Brinkhoff’s No. 1 has never been just another beer – and that’s exactly the point.
Born from boldness and brewed with character, Brinkhoff’s stands apart. It’s not just its taste that’s unique – it’s the story behind it. Back in 1887, Brinkhoff’s wasn’t crafted by careful planning, but by a twist of fate. And ever since, it’s been proud to go its own way. This is no ordinary beer. It’s a beer with a story. One we’re proud to share with the world.
Brinkhoff's Brewery Dortmund in Germany
As real as seeing the big picture.
19th Century
As authentic as the most beautiful stories tell.
The story of Brinkhoff’s reaches back to the 19th century to a small bakery enclosed with an adjoining taproom and its own little brewery. It was located on the upper Westenhellweg in Dortmund and was called “Zum weißen Pferd”. That’s where Brinkhoff’s journey started – not in a factory, but in a place full of life, craft, and character.
It all starts with the birth of Fritz Brinkhoff in 1848 in the heart of the Ruhr region. He was practically born with his love for beer, as many generations of his family ran their own malt house. He learned the craft of brewing at the Brand brewery in Barmen and after completing his training, he moved to the former Löwen brewery in Dortmund, among others.
As Dortmund's first master brewer, he not only developed the so-called pale beer type, but also introduced it on a large scale. In addition to the constant further development of his beer, he did not miss the opportunity to go out on the road himself to continuously increase sales and the availability of his beer. It was not least due to this tireless commitment that Fritz Brinkhoff managed to get his beer on everyone's lips in a very short time – and still is today.
Two wealthy partners bought into the brewery and founded the Struck & Companie brewery. One of the two new partners, Heinrich-Leonhard Brügman, knew about the good reputation of master brewer Fritz Brinkhoff from the former Löwen brewery. He managed to hire him as the technical manager – on terms that were not exactly common at the time. This was because Fritz Brinkhoff negotiated a revenue share of 25 pfennigs per hectoliter (= hl, a unit of volume equal to 100 liters) of beer in addition to his fairly decent salary.
Business was so good that the company had to move outside the city limits just two years after it was founded to have enough space to expand.
In order to have more financial possibilities, the “Dortmunder Union-Brauerei Actiengesellschaft” (Dortmunder Union) was founded on January 30th, 1873. Within just 15 years, the annual beer output grew to 75,000 hectoliters.
The actual birth of Brinkhoff's No. 1: A so-called “wrong brew” made from pale malt was accidentally sent to a customer in Aachen. But rather unexpectedly, the new brew proved to be a great success. The pale beer type was born and thus the basis on which Fritz Brinkhoff developed Brinkhoff's No. 1 as we know it today. He benefited from the knowledge he had acquired during his travels through the Pilsen region.
20th Century
As real as making the impossible possible.
By then, annual production had already reached 194,000 hectoliters – and demand kept climbing. In the years leading up to the First World War, output soared to over a quarter of a million hectoliters per year. To keep up with this rapid growth, the brewery expanded its reach by acquiring several smaller breweries in the surrounding region.
Dortmund's Union Brewery reached the magic mark of 1 million hectoliters of beer output per year. However, the subsequent global economic crisis halted the upswing. In addition, three quarters of the brewery plant was destroyed during the Second World War.
After difficult reconstructions, the Union Brewery was the first German brewery to achieve an output volume of 1 million hectoliters per year.
As sales of non-alcoholic beverages increased over the years, Union-Brauerei became Brau und Brunnen AG. This made it the largest beverage supplier in Germany.
Brinkhoff's advertised nationally and on a grand scale for the first time and engaged the German racing driver Jochen Mass as a testimonial. Under the slogan “With the No. 1 on the number 1”, Brinkhoff's entered completely new dimensions and expanded its brand awareness beyond the borders of the Ruhr region.
21st Century
As genuine as staying true to yourself.
After moving to a new location in 1994, it was not only possible to increase capacity significantly. In 2002, the company was officially renamed the Brinkhoff Brewery.
Brau und Brunnen AG, and therefore also Brinkhoff's No. 1, become part of the Radeberger Gruppe, which stands not only for the preservation of German beer culture, but above all for regionality and quality at 14 locations.
The Brinkhoff's mixed drinks, such as the Brinkhoff’s Radler Naturally Cloudy, are introduced.
A great partnership takes its course: Brinkhoff's becomes the official Champion Partner of BVB in Germany and experiences BVB's return to Germany's number one soccer team.
Brinkhoff’s Alcohol-Free 0.0 % is appearing on the market with its first container and now offers a regional alternative in the constantly growing field of non-alcoholic beers.
Today, Brinkhoff’s is enjoyed not only in its home region of the Ruhr area but also successfully distributed in the UK. With LWC, we’ve found a dynamic distribution partner who actively promotes our brand within the hospitality sector, enhancing its presence and authenticity in social drinking environments.
