Environmental Protection and Sustainability at Hofbräu Munich
Economic and ecological actions are not opposites for Hofbräu Munich. Instead, we strive for a balance between long-term economic success and a continuous process of ecological improvement. We have been EMAS validated since 2001 and have implemented numerous measures to reduce CO2 and other sustainability projects over the past 20 years:
Download Umwelterklärung 2022ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WITH A SYSTEM
Strategic decisions by the brewery, continuous modernization measures, conscious and economical resource use, as well as compensation projects allow us to produce with even greater environmental awareness. Discover selected examples of our environmental commitment through the golden hot spots:
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Own Deep Well
When brewing beer, water of exceptional quality is the most important ingredient. We use only brewing water from our own 150-meter-deep well for our beers.
Energy
Photovoltaic System
In 2015, a photovoltaic system for electricity generation was put into operation, producing 20,000 kWh of electricity by 2016.
Energy
New Bottle Washing Machine
The purchase of a new bottle washing machine in 2012 resulted in significant savings in heat, electricity, and water consumption. The use of caustic soda and other cleaning and disinfecting agents was also greatly reduced.
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New Reusable Crate Wins Environmental Award
The new reusable crate for 24 x 0.33 l bottles, introduced in 2017, has won the Reusable Innovations Award from Deutsche Umwelthilfe and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg.
Energy
Diesel Savings Fleet of Trucks
With the acquisition of new trucks in 2017, diesel consumption in our fleet was reduced.
Resources
Hops from the Bavarian Hallertau
"Green Gold" imparts the distinctive aroma to our beers. Regionality and short supply chains are important to us. Therefore, we source our hop varieties from the nearby Hallertau, the world’s largest contiguous hop-growing region.
Organization
CO2 Footprint
In 2011, Hofbräu München was the first brewery worldwide to measure the greenhouse gas emissions of beer across the entire value chain, from field to glass.
Energy
Brewhouse Renovation
With the brewhouse renovation in 2019, in addition to a new lauter tun and a modern wort boiling system, a new wet milling machine was also integrated, and the heat recovery system was updated. This allowed us to reduce overall evaporation. Additionally, we installed the world’s most advanced energy measurement system in a brewery.
Energy
Three-Stage Boiler
With the new efficient three-stage boiler, we no longer use heating oil for steam generation during regular operation. This significantly reduces our CO2 emissions and the emission of pollutants.
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CO2 Emissions
All environmental measures have led to a 70 percent reduction in CO2 emissions.
Organization
EMAS Certified
Since 2001, Hofbräu München has been certified under EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). With this world’s most demanding environmental management system, we connect business and environmental protection in a forward-thinking and sustainable manner.
Energy
Hybrid Cars
In 2017, we acquired our first hybrid vehicles for field service. Since 2020, a pilot project with a hydrogen hybrid as a pool vehicle has been underway.
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Insect Hotel
To further promote biodiversity and take a stand against insect decline, we installed a large insect hotel on the brewery premises in 2018.
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Brewing Wheat from Water Protection Areas in Lower Franconia
Since 2007, we have sourced our brewing wheat from water protection areas in Lower Franconia. The reduced use of fertilizers helps protect groundwater and reduce climate gases.
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Green Roofs for Greater Biodiversity
In 2019, we greened our brewery roofs. A large portion of the roofs was planted with a special seed mix to serve as a forage for bees.
Organization
Hofbräu München aims for profitable growth while continuously improving its environmental protection measures. The origin of our environmental management system is the EMAS validation (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme). From the CO2 footprint determined in 2011, we developed our climate strategy. Hofbräu München is also a member of the Umweltpakt Bayern and B.A.U.M. e.V., the German Business Association for Environmentally Conscious Management.
Energy
Many energy savings come from technical optimizations such as the renovation of the brewhouse, the renewal of the bottle washing system, and the steam boiler. We have switched 100% to green electricity and LED lighting, drastically reduced overall electricity consumption, and generate our own power with a photovoltaic system. New trucks also help to reduce diesel consumption.
Resources
Hofbräu München places great importance on resource-efficient and sustainable use of raw materials. True to the motto “Avoid – Reduce – Compensate,” we have been offsetting parts of our CO2 emissions through regional climate protection projects since 2017. The rewetting of the “Weitmoos south of Schleinsee” moor with the Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund in 2017 marked our starting point. In 2019, we began supporting projects for soil humus development and CO2 sequestration on Bavarian farmland. All environmental measures at the brewery have led to a 70 percent reduction in CO2 emissions over the past years.