The region of Lower Saxony and the town of Einbeck in particular dominated the European beer market during the fourteenth century, when the Hanseatic League helped distribute Einbeck's bock beer throughout Northern Europe. The Einbecker Brewery is the only remaining brewery from that tradition, and was already in operation in 1378: the first city record in Einbeck that mentions beer dates from 28 April 1378, and refers to the sale of two casks of beer to the town of Celle, some 80 miles away. The brewery claims the tradition with a legend above the door, Ohne Einbeck gäb's kein Bockbier. Notable drinkers of Einbecker include, reportedly, Martin Luther, who was given a cask of it before the 1521 trial where he was to be excommunicated, and supposedly praised it in a two-line doggerel verse. Einbeck's dominance lasted until the Thirty Years' War. Brewing rights in Einbeck were owned by the city, and brewing operations were consolidated in 1794 in a publicly owned city brewery, from then on the sole brewery in the city. Its beer was first bottled in 1884, in the "distinctive low-shouldered bottle" that the company still uses. The brewery, which had taken over two other regional breweries, merged into the brewing consortium Brau und Brunnen. Einbecker produced 850,000 hectoliters per year and employed 200 people.
Products
Einbecker Brewery produces three "original" bocks, but its best-selling beer is a pilsner, Brauherren Pils. Like the Czech beerPilsner Urquell, Einbecker is considered "original" enough to warrant the designation Ur, or "original," which it carries in all of its bocks. In 2018, the brewery offers and .
Ainpöckisch Bier 1378, an unfiltered doppelbock, 6.7%. - This is an attempted recreation of the 14th century hit, promoted as "Martin Luthers most beloved beer".
seasonal:
Ur-Bock-Mai, a Maibock, 6.5%
Winter-Bock, a doppelbock, 7.5% and the strongest they brew
Pilsner
Brauherren Pils, 4.8%
Premium Pils, 4.9%
Other
Dunkel, a dark malty lager, 5.3%.
Landbier Spezial, an amber lager with noted hops, 5.2%
Weihnachtsbier, an amber lager, 5.3%. This X-mas beer is available in December only.
Kellerbier, an amber lager, unfiltered, 4.8%.
Radler, the Brauherren Pils above mixed with citrus juices, 2.5%.
