Franconian beer tradition

Brewery Greif, Forchheim

“Bierfranken” is famous for its large variety of beer styles and breweries. Hundreds of family breweries and small-scale breweries produce local specialties and help preserve this cultural asset also in the future.

The Brewery Josef Greif is run by one of those passionate brewing families. The Franconian brewery, located in Forchheim, can look back on over 150 years of brewing tradition. Founded in 1848 in the “Kapuzinerwirt” by Josef Greif, the brewery was successful right from the start. After some decades the premises became too small and in 1928 Greif acquired the “Eiskeller” in Forchheim.

In 1953 the brewery eventually moved into bigger and more modern premises. Greif invested in innovation and continuous expansion. By the beginning of the 1990s, a new Sudhaus, a fermentation cellar, a storage cellar and a new storehouse had been built. Greif also invested in the latest technology such as filtration and a brew water softening system without chemical elements, but also in a new bottle cleaning plant.

“We are very pleased with our business development”, says today’s person in charge Christian Schuster.

The brewery with the red mythical creature in its coat of arms has, so to speak, brewed itself into the hearts of the locals. Greif’s products have become an integral part of the local community, be it in the many restaurants, taverns and beer gardens or at the popular “fests” of the region.

“In our case, the installation of the tanks was very challenging. The space was very narrow. Luckily, one of Speidel’s staff members was present during the entire time and helped actively. I had not expected so much commitment.”

Although the Greif enterprise is only a local family brewery, it distinguishes itself - in “good ole Franconian beer tradition” – by a broad range of products which include bock beer, wheat beer, the typical local pale ale, dark and unfiltered beers as well as top-fermented and bottom-fermented beers, beer melanges and special brews like the “Annafestbier” or the “Capitulare”, the latter of which was brewed for the 1.200th anniversary of the city of Forchheim.

Since Greif epitomises the local art of brewing, it comes as no surprise that the brewery is awarded regularly. Besides the many DLG awards, the family business has also received various European Beer Star Awards as well as the Craft Beer Award, the latter of which is granted by an international jury of gourmets and experts.

All together, the company uses five Speidel tanks. “We have chosen Speidel for two reasons. First, Speidel adhered to the delivery date. And second, they convinced us through their price-performance ratio”, Schuster says. “We wanted some additional equipment and Speidel procured it extremely fast. We can only say the best about Speidel. They fully cater to their clients and satisfy their needs.”

The space of the brewery left only little scope for the tanks. “I myself would not have been confident enough to coordinate their installation”, Schuster admits. “Luckily, one of Speidel’s staff members was present during the entire time and helped actively. I had not expected so much commitment. It was amazing.”

More than anything, the brewer praises the overall quality of the tanks. They have “fulfilled all our expectations. In particular, I want to emphasise how easy the cleaning of the tanks is. The tanks do exactly what they are supposed to.”

www.brauerei-greif.de
Client story as PDF

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