Licher Brewery

Founding and beginnings

In 1854, brewer Johann Heinrich Ihring launched the J.H. Ihring Brewery in Lich am Hardtberg, a spot with a natural spring and a fermentation cellar used for chilling beer. Before that, his father had been supplying beer to guests at his own guesthouse, "Zum goldenen Löwen" ("The Golden Lion"). Starting in 1873, a 6 HP motor powered the steam-brewing process, and by the turn of the century the brewery had produced 22,000 hectoliters. In 1911, a single brewery truck handled transport between locations.

Meanwhile, in Butzbach, Christoph Jakob Melchior began running "Zum goldenen Stern" ("The Golden Star") guesthouse in 1858, serving his own home-brewed beer. Three years later, construction of a private brewery started, and soon after a guesthouse called "Zum Gambrinus" ("The Gambrinus") with an outdoor gastronome was built. When Melchior died in 1896, his sons Hermann Melchior and the late Christoph Melchior took over. By the turn of the century, this brewery had produced over 27,000 hectoliters.

Because the two breweries were only 15 km apart, they joined to form the "Union Brauerei" ("Union Brewery"), but World War I forced them to split. In 1922, owners Christoph Melchior and Heinrich Ihring met and worked out a plan to reunite. On February 17, 1922, a deal was struck, creating the "Brauerei Ihring-Melchior." The location was set in Lich, Mittelhesse, on October 1, 1922.

Combined annual production climbed to roughly 60,000 hectoliters. During the wild inflation of the 1920s, the brewery posted a yearly profit of 1,626,239,640,632 Marks. That same year, Heinrich Ihring's son Hans Ihring started an ice-production company, and by 1925/1926 it could produce nearly 25 tons of ice per day, no matter the weather. By 1929, the company had 100 employees.

After the market crash of the late 1920s and early 1930s, production in 1931 sank to a record low of just 44,000 hectoliters. Heinrich Ihring died in 1933, with the company still struggling. By 1938, production had recovered to 80,000 hectoliters, helped by a new bottle-cleaning and filling method. During World War II, the brewery stayed intact and undamaged.

After the war, American occupational forces took control, and the brewery supplied soldiers in the country. In 1948, exports were allowed, and the brewery produced "Doppel-Export" ("Double-Export"), which held a 14% market share. In 1999, Licher bought a portion of "Holstein-Brauerei AG" and later bought the whole company. In 2004, both companies came together under the "Carlsberg-Gruppe," but that unity didn't last long, as ownership rights were repurchased later that same year.

Current business

Since 2004, Licher has worked as partners with König Brewery, a brewery owned by Bitburger. The company operates under DIN/ISO 9001 requirements and meets all the standards of the "International Food Standard" (IFS). The Hessian Umweltministerium (Environment Protection Agency) has recognized the brewery for its extraordinarily clean production process. Since 2006, the two bottling facilities operating under Licher contracts have been capable of producing 115,000 bottles of beer per hour.

During the 1960s, the company's slogan was "Aus dem Herzen von Hessen" ("From the Heart of Hessen"), but in 1970 it was changed to "Licher Bier, aus dem Herzen der Natur" ("Licher Beer, From the Heart of Nature"). By the mid-1980s, Licher had become one of the favored beer brands for U.S. forces in Hessen, with sales in posts across the region. The brand could be found in Enlisted, Non-Commissioned, and Officer Clubs on tap and by bottle, as well as at PXs and commissaries.

The brewery frequently hosted "friendship" tours for nearby units, each visit ending with soldiers getting to sample Licher beers in breadth and depth.

Products

In 2006, the brewery produced 780,000 hectoliters of beer using water from a deep natural spring and the highest quality wheat. Current beers and drinks from Licher include "Licher Premium Pilsener," "Licher Export," "Licher Alkoholfrei" (Alcohol-Free), "Licher Leicht" (Low-carb beer), "Licher x² Cola" (a drink containing 40% Pilsener beer and 60% cola), "Licher x² Fresh Lemon" (half Pilsener beer and half lemonade), and "Licher Radler" (similar to Fresh Lemon but with added citrus flavour and a more subtle lemon taste). In 2006, a new variety was added: "Licher Weizen Hefe Hell" (Light Wheat Beer). In 2007, another alcohol-free Pilsener variety was introduced, along with a seasonal brew called "Doppelbock." Starting in 2010, the brewery began producing "Licher x² Energy" (a drink containing 40% Pilsener beer and 60% energy drink).