It is a project that is rarely seen in Germany: Bayreuther Brauhaus, a state-of-the-art, resource-saving greenfield brewery, is being built in Franconia — planned and realized by Krones. The new brewery on the outskirts of Bayreuth will be used exclusively for the production of Bayreuther Hell and is designed for an annual capacity of 500,000 hectoliters.
Text and image by Krones AG
Proven technology for more flexibility
While Krones’ subsidiary Steinecker is responsible for the brewhouse, fermentation, and storage cellars, plus the requisite utility systems, Krones is supplying the entire bottling technology.
The new returnable-glass line, rated at 40,000 bottles an hour, relies on tried-and-tested Krones technology — from bottle washing to filling and labeling, all the way through to packaging. “The new bottling line will consist of the same machines that are already in use at our Maisel brewery, just 1.5 kilometers away. This allows us to remain flexible when deploying our employees at both sites,” explains Jeff Maisel, owner of the Gebr. Maisel brewery. “In addition to this flexibility, we also clearly formulated another goal at the start of the project: the new brewery should be one of the most modern of its kind in Europe and work as resource-efficiently as possible,” adds Maisel.
Focus on sustainability
The centerpiece of the new brewery is therefore the forward-looking energy concept: a photovoltaic system supplies environmentally friendly electricity, while a woodchip system contributes to heat generation. The brewery is operated with two different heating circuits: a high-pressure hot water system for wort boiling from the energy source wood chips and the other consumers with a low-pressure hot water system using a heat pump. The energy is supplied via two central heat storage tanks. Other innovative technologies such as the EquiTherm system from Steinecker ensure that the heat generated during the brewing process is utilized efficiently.
“Maisel is setting new standards in terms of efficiency and sustainability with this ultra-modern brewery. As a long-standing partner, we are delighted to contribute with our technology to ensuring that Bayreuther Hell can be produced even more energy efficiently,” says Thomas Ricker, chief sales officer of Krones AG.
First bottles at the end of 2026
Construction work is already in full swing. The first systems for the brewhouse will be delivered at the end of 2025. The bottling technology will follow in mid-2026, before the first bottles of Bayreuther Hell leave the Bayreuth brewery’s yard at the end of the year.
About Krones
The technology company Krones, headquartered in Neutraubling, Germany, is a leading international developer and manufacturer of modern machines and complete lines for the areas of process, filling, and packaging technology. Numerous products and services from Krones’ subsidiaries, such as solutions for digitalization, intralogistics, and plastics recycling, complement the product portfolio. Krones employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. Group revenue in 2024 amounted to 5.3 billion euros. In addition to the listed Krones AG, the Krones Group includes more than 100 subsidiaries and locations worldwide.