Markus Blume, Minister of State for Science and the Arts, and Director Prof. Dr. Josef Schrädler ceremoniously cut the opening ribbon and gave the starting signal for the new cellar, where the beer is already flowing in streams into the tanks.

Minister of State Markus Blume tapped the first beer from the new tanks and emphasized: "O'zapft is - the first time in the brand new lager cellar of the World's Oldest Brewery! From now on, Weihenstephan's liquid gold will be maturing in the new multifunctional 'treasure chamber' of our state brewery to become the wonderful Premium Bavaricum. The combination of ultra-modern brewery infrastructure and traditional brewing craftsmanship makes our Weihenstephaner unique - home and high-tech for sipping and enjoying. And: Weihenstephaner is a strong ambassador for Bavaria in the world: the Bavarian premium beer is being exported in over 60 countries - a real export hit. Cheers to Weihenstephan!"

The brewery was buzzing after the logistics center was built

This first sip in the new Kombikeller was preceded by a journey lasting several years. After all, this project had been planned for some time - as part of Weihenstephan's master plan for the future. After the logistics center, the new dealcoholization plant and the recently installed filtration system, the Kombikeller is the next major project within seven years that was not only started but also completed during this period. After careful consideration, however, the investments were well worth it.

This first sip in the new Kombikeller was preceded by a journey lasting several years. After all, this project had been planned for some time - as part of Weihenstephan's master plan for the future. After the logistics center, the new dealcoholization plant and the recently installed filtration system, the Kombikeller is the next major project within seven years that was not only started but also completed during this period. However, the investments were well chosen after careful consideration: Technical Lead Tobias Zollo and his team subjected the technical processes to a critical review - and identified where there was potential for optimization. The construction of the logistics center freed up space at the brewery, which was quickly taken up by the new facilities and ultimately the new cellar. Everything is now controlled from a newly installed control room. The distances are shorter, the systems are optimally networked and the entire process, from brewing to bottling, is now in the hands of the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan - once all these measures have been completed. External service providers, as was the case a few years ago, are no longer required.

Weihenstephan brewery becomes more flexible

The brewery's director, Prof. Dr. Josef Schrädler, was all the happier at the inauguration: "The new Kombikeller is another big step into the future." With the increased flexibility - after all, all tanks can be used as fermentation, storage and pressure tanks - it is possible to react quickly and efficiently to changes in the market. After all the construction work", explained Prof. Dr. Schrädler, "it is good that there is now some peace and quiet at the Weihenstephaner hill. Although the technical team would certainly like to optimize a corner or two," he said with a smile on his face.

Technical Lead Tobias Zollo praised his team: "These transition phases are never easy for operations. I'm very proud of how all the brewers helped to make the transition as easy as possible." Now they can look forward to a new cellar at the highest technical level.

The picture gallery is constantly being expanded. At the top of the article you will also find the podcast with our Technical Lead Tobias Zollo, in which we talk in detail about the brewery's investments.