Privatbrauerei Iserlohn

Privatbrauerei Iserlohn was a German brewery based in Iserlohn in the Sauerland region. It traced its origins to 28 August 1899, when 27 Iserlohn citizens founded Brauerei Iserlohn AG. After the foundation stone was laid a year earlier, the first beer was tapped in March 1901. The brewery produced Pils and soft drinks (Brause) from 1901 until 2014. Over its history it passed through various ownership structures, including Dortmunder Union-Brauerei and later Brau & Brunnen, before regaining independence in 2003 as Privatbrauerei Iserlohn GmbH. At its peak it produced several hundred thousand hectoliters annually, including its core brand Iserlohner Pilsener and private-label beers for supermarket chains. The brewery faced economic difficulties, changed hands again in 2010, and eventually entered insolvency proceedings, ceasing production in 2014. Its legacy includes the Iserlohner brand and a significant role in the regional beer market of Sauerland.

The brewery was founded on 28 August 1899 as Brauerei Iserlohn AG by 27 Iserlohn citizens. After the foundation stone was laid a year earlier, the first beer was tapped in March 1901. By 1905 and 1906, 11,640 hectoliters (hl) of beer were brewed, and in 1920 sales exceeded 980,000 Marks. In 1921, Germania-Brauerei in Dortmund acquired the majority of shares, and a few months later Dortmunder Union-Brauerei took over. Beer output grew steadily, reaching 34,000 hl in 1939. During the war years 1942–1945, lower-quality beers were brewed due to raw material shortages. From 1951, sales rose sharply, enabling large investments from 1959. In 1961, output reached 92,300 hl, exceeding 100,000 hl the following year. In 1962, production of various beer types was discontinued, and only Iserlohner Pilsener was brewed. In 1966, packaging changed: wooden barrels were replaced by metal ones, swing-top bottles by Euro bottles, and wooden crates by plastic crates. In 1973, production exceeded 300,000 hl, and a printed 0.5l stoneware beer mug was released. From 1978 to 1980, about 60 million DM was invested in the site, including a new bottle cellar and increased storage capacity. Since 1994, the company was a GmbH, and a year later it became the first German brewery to receive EG eco-audit certification under EU Directive 1863/93. In 1997, the brewery was up for sale but initially remained with Brau & Brunnen. In 1998, Iserlohner Winter was successfully introduced as a new dark beer brand. The brewery's 100th anniversary in 1999 was celebrated with numerous events throughout the year. For the millennium, the brewery created Bier 2000 – the beer for the new millennium. In 2001, the brewery's survival was in question. From 2002, Peter Michaelis led the brewery. Sales were declining sharply, and costs and earnings were out of balance. In 2003, Brau & Brunnen, under board member Michael Hollmann, intended to close the Iserlohn plant. At that time, of 85 employees and a capacity of about 400,000 hl, only around 163,000 hl of the Iserlohner brand were bottled. Concerned citizens ran the website rettet-iserlohner.de and attached stickers reading 'Rettet Iserlohner' to their cars. However, managing director Peter Michaelis and Iserlohn entrepreneur Gerd Heutelbeck as main shareholder, along with his finance chief Christian Ilske, took over the company and renamed it Privatbrauerei Iserlohn GmbH. 30 of the then 80 jobs were initially cut, before the workforce grew back to 76 employees in 2004. The business was led by Michaelis and Ilske. Nearly 450,000 hl left the brewery annually. In April 2006, Privatbrauerei Iserlohn, through its newly founded 100% subsidiary 'Privatbrauerei Gießen', acquired the production facility and equipment of Brauerei Denninghoff in Gießen with a capacity of about 150,000 hl. Only sales, logistics, and marketing remained with Gießener Brauhaus. From 1 September 2008, Christian Rolinck became managing director of Privatbrauerei Iserlohn. He previously led Privatbrauerei A. Rolinck in Burgsteinfurt and replaced Michaelis and Ilske. In 2009, output was around 540,000 hl, of which 130,000 hl was the Iserlohner brand. 700,000 euros were invested in a new labeling machine. In May 2010, Lars Junker became managing director. On 29 July 2010, it was announced that the company had been sold retroactively to 1 January 2010 to Michael Hollmann, former CEO of the beverage group Brau & Brunnen. Production now consisted of the 'Iserlohner' brand and beers for exclusive brands of retail partners. For 2010, output was reported at around 600,000 hl. As part of the brand realignment, most previously introduced products were withdrawn from the market in 2011. In addition to redesigning labels and advertising materials, a 0.5l swing-top bottle was introduced for the main product 'Iserlohner Pilsener'. In 2011, Privatbrauerei Gießen separated from Privatbrauerei Iserlohn through a spin-off under new ownership. The Iserlohn keg beer and hospitality business for 30- and 50-liter kegs went retroactively to 1 January 2011 to Krombacher Brauerei. Since September 2011, it has managed around 500 hospitality venues in Sauerland through Iserlohner Gastro GmbH. The beer continued to be brewed by the Iserlohn brewery. The managing director of the Iserlohn brewery also managed the business of the Gastro GmbH belonging to Krombacher. Bottled beer continued to be marketed by the Iserlohn brewery itself. The brand and trademark rights remained with the Iserlohn brewery. In summer 2012, rumors of temporary quality problems arose, later confirmed by the brewery and attributed to 'raw material fluctuations'. At the Iserlohn site, the last production (2012) was 80,000 hl Iserlohner bottled beer, 20,000 hl keg beer, and 400,000 hl as private-label beer for supermarket chains (Edeka/Trinkgut and Essmann), such as the entry-level price brand Traugott Simon. In March 2014, 53 employees were employed. The brewery entered insolvency proceedings and ceased production in 2014.

• 2014

  Insolvency proceedings; production ceased.

• 2012

  Quality problems reported and confirmed.

• 2011

  Brand realignment; keg business transferred to Krombacher; Privatbrauerei Gießen spun off.

• 2010

  Sold to Michael Hollmann retroactively to 1 January; Lars Junker became managing director in May.

• 2008

  Christian Rolinck became managing director on 1 September.

• 2006

  Acquired Brauerei Denninghoff in Gießen via subsidiary Privatbrauerei Gießen.

• 2003

  Taken over by Peter Michaelis, Gerd Heutelbeck, and Christian Ilske; renamed Privatbrauerei Iserlohn GmbH.

• 2000

  Bier 2000 created for the new millennium.

• 1999

  100th anniversary celebrated.

• 1998

  Iserlohner Winter dark beer introduced.

• 1995

  First German brewery to receive EG eco-audit certification.

• 1994

  Company became a GmbH.

• 1978

  Investment of about 60 million DM in site (1978–1980).

• 1973

  Production exceeded 300,000 hl.

• 1966

  Packaging modernized: metal barrels, Euro bottles, plastic crates.

• 1962

  Production reduced to only Iserlohner Pilsener.

• 1961

  Output reached 92,300 hl.

• 1939

  Beer output reached 34,000 hl.

• 1921

  Germania-Brauerei Dortmund acquired majority; later Dortmunder Union-Brauerei took over.

• 1920

  Sales exceeded 980,000 Marks.

• 1905

  11,640 hl of beer brewed.

• 1901

  First beer tapped in March.

• 1899

  Founded as Brauerei Iserlohn AG by 27 Iserlohn citizens on 28 August.

Regional brewery with a focus on Pilsner and private-label production for supermarket chains.

• Iserlohner Pilsener

  Main product, a Pilsner beer.

• Iserlohner Winter

  Dark beer introduced in 1998.

• Bier 2000

  Special beer for the new millennium.

• Traugott Simon

  Entry-level price private-label beer.

1. 1Official websiteiserlohner.de
2. 2Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org