# German brewery crisis deepens Aug 2026 > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/halberstdter-sausage-brand-insolvency > Updated: 2026-08-04T18:24:26.000Z. Sources: 62. Developments: 12. The insolvency wave that began early 2025 has continued to grip Germany’s brewing sector. Historic breweries such as Hofbrauhaus Wolters filed multiple insolvency petitions in June and July, culminating in a bankruptcy filing on 28 June. Its subsidiary Colbitzer Heide‑Brauerei entered self‑administration in early July, while Schussenrieder Brauerei Ott and the merged Westheim‑Allersheim breweries also sought court‑appointed protection. Eichbaum, Germany’s oldest privately owned brewer, announced a final shutdown by the end of September 2026, laying off about 240 workers after a failed rescue plan. Industry data released in August confirm the breadth of the crisis. The number of active breweries fell to 1,415 in 2025, 53 fewer than the year before and 137 fewer than in 2019, the lowest level since 2016. Beer sales have dropped 15.7 % since 2019, with 2025 volume estimated at 7.8 million tonnes (≈7.8 billion litres), down from 8.3 billion litres in 2024. Bavaria, the traditional heart of German brewing, still hosts 588 breweries but lost 60 between 2019 and 2025. Rising energy, raw‑material and logistics costs, together with a shift toward non‑alcoholic drinks—one‑third of consumers report abandoning alcoholic beer—are driving the downturn, while demand for non‑alcoholic beer continues to grow rapidly. ## Claims - Alois Rettenmaier GmbH & Co. KG filed for provisional insolvency on 20 July 2026 at the Amtsgericht Aalen. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Heilbronn lawyer Ado Nika was appointed provisional insolvency administrator for Alois Rettenmaier GmbH & Co. KG. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The company employs 23 workers, whose salaries were paid up to June 2026. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The Federal Employment Agency will cover wages for July, August and September 2026 via insolvency benefit. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Production at Alois Rettenmaier GmbH & Co. KG continues unchanged during insolvency proceedings. (corroborated by 4 sources) - No specific cause for the insolvency has been disclosed; a financial review is pending. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Germany had 1,415 active beer breweries in 2025. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The number of breweries fell by 53 in 2025 compared with 2024. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Since 2019, Germany has lost 137 breweries, an 8.8 % decline. (corroborated by 4 sources) - German beer sales fell 15.7 % between 2019 and 2025, reaching about 7.8 billion litres in 2025. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Bavaria retained the highest number of breweries in 2025 with 588, though 60 breweries closed between 2019 and 2025. (corroborated by 4 sources) - More than half of German breweries produce up to 100,000 litres per year. (corroborated by 4 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-04: Germany's beer breweries shrink as 53 close in 2025 and sales hit 15‑year low Germany’s breweries fell to 1,415 in 2025, down 53 from 2024 and 137 since 2019; beer sales dropped 15.7 % to 7.8 bn L, while non‑alcoholic demand rises. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/germanys-beer-industry-shrinks-as-53-breweries-close-consumption-hits-32year-low ### 2026-08-02: German brewery closures surge as beer consumption falls Germany’s brewing industry is shrinking, with historic Eichbaum closing and 240 jobs lost as beer consumption drops and costs rise, leaving only 1,415 breweries in 2025. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-brewery-closures-surge-as-beer-consumption-falls ### 2026-07-30: Westheim and Allersheim Breweries Enter Insolvency Proceedings in Germany Germany’s historic Westheim and Allersheim breweries filed for self‑administration insolvency but will keep producing beer as they restructure amid falling consumption and rising costs. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/westheim-and-allersheim-breweries-enter-insolvency-proceedings-in-germany ### 2026-07-23: German Beer Market Shrinks as Brewers Face Insolvencies Germany's beer consumption fell 6.3% in early 2025, prompting declines at traditional brewers and insolvency filings for Wolters group subsidiaries. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-beer-sector-sees-steep-sales-decline-and-brewing-firm-insolvencies ### 2026-07-18: Historic Eichbaum Brewery in Mannheim shuts after 347 years Germany’s 347‑year‑old Eichbaum brewery in Mannheim will close, ending operations and laying off about 240 workers after failed investor talks and prolonged insolvency. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/historic-eichbaum-brewery-in-mannheim-shuts-after-347-years ### 2026-07-15: Eichbaum Brewery in Mannheim to Close, 240 Jobs Lost Mannheim’s historic Eichbaum brewery, founded in 1679, will shut down after failed rescue efforts, resulting in 240 layoffs; the brand may be taken over by other brewers amid a downturn in German beer sales. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/eichbaum-brewery-in-mannheim-to-close-240-jobs-lost ### 2026-07-13: Eichbaum Brewery to Shut Down, 240 Jobs Lost Germany’s 350‑year‑old Eichbaum Brewery in Mannheim will cease production by September 2026 after failed rescue attempts, eliminating around 240 jobs and prompting union calls for a social plan. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mannheims-eichbaum-brewery-faces-closure-as-rescue-effort-fails ### 2026-07-06: German brewer Hofbrauhaus Wolters and subsidiary Colbitzer file for insolvency Hofbrauhaus Wolters and its subsidiary Colbitzer Heide‑Brauerei entered insolvency in July 2026, underscoring a surge in German brewery failures amid rising corporate bankruptcies. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-brewery-group-wolters-and-subsidiaries-enter-insolvency ### 2026-07-06: German insolvency courts announce measures for dozens of companies, including a Baden‑Württemberg brewery German courts disclosed security measures for dozens of firms across sectors, and the Schussenrieder Brauerei Ott in Baden‑Württemberg entered insolvency, jeopardising about 50 jobs. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-insolvency-courts-announce-measures-for-dozens-of-companies-including-a-badenwrttemberg-brewe ### 2026-06-28: Hofbrauhaus Wolters files for bankruptcy amid rising energy costs and falling beer demand Germany’s historic Hofbrauhaus Wolters, founded in 1627, filed for bankruptcy due to soaring energy costs and a sharp decline in beer consumption, with employees kept on and a shift to non‑alcoholic drinks. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hofbrauhaus-wolters-files-for-bankruptcy-amid-rising-energy-costs-and-falling-beer-demand ### 2026-06-21: Braunschweig’s 400‑Year‑Old Brauerei Wolters Files for Self‑Administered Insolvency Brauerei Wolters, a 400‑year‑old brewery in Braunschweig, has entered self‑administered insolvency due to falling sales and rising costs, but will keep operating and protect staff wages while seeking investors. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/leuna-polyamid-files-for-self-admin-insolvency-brauerei-wolters-follows-in-germany ### 2026-06-19: Hofbrauhaus Wolters in Braunschweig files for insolvency Braunschweig’s 1627‑old Hofbrauhaus Wolters filed for self‑administration insolvency due to falling sales and rising costs, but will keep operating, secure staff wages, and shift toward regional markets and non 15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hofbrauhaus-wolters-files-for-insolvency-in-selfadministration --- Cite as: German brewery crisis deepens Aug 2026. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/halberstdter-sausage-brand-insolvency