Bergische Brewery is shaking up the Kölsch market in Cologne!

Bergische Brewery is shaking up the Kölsch market in Cologne!

What's going on in the Cologne Kölsch market? In the Rhenish metropolis, where beer has a special status, smaller breweries are fighting for survival. A new player, the Erzquell brewery from the Bergisches Land, now wants to show off its guild Kölsch. This brewery, which is located in Bielstein, about 50 kilometers from Cologne, is pushing into the competitive market and intends to shake up the dusty competition. According to the Welt, the Erzquell brewery mainly has the Oberbergisches, Rheinisch-Bergischen and Rhein-Sieg districts in the Visor.

In Cologne, Kölsch is not only drunk, it has the status of a staple food. According to the Kölsch Convention from 1985, only beers brewed in Cologne may bear the name “Kölsch”. Zunft-Kölsch has a bit of an advantage here because the brewery is protected as the beer was brewed before the convention, in the 1950s. The term “Kölsch” has even been a protected EU designation of origin since 1997. This underlines the importance that Cologne beer has not only for the locals, but also for the entire beer city.

The challenge for small breweries

But the market is not necessarily friendly to the smaller providers. Many Cologne breweries have had to close in recent decades or have been taken over by larger corporations. Of the original 24 Kölsch breweries that signed the convention, only five remain. Among these, there is a significant development: the long-established Malzmühle brewery recently sold its brand to Gaffel. Another example of how hard times are for small businesses.

The Erzquell brewery wants to strengthen the Zunft-Kölsch brand under the leadership of guild boss Tina Haas and managing director Sebastian Brack. Their strategy is based on successful marketing models of other family-run breweries in the region. They attach particular importance to their connection to nature and the quality of their water.

Kölsch: An integral part of the culture

Kölsch is more than just a drink; it is an attitude to life that is deeply rooted in Cologne culture. The brewers often offer tours where visitors can learn all about the history and production of Kölsch. The best-known Kölsch breweries in the region include the Heinrich Reissdorf private brewery, the Gaffel private brewery and the Päffgen brewery. These establishments are popular not only for their beers, but also for the traditional way of serving Kölsch in cylindrical glasses that hold 0.2 liters and for the custom of placing a beer mat on the glass to signal to the waiter that you don't want any more Kölsch.

The prospect for the Erzquell brewery and its guild Kölsch is both exciting and challenging. At a time when the beer market is shrinking everywhere, this local initiative could help keep the tradition of Kölsch alive. So it remains exciting to see how the Cologne beer market will develop and whether new players like the Erzquell brewery can herald a renaissance for Kölsch.