Beer manager: Erdinger Brewery pioneer Werner Brombach dies
He was the pioneer of wheat beer: Since the 1960s, the entrepreneur has made the top-fermented specialty from Bavaria a popular drink around the world. Now he has died at the age of 86.
Werner Brombach, a leading German brewery owner, has passed away at the age of 86 after a brief illness, according to the Erdinger Weißbräu brewery in Erding. The "Munich Mercury" was the first to report his death. Brombach transferred his company to a family foundation last year. The brewery had grown tremendously from the 40,000 hectoliters per year produced by his father in the 1960s to around 1.5 million hectoliters.
Brombach was the first brewer to successfully export the regional Bavarian Weißbräu beyond the state borders, creating a beer culture that has since spread far beyond Germany, even featuring popular figures like Franz Beckenbauer, Thomas Müller, and the former biathlete Magdalena Neuner in its advertisements. Walter Berizzi, deputy chairman of the WernerBrombach family foundation, praised Brombach for his homegrown spirit, ground-level approach, pioneering mindset, and visionary leadership.
He was a national and international figure who led the brewery right up until the end and took care of his employees. Bayern's Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) called Brombach an "exceptional brewer," as his Erdinger Weißbier created a world-famous brand that is still brewed only at its Bavarian site. Recognizing his innovation and foresight, Söder described Brombach as one of the most successful and innovative brewers of his time.
The state of Bavaria will honor him with a respectful memorial. Erdinger Weißbräu continues to be brewed exclusively at the Erding site, now exporting the beer to over 100 countries worldwide.
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