The top 5 German craft beer start-ups

MIXOLOGY hops on the craft beer bandwagon and asks aficionados of the internationally fast growing artistry for their preferred picks in Germany.
With its rapidly growing craft beer scene, Germany has come a long way since the days when the “German Beer Purity Law” dominated the brewing landscape, limiting a brew’s ingredients to only water, barley, and hops. MIXOLOGY talked to experts in the emerging micro-brew field to discover the five cold-ones best suited for satisfying our readers who crave crafted beers.
Schoppe Bräu – Hops, Malt, Heart, and Soul
Schoppe Bräu, a Kreuzberg “brewer with heart and soul,” was founded by Thorsten Schoppe, a brewer with 24 years of experience under his belt who has earned the respect of the likes of renowned sommelier Billy Wagner of Nobelhart und Schmutzig who calls Thorsten “a true berlin brewer” who crafts open and free beer “with a lot of drinkability”. The small production house sells to restaurants and pubs, supplies for events, and provides home brewers with equipment. None of their beers are filtered or heat treated, making their flavor unsurpassably fresh.
The company currently offers a selection of four crafts likely to satiate those thirsting for artisanal. The “Black Forest Stout” is a colored malt and roasted barley stout with coffee and cocoa aroma. The “XPA X-berg Pale Ale,” an American hop/fruity beer will quench your thirst for a classic. The “Roggen Roll Ale” boasts eight different specialty malts including rye, and for a punch of extreme flavor enjoy the “Holy Shit Ale,” a double IPA with a 10% alcohol content.
Heidenpeters – Beerhalle in the Markthalle
Another Kreuzberg brewery named after its brewer, Johannes Heidenpeters, is a distinct favorite. This young micro brewery is beloved by Billy Wagner and Felix vom Endt of Berlin Beer Academy to name a few. The latter sings Heindenpeters praises, telling MIXOLOGY, “He is a very creative guy and he brews different styles and interpretations of beers. He also uses different ingredients to push the boundaries of the German “Reinheitsgebot“ and people like that a lot.” Felix and others are confident that Heidenpeters will continue to expand easily in order to appease the growing demand since its current home in the cellar of Markthalle IX nurtures the young brewery with both the physical and moral support required.
Felix calls Heidenpeters a “definite rising star in the craft beer scene worldwide”. It’s easy to understand why if you brave through the crowded Markthalle IX to try one of his well crafted creations. Whether its one of the Pale Ales or a flowery Belgian Saisonal, you can taste the care that goes into the concocting of the beers, which may very well be poured for you by Johannes himself. If you’re feeling cramped or fall in love with the flavor, which is a likely outcome, his creations can be brought home in generously sized growlers.
Ale Mania – Different and Delicious
Fritz Wülfing’s Ale Mania label, formerly Fritzale, brews diverse, “different and delicious” craft beers; new creations deeply rooted in Germany’s rich ale history such “The Gose,” which is modeled after an old Prussian beer from the 19th century whose brewing method involved coriander seeds. As the written down recipe is older than the Bavarian Purity Law, Gose beers can be sold under the label “beer” in Germany. Ale Mania also brews an IPA with a light caramel malt and five classic American hops as well as an Imperial Red, a twist on an Imperial IPA, which is sold out for the season but will return in the fall.
Ale Mania is also diving straight into unchartered waters by canning their taste inventions, earning them respect of Donald Burke, manager of “The Bird” who points out that “craft beer may be taboo in Germany but craft beer from a can is much scarier to the average beer enthusiast. However they are braving the waters, taking cans to the people and educating them one by one”. Felix vom Endt as well as many others share his high hopes for the young brewery.
BrauKunstKeller – “Life is Too Short to Drink Bad Beer”
Alexander Himburg’s BrauKunstKeller has experts such as Felix vom Endt and gastronomy journalist and beverage consultant Jan-Peter Wulf talking about it’s superior brews. BrauKustKeller compares their cold-ones to fresh produce, an idea shared by Billy Wagner who compares craft beer to a soup that should be served as freshly as possible. BKK’s beers forgo filtering, pasteurization, and stabilizing in order to maximize the freshness as well as the flavor experience.
The brewery offers three IPAs: the “Amarsi,” a personal favorite of Jan Peter-Wulf’s which is a caramel bitter yet malty-sweet IPA, The “Laguna,” which is a fruity-pine, caramel-malt American style IPA, and the “Mandarina” whose smoked malt compliments its citrus flavor. They also offer one Pale ale. After trying the selections you’ll be likely to agree with Felix vom Endt who tells MIXOLOGY he’s “sure we will drink a lot of more beers from BrauKunstKeller in the next years”.
Crew Republic – “Join the Revolution”
Experts in microbrewing agree that Crew Republic has a very promising future. The Munich based brewery startup boasts one of the widest varieties among its peers. Its seven variations include both an IPA and double IPA as well as their original “Foundation 11” German pale ale, a hoppy and refreshing “Munich summer” beer, an extremely hoppy and malty “Roundhouse kick” imperial stout, a more laid back “Detox” session ale, and an experimental “X 2.0” Barley wine.
Forecasting the future success of microbreweries, Donald Burke predicts that “Crew Republic has the lead. More and more places are carrying their range.” He adds that “they are quick to notice new flavor trends emerging in the beer world.” Despite Crew Republic’s aggressively branded marketing strategy the brewery manages to stay true to the ethics of crafting, delivering high quality artisanal brews. Their playful tagline dares you to “Join the Revolution! Craft Beer is Not a Crime!”
With so many emerging beers joining the craft craze, it’s important to keep in mind the true values of craft, ideals which are deeply entrenched in Germany’s rich beer history. As Billy Wagner tells MIXOLOGY, “a beer doesn’t have to be an IPA or a Pale Ale in order to be craft”. In the end craft beer is not only about limited production and local distribution but above all about the love and care that goes into the brewing.