Luxembourg Breweries
styles - history - beers


Introduction
This page lists all the breweries currently active in Luxembourg and all the beers they brew.

OK, so it hasn't exactly been my greatest challenge. But I hope that this guide is, like Luxembourg itself, small but perfectly formed.
Index
Luxembourg brewing industry
Luxembourg beer satistics
Luxembourg beer styles
Luxembourg Breweries
The Luxembourg brewing industry

The Grand-Duchy has a very respectable number of breweries, given its tiny size. Of course, the multinationals (in the form of Interbrew) have got control of the lion's share of the market.

During the 1970's and 80's more than 600,000 hl were brewed each year, with a peak of over 800,000 hl in 1976. Since then, it's been all downhill. In the new millenium, beer production has dropped below 400,000 hl for the first time since the late 1950's. I can't see how it can ever get much higher again.

On a brighter note, the appearance of new brewpubs has bumped up the number of breweries. I suspect that this will be the future of Luxembourg brewing. Let's be honest, 7 breweries isn't all that bad for a country with a population of only 400,000 or so.

This is how the 7 active breweries can be classified:

Brewery No. Details
Interbrew 1 Owns Mousel-Diekirch.
Independents 3 Battin, Bofferding, Simon. (Though Battin will cease brewing in late 2004.)
Brewpubs 3 Beierhaascht, Cornelyshoff, Redange.
Microbreweries 0 To be honest, the independent breweries are of microbrewery size. No new micros, though.

Luxembourg beer styles

Luxembourg, no doubt influenced by the influx of beers from the East, moved over to bottom-fermentation much earlier than Belgium. By 1872, 27 of its 32 breweries had already made the switch to lager. By 1900 the last brewery had given up top-fermentation.

Which explains why Luxembourg is fairly dull in comparison to Belgium when it comes to beer styles. There's pale lager, some more pale lager and, if you're very lucky, a dark lager. These beers do not differ greatly from those brewed in Germany.

Style alc. description
Pilsner 4.8% The standard very pale, slightly hoppy sort of crap sold everywhere. OK, I haven't drunk it for a while, but it was pretty dull, if I recall.
Donkel 5.2% A lightly-hopped dark lager. Not as interesting as it sounds.
Vienna 5.1% Amber lager. One beer of this type, Diekirch Grand Cru Ambrée.
Gezwieckelte 4.8% An unfiltered version of the pils.
Spezialbier Hell 5.2 - 5.5% Stronger pale lagers. Sorry to be a bit vague about the style.
Spezialbier Dunkel 5.5% Stronger dark lager. Chrismtas beers.
Bock 6.9% There is one beer of this description (Diekirch Grande Réserve), which I've called a dark bock. I could be wrong.
Top-fermented beers various Brewpubs produce wheat beer, stout, rye beer. A bit of variety in lager-land.

Brewers' Trade Organisation

Fédération des Brasseurs Luxembourgeois
Rue Alcide de Gaspéri, 7
B.P. 1304
1013 Luxembourg - Kirchberg
Tel. : (352) 43 53 66 1
Fax : (352) 43 23 28
Président : Raymond MARTIN
Directeur : Nicolas SOISSON
Email: fed.brasseurs@fedil.lu
http://www.fedil.lu/
 



Luxembourg Breweries
Statistics


1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
production (hl) 569,000 558,000 531,000 518,000 484,000 481,000# 424,090*
469,000# 		449,597+ 438,423+ 396,676+ 386,021+
exports (hl)         120,000a 132,625+ 124,058+
128,000a 		116,912+ 155,000a
24%+		 115,005+ 83,699+
imports (hl)         120,000a   146,000+
135,000a 		105,434*
30.14%+
151,000a 		208,000a 113,329*
167,000a 		81,005*
consumption (hl)           468,838+ 446,032+ 438,119+ 418,239+ 395,000+ 383,327+
consumption per head (litres)   104@ 104.2@ 99.4& 114 119$ 108+ 110+ 104+ 101+ 98+
Sources:
+ FEDIL
# Brauwelt Brevier 2000
@ The Confederation of Belgian Brewers.
& Economics Department, German Brewers' Association.
$ Brauwelt Brevier 2000
a The Brewers of Europe (2003)

Notes:
* calculated from the other figures


Beer sales by package
  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
bottles 219,768 194,078 179,889 171,617 151,994 142,107
- returnable 153,893 141,603 124,441 118,682 112,549 102,744
- non-returnable 65,875 52,473 45,448 52,935 39,445 39,363
draught 240,449 237,143 238,410 227,452 217,504 211,290
cans 8,621 14,811 19,820 19,170 25,502 29,930
total consump. 468,838 446,032 438,119 418,239 395,000 383,327
Source:
FEDIL

Notes:
* calculated from the other figures


Historical statistics 1815 - 1918
  1815 1840 1851 1858 1859 1860 1863 1865 1866 1870 1872 1874 1875 1876 1877 1880 1883 1884 1885 1887 1888 1889 1900 1901 1910 1913 1918
no. breweries 16* 24* 24* 35* 33* 28* 36* 34* 35* 29* 32*
BF 27*
TF 5*		 29* 27* 26* 23* 29* 18* 17* 16* 15* 14* 15* 12*
BF 11*
TF 1* 		11* 11* 11* 11*
beer production (hl) 48,000* 15,552* 25,000* 37,000*       58,000*     80,000*           90,000*     90,000*     174,000*     218,000* 50,000*
consumption per head (litres)   8*                                   42*           127* 19*
bottom fermenting beer production (hl)                                     5,000 - 6,000*                
Source:
* "Onse Be'er is Gudd" Editions Schortgen (ISBN 2-87953-010-5, 1993) p. 29, p.30, p.31, p.32, p.33, p.34, p.100

Notes:
BF - Bottom-fermenting
TF - Top-fermenting


Historical statistics 1919 - 1990
  1919 1921 1923 1926 1930 1937 1938 1945 1951 1964 1970 1971 1976 1977 1989 1975 1976 1980 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
no. breweries 11* 11* 10* 10*   12*     11* 10* 9* 8 7* 6* 5*                      
beer production (hl) 100,000* 211,000   326,000* 560,000*   424,000* 76,000*                   729,000       732,000#        
consumption per head (litres)                               128* 129@   121.8+ 120.7+ 120+ 172# 106+ 117+ 118+ 121*
net exports       80,000*                                            
Source:
* "Onse Be'er is Gudd" Editions Schortgen (ISBN 2-87953-010-5, 1993) p.33, p.35, p.100
# Larousse la bière
@ World Guide to Beer, Michael Jackson
+ Bier in Belgie, Geert van Lierde





What do my scores mean?
< 25 positively unpleasant
25 - 40 has its faults
40-50 OK
50-60 reasonably good
60-70 above average - definitely worth trying
70-80 excellent - worth hunting for
80 > world class - you must try it


Luxemburg Breweries
Listings



Brasserie Battin
Boulevard J-F Kennedy 20,
4170 Esch sur Alzette.
Tel: +352-540353
Fax: +352-540420
Email:
Homepage: http://www.

Founded: 1937
Annual production: 12,000 hl

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Battin Edelpils 4.8% Pils.  
Battin Gambrinus 5.2% Pale lager - Spezial.  
Battin Donkel 5.2% Dark lager.  
Battin Urtyp 5.5% Pils  
Battin Christmas 5.5% Dark lager. Seasonal - Christmas.  

Independent brewery. Since 2002 some beers have been brewed by Bofferding. After September 2004 all the beers will be brewed by Bofferding.


Restaurant Beierhaascht
avenue de Luxembourg 240,
4940 Bascharge.
Tel: +352 26 50 85-403
Fax: +352 26 50 85-410
Email: info@beierhaascht.lu
Homepage: http://www.beierhaascht.lu/

Founded: 2002
Annual production: 1,200 hl (2003)

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Bière Blonde 5% Pale lager. Unfiltered.  
Bière Brune 5.5% Dark lager. Unfiltered.  
Bière Meeschterbéier 5% Pale lager. Seasonal -  
Bière d'hiver 5% Dark lager. Unfiltered. Seasonal - Winter.  
Bière au froment claire 6% Pale wheat beer. Seasonal - Summer. Unfiltered.  
Bière au froment brune
   Dark wheat beer. Seasonal -  

Brewpub. Also a hotel.


Brasserie Bofferding
Bd J.F. Kennedy 2,
4901 Bascharage.
Tel: 2363 641
Fax:
Email: direction@bofferding.lu
Homepage: http://www.bofferding.lu/

Founded: 1842
Annual production: 168,000 hl (2003)

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Bofferding Lager 4.8% Pils.  
Fréijoers Béier 4.8% Unfiltered pale lager.  
Hausbéier 5.2% Pale lager - Spezial.  
Christmas Béier 5% Dark lager. Seasonal - Christmas.  
Gréngen Antigel 40% Beer schnapps.  

Independent brewery. It has the typical range of established Luxemburg breweries - lager, lager, lager, mostly pale.

Here's how the brewery's output has moved up and down over the decades.

Year production (hl)
1856 16,000
1929 82,000
1962 42,000
1972 60,000
1973 70,000
Source:
Bofferding website



Cornelyshaff
Maison 37,
9753 Heinerscheid.
Tel: +352 26 90 75 20
Fax:
Email:
Homepage: http://www.cornelyshaff.lu/cornelyshaff.htm

Founded: 2003
Annual production: 800 hl

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Héngeschter 4.2% Pils (bottom-fermented). Unfiltered.  
Kornelysbéier 4.2% Top-fermented rye beer. Unfiltered.  
Wäissen Ourdaller 4.6% Top-fermented wheat beer. Unfiltered.  
Wëllen Ourdaller 6.8% Amber top-fermented beer. Brewed partly from buckwheat. Unfiltered.  

Brewpub and hotel.

Opening times:
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-24:00.


Brasserie de Luxembourg Mousel-Diekirch SA
1 rue de la Brasserie,
9214 Diekirch.
Tel: 802131
Fax: 803923
Email:
Homepage: http://www.mouseldiekirch.lu/.

Founded: 1871
Annual production: 250,000

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Diekirch Premium 4.8% Pils.  
Diekirch Exclusive 5.1% Pale lager.  
Diekirch Grand Cru Ambrée 5.1% Amber Lager.  
Diekirch Grande Réserve 6.9% Dark bock.  
Mousel Premium Pils 4.8% Pils.  
Mousel Gezwieckelte Bier 4.8% An unfiltered version of the pils.  

Owned by Interbrew. Has 47% (2003) of the Luxemburg market.

Mousel and Diekirch merged June 2000 and production of all beers was moved to the Diekirch brewery.

Year production (hl)
1872 12,000
1880 20,000
1883 36,000 (10,000 export) 40% of Lux. production
Source:
* "Onse Be'er is Gudd" Editions Schortgen (ISBN 2-87953-010-5, 1993) p.32



Brasserie de Redange
Grand Rue 61,
8150 Redange.
Tel: +352 629311
Fax:
Email: bully@pt.lu
Homepage: http://www.

Founded: 2000 *** CLOSED 2005 ***
Annual production: 3,000 hl

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Okult No.1 Blanche 5.4% Witbier. Unfiltered.  
Okult No.2 Rousse 5.4% Unfiltered amber ale.  
Okult No.3 Blonde 5.4% Blond ale. Unfiltered.  
Okult Quaffit Stout 6.2% Stout. Unfiltered.  
Okult Meebock   Pale bock. Unfiltered.  

Brewpub.


Brasserie Simon
rue Joseph Simon 14,
9550 Wiltz.
Tel: +352 95 80 15 1
Fax: +352 95 90 85
Email: simon@simonpils.com
Homepage: http://www.brasseriesimon.lu/

Founded: 1824
Annual production: 23,000 hl

Beer alc Description Score (100)
Simon Dinkel 4.5% Pale lager. Unfiltered. Brewed from 70% barley and 30% spelt.  
Simon Pils 4.8% Pils. The brewery claims it's brewed to a recipe from 1824 - so they beat Pilsen by 18 years in making the first pale lager? I don't think so. Why do breweries make such stupid claims?  
Simon Prestige   Pale lager.  
Simon Régal 5.5% Pale lager - Spezial.  
Simon Noël 7% Dark lager. Seasonal - Christmas.  

Independent brewery.



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© Ron Pattinson 2004