Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG

What Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG does

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG is Germany's only state-owned brewery, incorporated as an Aktiengesellschaft under the oversight of the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection of Baden-Württemberg. Operating continuously since 1791 from its single-site brewery in Grafenhausen-Rothaus in the High Black Forest, the company produces a portfolio of beers centered on the flagship Tannenzäpfle Pilsner (celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026), alongside the Weizenzäpfle wheat beer, Schwarzwald Zäpfle naturtrüb, Eiszäpfle, Heller Bock, Fürst-Abt Edel, Tafelbier, radlers, and alcohol-free variants. Core brewing relies on especially soft water from seven natural springs in the Rothaus area, in-house malt processing, and copper kettles. Since 2005, Rothaus has extended into Black Forest Single Malt Whisky production via a strategic partnership with Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch in Karlsruhe, where Master of the Quaich Gerald Erdrich oversees double-distillation of Rothaus-brewed wort; the resulting range includes over 25 award-winning expressions across Bourbon, Sherry, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Banyuls, Rum, Madeira, Lemberger, and Highland cask finishes.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model spanning (a) wholesale and retail beer distribution through German supermarkets, beverage retailers, and the on-trade, supported by the Zäpflefinder store locator; (b) direct-to-consumer sales of beer, whisky, and merchandise through the rothaus-shop.de online shop and the on-site ZÄPFLE Markt; (c) tourism and hospitality revenue from the GenussWelt, which includes the Brauereigasthof (brewery tavern and hotel), brewery tours, the ZÄPFLE Heimat museum, and the Rothaus Express panoramic train route; and (d) premium whisky sales through both individual bottlings and the 2026 Jubiläumsedition 70 twelve-month single-cask subscription series (€1,956 per full series). Pricing for beer is not publicly disclosed; whisky editions are priced individually with the 10-year anniversary edition listed in the shop.

Customer segments are deliberately diversified: general German and international beer consumers, tourists visiting the High Black Forest, whisky collectors and enthusiasts (including the 70-subscriber Jubiläumsedition 70 cohort), retailers and restaurants stocking Rothaus products, and brand/sports partners such as SC Freiburg for sponsorship activation. Sustainability is a stated strategic pillar: the Klimapositiv 2030 programme commits the brewery to climate-positive status by 2030 through 100% regional hydroelectric power (Naturenergie Hochrhein AG), on-site solar thermal and PV generation, electric vehicle fleet, anaerobic wastewater treatment, reusable bottle systems (refillable up to 40 times), and supply-chain engagement with IREKS and BayWa on low-CO2 barley cultivation. The company is led by sole managing director (Alleinvorstand) Christian Rasch, with supervisory board chair Peter Hauk; it employs 101–250 people and publishes annual financial statements in the Bundesanzeiger consistent with German AG disclosure obligations.

Name

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG

Legal name

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG

Website

https://rothaus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1791

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG is Germany's only state-owned brewery, producing Tannenzäpfle and other Black Forest beers, Black Forest Single Malt Whisky via Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch, and operating the GenussWelt hospitality venue for German consumers, tourists, retailers, and whisky collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Distilleries (312140), Malt Manufacturing (311213), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF)

Keywords

• German brewery
• Craft pilsner beer
• Single malt whisky
• Brewery hospitality
• Black Forest beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Gräfenhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales: Core revenue stream from brewing and selling a portfolio of beers under the Rothaus and Zäpfle brand, including Tannenzäpfle (flagship pilsner), alcohol-free variants, weizen, radler, Schwarzwald Zäpfle, Eiszäpfle, Heller Bock, Fürst-Abt Edel, and Tafelbier. Sold through retail, restaurants, on-site, and online shop.
2. Whisky Sales: Production and sale of Rothaus Black Forest Single Malt Whisky and special editions (Banyuls Cask Finish, Pinot Noir Cask Finish, Chardonnay Cask Finish, Rum Cask, Highland, etc.). Includes the 2026 Jubiläumsedition 70 (12-month subscription series, 70 bottles per month) priced at 1,956 EUR for the full series.
3. GenussWelt (Tourism & Hospitality): Revenue from the Rothaus GenussWelt, including the Brauereigasthof (brewery tavern with restaurant), hotel accommodations, brewery tours, ZÄPFLE Heimat museum, ZÄPFLE Markt (souvenir shop), events, and the Rothaus Express panoramic train tour stop.
4. Merchandise and Direct-to-Consumer Online Sales: Sale of branded merchandise (fan articles, clothing, bike jerseys, beer memorabilia) through the on-site ZÄPFLE Markt and the Rothaus online shop at rothaus-shop.de.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG is a state-owned German brewery that produces and sells a portfolio of traditional beers led by the flagship Tannenzäpfle pilsner, along with specialty beers, wheat beers, radlers, and alcohol-free variants. The company also produces Black Forest Single Malt Whisky in partnership with Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch and operates the Rothaus GenussWelt, an integrated brewery tavern, hotel, museum, and merchandise shop destination.

Product overview

Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG is a traditional brewery producing a portfolio of beers centered around the Tannenzäpfle pilsner (celebrating 70 years in 2026), complemented by wheat beers (Weizenzäpfle), specialty beers (Eiszäpfle, Heller Bock, Schwarzwald Zäpfle), and non-alcoholic variants. The company has expanded into whisky production, offering Black Forest Single Malt Whiskys and limited Sondereditionen finished in various cask types, produced in partnership with Kammer-Kirsch distillery. Beyond beverages, Rothaus operates the GenussWelt experience center featuring the Brauereigasthof restaurant/hotel, Brauereibesichtigung brewery tours, ZÄPFLE Heimat museum, and ZÄPFLE Markt merchandise shop. Digital offerings include the Zäpflefinder retail locator tool, online shop (rothaus-shop.de), and event ticketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Forest Single Malt Whisky: Single malt whisky produced by the brewery in partnership with Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch, featuring multiple special editions aged in various cask types (Bourbon, Sherry, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Banyuls, Madeira, etc.) and a 2026 Jubiläumsedition 70 of twelve monthly single-cask releases.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions reduced by nearly two-thirds since 2008
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• brandpack (Hamburg)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Design agency brandpack from Hamburg was engaged for the creative development and execution of the 2026 Jubiläumsedition 70 whisky packaging and brand storytelling campaign.
• IREKS (Braumalzspezialist)minorOthers · 1 January 2020IREKS, a malt specialist, works with Rothaus on climate-friendly barley cultivation, including the use of nitrification inhibitors to reduce CO2 emissions in barley growing for the Klimapositiv 2030 scope-3 supply chain programme.
• BayWa (Landhandel)minorOthers · 1 January 2020BayWa agricultural trading company collaborates with Rothaus on CO2-reduced barley cultivation as part of the Klimapositiv 2030 supply chain engagement programme.
• Schreiner Dietmar Mechsner (Bernau)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Woodworker and designer Dietmar Mechsner from Bernau designed and hand-crafted the special wooden packaging (Tannenholz/Tannen wood) for the 2016 Jubiläumsedition 225 whisky. The packaging incorporates traditional Black Forest craftsmanship.
• Steinmetz und Bildhauer Ralf Rosa (Grafenhausen)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Stonemason and sculptor Ralf Rosa from Grafenhausen crafted the granite whisky stones included in the 2016 Jubiläumsedition 225 packaging. The stones chill or warm whisky to the desired serving temperature.
• Christoph Hübner / Hofgut Sternen (Breitnau)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Glassblower Christoph Hübner at Hofgut Sternen in Breitnau (Höllental) hand-crafted each individual whisky bottle for the 2016 Jubiläumsedition 225 at temperatures of 780–900 degrees, a traditional Black Forest craft dating to the High Middle Ages.
• SC FreiburgcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Rothaus has a sponsorship/partnership with SC Freiburg football club. Rothaus supplies SC Freiburg fully electrically and hosts SC Freiburg fan days (FeSCht) at the brewery. The partnership is tied to the 70th anniversary of Tannenzäpfle (2026), with the SC Freiburg team making public appearances at Rothaus events.
• Naturenergie Hochrhein AG (Rheinfelden)minorOthers · 1 January 2016Naturenergie Hochrhein AG supplies Rothaus with 100% regional green electricity sourced from hydroelectric power plants on the High Rhine, since 2016.
• Destillerie Kammer-KirschcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2005Since 2005, Rothaus has partnered with Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch in Karlsruhe for whisky production. Kammer-Kirsch, historically connected to the Grand Duchy of Baden (same ownership as Rothaus in 1909), performs the double distillation of Rothaus's brewed wort under the supervision of Master of the Quaich Gerald Erdrich. Rothaus has no own distillation rights, making this partnership essential to the entire whisky programme.
• Gerald Erdrich (Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2005Master of the Quaich Gerald Erdrich, Managing Director of Destillerie Kammer-Kirsch, serves as the whisky expert overseeing the entire Rothaus whisky programme, including cask management and quality control. He is a president of the German chapter of the Master of the Quaich organization and a leading importer of Single Malts in Germany.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hofbräuhaus München: Iconic Bavarian state-owned brewery and on-premise hospitality venue (Hofbräuhaus beer hall). Shares Rothaus's state-ownership structure, deep historical heritage, brand-icon status, and integration of brewery tourism with food & beverage sales.
• Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn: Traditional Bavarian wheat-beer (Weissbier) brewery with strong regional brand equity and heritage dating to 1872. Comparable to Rothaus in being a privately-held, traditional German regional brewer focused on a distinctive style plus food/hospitality integration.
• Erdinger Weißbräu: Germany's largest wheat-beer brewery, traditional family-owned regional brewer. Direct peer in scale, traditional brewing positioning, and German domestic market focus, though Erdinger has a much larger international footprint.
• König Brewery (König Pilsener): Regional German pilsner brand with strong northern-German following. Directly comparable on product category (premium pilsner), regional brand strength, and traditional brewery positioning similar to Rothaus Tannenzäpfle.
• Augustiner-Bräu München: Traditional Munich brewery with strong cultural brand status, on-premise tied houses, and heritage positioning. Comparable to Rothaus on traditional brewing heritage, regional brand loyalty, and on-premise beer-hall integration.
• Stuttgarter Hofbräu: Regional Baden-Württemberg brewery headquartered in Stuttgart. Direct regional peer in the same German state, with similar pilsner/Hefeweizen portfolio, retail distribution, and on-premise presence.
• Mackmyra Svensk Whisky: Swedish distillery that diversified from a brewery background into single malt whisky, with subscription-based special editions and sustainability focus. Closest comparable peer for Rothaus's brewery-to-whisky diversification, Jubiläumsedition-style subscription model, and climate-forward branding.

Broad incumbents

• Bitburger Braugruppe: One of Germany's largest brewery groups, owning multiple brands (Bitburger, König, Köstritzer). Broad incumbent operating across Germany with much larger scale than Rothaus, serving as a benchmark for category leadership and distribution scale.
• Krombacher Brauerei: One of Germany's largest privately-owned breweries (Krombacher Pils). Operates broadly across Germany with strong sustainability and brand-equity credentials, comparable to Rothaus on regional-icon positioning but at significantly larger scale.
• Warsteiner Brauerei: Large German private brewery with national pilsner presence and significant international exports. Comparable on traditional German pilsner positioning and national distribution; broader geographic footprint than Rothaus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/biergitkraft
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVoFCptch7ti1901jnOPftg
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrauereiRothaus
• Instagraminstagram.com/badischestaatsbrauereirothaus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rothaus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG