Dhe city of Pfungstadt is proud of its brewery. Located in the middle of the commune, it is an everyday sight. But now the Pfungstadt beer is to be brewed somewhere else. And that has to do with ownership. Mayor Patrick Koch is angry because the city councilors apparently want to give up the brewery at its current location without any need.
Founded in 1831 by Justus Hildebrand in the Hahn district of Pfungstadt with an annual output of 200 hectoliters, the old brewery premises soon became too small, which is why the founding family moved to the current location in 1846 and were already brewing 13,000 hectoliters of beer back then. The brewery continued to grow and was constantly being expanded.
Two owners
On average, around 235,000 hectoliters have left the brewery in recent years, which, however, has gotten into financial difficulties in recent years and should be saved with a protective shield procedure. And that’s where the problem begins.
The property was sold to the company Conceptaplan from Dossenheim. The investor for the property is Dietmar Hopp, co-founder of the largest German IT company SAP, patron of the Bundesliga soccer club TSG Hoffenheim and one of the richest citizens in the country. However, Conceptaplan had no interest in the brewery and sold it on to the Seeheim-Jugenheim entrepreneur Uwe Lauer, who in the meantime had also incorporated the private brewery Michelbräu from Babenhausen.
brewing or living
Lauer only had a usage contract for the previous location that was limited to the end of 2023 and, according to Conceptaplan, should build a new brewery in the Pfungstadt industrial area or at least move large parts there – but Lauer would like to stay at the original location. But that is obviously not compatible with the intention to develop a residential area there.
Conceptaplan doesn’t want to or can’t do without the brewery entirely, because some buildings are now listed buildings and must be preserved. The project developers would like to make gastronomic offers there, and a brew kettle in which beer is brewed could also be located there. The Schalander, brewhouse and machine house, hop tower and a residential building on Eberstädter Strasse and the villa in the garden on Mühlstrasse are among the objects that are protected. According to Conceptaplan, everything else should be demolished and make way for apartments.
Thomas Grimann, project developer of Conceptaplan, emphasizes the intention to come to an agreement with brewery owner Uwe Lauer. However, leaving the entire brewery on the site is not an option. But a show brewery would have been possible. But the thread of conversation to Lauer was broken. “We are currently not holding any talks.” Endrick Lankau, the lawyer for the Pfungstadt brewery, confirmed that talks with the property owner had come to a standstill. Should there be a new development, we will talk to each other again.
