Ur-Krostitzer
Brewing since 1534 near Leipzig, with a royal legend.
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Ur-Krostitzer is a beer brand that originates from Krostitz, a village near Leipzig, Germany. The brand’s trademark is a portrait of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. According to legend, during the Thirty Years’ War in 1632, the king stopped in Krostitz on his way to Leipzig and asked the local master brewer for a refreshing drink. As a token of his high regard, he is said to have given the brewer a golden ring.
The brewery’s brewing privilege dates back to 1534, when Duke Georg von Sachsen granted it to Hans Wahl at the Crostitz manor. By 1738, the brewery was producing barley beer (Braunbier). In 1803, it also brewed malt liquor (Doppelbier) and Kovent, a low-alcohol beer made from leftover wort. The brewery and malt house were completely rebuilt between 1867 and 1876, with another remodeling from 1894 to 1899.
Beer sales grew steadily, reaching 90,352 hectoliters in 1899, when the brewery employed 200 people. In Leipzig, 84 restaurants and 110 beer stores carried Crostitzer Lagerbier, Dunkel, Bohemian-style beer, and seasonal Bock or Märzenbier. The name Ur-Krostitzer was first used in 1904.
During the GDR period, the brewery was nationalized. In 1990, it became part of the Radeberg Group, and since then numerous new constructions and conversions have taken place. Today, the brewery produces a Schwarzbier based on a recipe from an old brewing manual, as well as an off-dry Pilsner.
Since 2004, to mark the brewery’s 470-year anniversary, the Ur-Krostitzer Jahresring has been awarded to amateur historians who study the history of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. In 2006, the brewery employed 112 people, produced around 374,000 hectoliters of beer, and supplied roughly 2,600 gastronomic establishments. In 2020, the company released its first non-alcoholic beer. In the summer of 2025, brewery employees went on strike to improve working conditions.
The brewery has operated under several corporate names: Bierbrauerei Klein-Crostitz F. Oberlaender OHG (1878), Bierbrauerei Kleincrostitz F. Oberländer A. G. (1907), Brauerei Krostitz AG (1937), VEB Brauerei Krostitz (1949), and Krostitzer Brauerei GmbH (1990).
Lore & Background
The brewery's brewing privilege was granted in 1534 by Duke Georg von Sachsen to Hans Wahl on the Crostitz manor. In 1738 the brewery sold barley beer (Braunbier). By 1803 it also brewed malt liquor (Doppelbier) and Kovent, a low-alcohol beer made from leftover wort. The brewery and malt house were completely rebuilt from 1867 to 1876, with another remodeling between 1894 and 1899.
Sales rose steadily, reaching 90,352 hl in 1899 with a staff of 200. In Leipzig, 84 restaurants and 110 beer stores sourced Crostitzer Lagerbier, Dunkel, Bohemian style, and seasonally Bock or Märzenbier. The term Ur-Krostitzer was first used in 1904. After nationalization during the GDR period, the brewery became part of the Radeberg Group in 1990, followed by numerous new constructions and conversions.
Today the brewery produces Schwarzbier according to an old brewing manual recipe and an off-dry Pilsner. In 2006 it employed 112 people, produced around 374,000 hl, and supplied roughly 2,600 gastronomical institutions. Its first non-alcoholic beer was released in 2020. In summer 2025, employees went on strike to improve working conditions.
Reader's Guide
Ur-Krostitzer's significance lies in its long continuous brewing history, dating from a 1534 brewing privilege, and its enduring association with a legendary visit by King Gustav II Adolf in 1632. The brand name itself, introduced in 1904, became a regional staple, with extensive distribution in Leipzig by the late 19th century. The brewery's survival through nationalization and its integration into the Radeberg Group after German reunification allowed it to modernize while maintaining traditional recipes, such as the Schwarzbier from an old manual.
The Ur-Krostitzer Jahresring award, established in 2004 for the 470-year anniversary, recognizes amateur historians of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, linking the brewery to regional heritage. The 2025 strike highlights ongoing labor dynamics. The brewery's corporate names reflect its evolution from a private partnership to a public company, a state-owned enterprise, and finally a GmbH.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Ur-Krostitzer (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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