Krombacher Brauerei is one of the largest privately owned breweries in Germany and ranks number 2 among Germany's best selling beers.[3]
History
The brewery was founded on 4 February 1803 by Johannes Haas. His father Johann Eberhard Haas was running a tavern in Krombach. According to a regulation of 25 July 1618 the sale of beer was permitted only to restaurants having their own brewery and malt kiln. Therefore, Johannes Haas established the brewery within the family business.
The water for the brewery (Hasbrauerei) was first brought in barrels from a spring at the foot of Grumberg in the west of the village by ox cart to the brewery. In 1854, the brewery owner Haas had to pay annually 17 guilders (Florin) to the church, because the water pipeline was constructed on church property in the village.
The relocation to its current site is estimated to have occurred between 1858 and 1879/82. In that time, two caverns were created that served as beer cellars.
In 1896, Hermann Haas sold the brewery for 360.000 marks to Otto Eberhardt († 17 August 1924). Eberhardt ran the brewery as a limited partnership called "Hasbrauerei Eberhardt and Co." and converted it to a corporation in 1905.
At the beginning of the 20th century, "Krombacher Pilsener" was introduced, which led to a rapid recovery. In October 1922, Bernhard Schadeberg (the grandfather of current CEO Bernhard Schadeberg) assumed the management of the company, which has been running as a family business to this day.