Perfection in a glass: 

A portrait of the Landskron Brewery

DLG award for long-standing product quality

Behind the listed brick walls of the Landskron brewery on the banks of the Neisse River in Görlitz, beer is still brewed today using traditional craft methods and open, hand-operated fermentation. The beers are allowed to mature for a particularly long time in twelve-metre-deep vaulted cellars at four to five degrees Celsius. This makes Landskron Germany's largest brewery that brews in an industrial monument. We spoke to the two managing directors, Uwe Köhler and Andreas Faustmann, about the art of brewing naturally matured master beers in a wide variety of high-quality types.

Mr Köhler, Mr Faustmann, what criteria are important for brewing high-quality beers using traditional brewing methods?

Uwe Köhler: All processes must be designed to ensure consistently high product quality – this is the greatest challenge and the real art of brewing beer. A great deal of experience is required to achieve this.

Andreas Faustmann: For us master brewers, it is important that we can influence the quality of the raw materials, because their composition changes from year to year and varies from harvest to harvest. As a manufacturer, we do not monitor every step of the process inline, so we need a certain amount of intuition here. Just as we did 150 years ago, we can tell from the foam which stage the beer is at and when we need to lift the hose cover.

After the fermentation process is complete, the beer is stored in horizontal, steel-enamelled tanks at a cool temperature ...Faustmann: Here, the young beer is allowed to rest again for several weeks to months at temperatures around freezing point. During this time, it reaches full maturity, which we check in sensory tastings..

So Landskron does not use inline measurement technology, which is typical for industrial processes?

Faustmann: No, apart from two sensors for measuring turbidity, we do not use any inline sensor technology. Of course, quality criteria such as extract, alcohol and original wort content or turbidity are monitored using appropriate laboratory analyses. The same applies to CO2 and oxygen measurement following filtration. In contrast to industrial breweries with computer-controlled systems, all Landskron beers are brewed by hand by experienced master brewers. In this respect, Industry 4.0 is currently of little relevance to us.

The actual beer brewing process begins in the brewhouse. Here, brewing water is mixed with crushed malt in the mash tun at 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. The mash is then transferred to the lauter tun and separated from the residual solids. The wort flows into a heated wort kettle, where it is boiled down with the finest aromatic hops.
(photos: PUNCTUM / Peter Franke)
Founded in 1869, Landskron is now Germany's largest craft brewery, brewing every drop of beer according to traditional methods.
Andreas Faustmann has been contributing his experience to Landskron since February 2021. After graduating from high school, the Cottbus native studied biotechnology with a specialisation in brewing at the Technical University of Berlin.
Uwe Köhler has been Commercial Director of Landskron Brau-Manufaktur Görlitz Dr. Lohbeck GmbH & Co. KG, a company belonging to the Dr. Lohbeck Group, since March 2017. He is responsible for sales, marketing and administration at this long-established company.

Let's talk about the beers that have been awarded by the DLG ...

Köhler:  This year, three Landskron beers were once again honoured in the DLG quality test. Landskron Kellerbier, Landskron Weizen and Landskron Edelbitter received the gold award. Further awards were given to our Landskron Kellerbier and Landskron Weizen.

Faustmann: We are also proud that both our Kellerbier and Weizen have been among the best beers in Germany for more than ten years – and are therefore DLG Classics. Only products that have successfully participated in the DLG quality tests for at least five consecutive years are allowed to carry this award.

Your brewery offers a wide variety of beers. How important is this issue today?

Köhler: Currently, there are 13 different types of beer in the range, as well as a naturally cloudy apple shandy and a non-alcoholic raspberry and cherry Fassbrause. Of course, it is challenging for us as a manufacturer to offer such a wide variety. On the other hand, you would expect a brewery with over 150 years of tradition to offer a corresponding selection of beers.

Faustmann: With Landskron Edelbitter, we also offer specialities that go beyond the classic flavour range of a wheat beer or Pilsner. A prime example of this is our Pupen-Schultzes Schwarzes – a brewing speciality with distinct liquorice and caramel notes and aromas of figs and dried plums, which is not brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law.

What is the biggest challenge when it comes to offering beers with this uniqueness?

Köhler: Founded in 1869, the Landskron Brewery is one of Germany's oldest industrial monuments still in production. Our greatest challenge is to preserve the history of our brewing tradition. At the same time, we are intensely focused on the demands of the present day. Whether it's rising raw material or energy prices, developments in the markets are a major concern for us. Another important issue is, of course, sustainability. Here, too, we want to move with the times as far as we can in order to continue brewing high-quality beer....

Faustmann: ... That is our real strength, which is reflected not only in the DLG awards, but also in high consumer demand. Despite the pandemic, Landskron recorded its most successful financial year in terms of bottle sales in 21 years in 2021. Even with restrictions in the catering industry, we achieved our best overall sales result in 17 years.
 

Despite the pandemic, 2021 was our most successful financial year in terms of bottle sales in 21 years.“

They are one of the few breweries of this size in Germany that still brew beer using open, hand-operated fermentation – as was customary in the past. It almost sounds like craft beer ...

Köhler: There is a lot of talk about the craft beer scene these days. More and more small breweries are venturing into producing a range of individual beer varieties. And if you like, we have been brewing craft beer from this perspective for over 150 years.

Faustmann: That is exactly what we do here: genuine craftsmanship based on traditional brewing techniques. Unlike industrial breweries with computer-controlled equipment, at Landskron all beers are brewed by hand by experienced master brewers. The master brewers decide on the orientation of the products according to taste preferences. This allows the special flavours that characterise each beer to be developed during the brewing process.
 

The purity law remains the gold standard and stands for the quality promise of German beers.“
 

You already mentioned the German purity law. Is brewing according to this guideline still relevant today?

Köhler: There is no question that the German Purity Law remains the gold standard and represents a promise of quality that consumers continue to associate with German beers to this day. However, with our Pupen-Schultzes Schwarzes, we also offer a speciality beer that deliberately does not comply with the German Purity Law. This gives us the opportunity to experiment, set ourselves apart and ultimately cater to the entire spectrum of the market.

What new flavour trends are you currently exploring?

Köhler: Of course, we are constantly monitoring the market and see that the light beer segment continues to grow. That is why we have relaunched our Lausitzer Kindl, an unfiltered light beer. This is a historic brand from the Landskron brewery, which has been protected by patent since 1894.

Faustmann: Our main aim is to cater to the demand for light beers, which continues to predominate. Craft beers often have an extremely strong and bitter taste. The number of people who prefer this is relatively small.

Köhler: We also anticipate further growth in the light beer segment. And we see other potential areas as well, which we do not wish to disclose at this point.