Germany's Eichbaum brewery produces last beer after 350 years operation

The insolvent Eichbaum brewery in Germany has brewed its last beer after almost 350 years, the company in the western city of Mannheim said on Thursday, reported dpa.

Production halted on September 30 and operational activities will end by December 31 at the latest, it added.

The shutdown affects 181 jobs. A redundancy agreement and a social plan have been reached between management and the works council for affected employees.

The brewery's own records show it was founded in 1679.

According to earlier reports, the Park & Bellheimer brewery is set to take over the brand from the long-established Mannheim brewery.

Eichbaum beers will continue to be available in the hospitality sector, specialist drinks wholesalers and food retailers. The Eichbaum brand business will be consolidated within Eichbaum-Vertriebs GmbH, based in Mannheim.

The brewery filed for insolvency proceedings under self-administration at the end of October 2025. Export revenues had fallen and domestic demand had also declined, leading to a liquidity shortfall.

Eichbaum is not the only long-established brewery facing closure. On Tuesday, Wolters in Brunswick, known as Braunschweig in German, announced that it would brew beer only until the end of the year. Efforts are also under way to preserve the brand.

Germany's Federal Statistical Office reported in early February that the country's beer market had contracted more sharply last year than at any time since reunification.