "limited club edition" clear-glass bottle to target club-goers.
All beers are brewed in strict accordance with the Germany Purity Law of 1516.
Premium Verum, a pilsener style beer, is Warsteiner's most popular beer, and is exported to over 60 countries. The ingredients are forest spring water, two-row malted summer barley and all German hops. The alcohol content is 4.8 percent.
Premium Dunkel is Warsteiner's second most popular beer. Dunkel is a traditional style, dark beer with an alcohol content of 4.8 percent.
Warsteiner's only non-alcoholic beer, brewed exactly like the Premium Verum and then having the alcohol extracted. The beer contains 80 calories per 12 oz. bottle.