Bolten Brewery
Privatbrauerei Bolten, founded 1266 in Korschenbroich, Germany, is the world's oldest Altbier brewery. It produces traditional craft beer, spirits, and fine food, and operates four hospitality venues plus DTC e-commerce, serving regional retail, gastronomy, and direct consumers across North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersKorschenbroich, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Bolten Brewery does
Privatbrauerei Bolten GmbH & Co. KG is a privately held German craft brewery headquartered at the historic Kraushof in Korschenbroich, North Rhine-Westphalia, operating under the trade name BOLTEN. Founded in 1266 when Heinrich der Brauer received brewing rights from Herrschaft Myllendonk, it claims the title of the world's oldest Altbier brewery, with over 750 years of continuous operation making it the sole remaining brewery in Korschenbroich since 1920. The current owners, Michael Hollmann (acquired 2005, former CEO of a major German beverage corporation) and Paul Bösken-Diebels (joined as co-owner 2006), operate it as a GmbH & Co. KG with a staff of 11–50.
The company produces a traditional craft beer portfolio centered on top-fermented Altbier using a proprietary BOLTEN-Hefestamm house yeast strain and unfiltriert (unfiltered) production for selected beers. The core range includes BOLTENs Alt, Ur-Alt, Landbier, Helles, Weizen Spezial, and Gartenbier, extended by non-alcoholic offerings (Oh!, Malz), the PowerPlöpp AltbierCola mix, seasonal specials (Winter Spezial, Jecken Spezial, LandBock), spirits (BOLTENs Brand at 38% vol, BOLTENs Likör at 35% vol), and a fine food line (BBQ sauces, Biersenf mustard, pepper cherries) sold via Präsentkisten gift boxes.
Bolten generates revenue across three streams: packaged beer sales through regional retail and gastronomy B2B channels; on-premise hospitality via four owned venues (Landwirtschaft multi-concept gastrotype, Gasthaus Hoff Marie in the oldest house in Korschenbroich, Altbierstube event space, and the Picknick-Biergarten); and direct-to-consumer sales through the BOLTEN Kontor on-site outlet and the BierSelect online shop. Distribution relies on a regional sales force of named Gebietsverkaufsleiter covering defined territories across NRW, supplemented by brewery tours (Bierevents) and an integrated marketing mix of website, Google AdWords, and email newsletter. Awards include multiple DLG medals (including Gold for Ur-Alt and Weizen Spezial), CMA recognition, and Monde Selection honors.
Bolten Brewery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bolten Brewery
- Legal name
- Privatbrauerei Bolten GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://bolten-brauerei.de
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Privatbrauerei Bolten, founded 1266 in Korschenbroich, Germany, is the world's oldest Altbier brewery. It produces traditional craft beer, spirits, and fine food, and operates four hospitality venues plus DTC e-commerce, serving regional retail, gastronomy, and direct consumers across North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bolten Brewery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer Brewing
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Distilleries (31214), Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Producer-Owned Retail & Bottle Shops (On-site) (THAFALAL), Craft Beer Specialty Retail (Single-Brand/Curated Craft Focus) (CRANABAD), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
Keywords
Where Bolten Brewery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Korschenbroich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Bolten Brewery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Beer Sales (Retail & On-Premise): Sale of the full BOLTEN beer portfolio (Alt, Ur-Alt, Landbier, Helles, Weizen Spezial, seasonal specials, non-alcoholic Oh!, Malz, AltBierCola Mix) through retail (bottles, kegs) and on-premise (gastronomy) channels. Revenue is generated from the sale of packaged beverages in various formats (0.33L bottle, 1L bottle, kegs) through regional retail partners, the BOLTEN Kontor on-site outlet, and online via BierSelect.
- Gastronomy & Hospitality: Revenue from restaurant and event operations including the Landwirtschaft (brewpub/restaurant), Gasthaus Hoff Marie, Picknick-Biergarten (picnic beer garden), and Altbierstube event venue. Food, beverages, and event bookings generate hospitality revenue.
- Fine Food & Merchandise: Sale of BOLTEN-branded specialty food products (BBQ sauces, mustard, pepper cherries, etc.) and merchandise (glasses, apparel, fan articles, gift boxes) through the BOLTEN Kontor and Präsentkisten (gift boxes).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard beverage retail pricing for beers and specialty products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Bolten Brewery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Privatbrauerei Bolten brews and sells a portfolio of traditional German Altbier and specialty beers (including Alt, Ur-Alt, Landbier, Helles, Weizen Spezial, seasonal specials, non-alcoholic options, and an AltBierCola mix), along with distilled spirits (Brand, Likör) and beer-based fine food products. The brewery operates the BOLTEN Kontor retail outlet, the BierSelect online shop, owned gastronomy venues (Landwirtschaft restaurant, Gasthaus Hoff Marie, Altbierstube event space, Picknick-Biergarten), and a regional B2B sales network for retail and gastronomy customers.
Product overview
Privatbrauerei Bolten is a traditional German brewery producing a portfolio of Altbier and other beer specialties. The core product line includes BOLTENs Alt (classic Altbier), BOLTENs Ur-Alt (unfiltered variant), BOLTENs Landbier, BOLTENs Helles, BOLTENs Weizen Spezial, and seasonal offerings like Winter Spezial and Jecken Spezial. The portfolio extends to non-alcoholic options (BOLTENs Oh! and BOLTENs Malz), the PowerPlöpp AltbierCola Mix, and BOLTENs LandBock strong beer. Beyond beverages, Bolten produces BOLTENs Brand (38% spirits) and BOLTENs Likör (35% herbal spirits), along with fine food products (BBQ sauces, pepper cherries, beer mustard) under BOLTENs Feine Kost. Present boxes combine various products for gifting. The brewery operates multiple service channels: an online shop via BierSelect, on-site Kontor store, the Landwirtschaft restaurant and beer garden, Gasthaus Hoff Marie restaurant, Altbierstube event venue, and beer events including brewery tours. Founded in 1266, Bolten claims to be the world's oldest Altbier brewery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BOLTENs Alt: Classic Altbier brewed with 11.7% original wort, featuring fine-sudsy hop character
- BOLTENs Ur-Alt
- BOLTENs Landbier
- BOLTENs Helles
- BOLTENs Weizen Spezial
- BOLTENs Gartenbier
- Oh!
- BOLTENs Malz
- BOLTENs AltBierCola Mix
- BOLTENs LandBock
- BOLTENs Jecken Spezial
- BOLTENs Winter Spezial
- BOLTENs Brand
- BOLTENs Likör
- BOLTENs Feine Grillkost
- BOLTENs Pfefferkirschen
- BOLTENs Frühstücks-Pfläumchen
- BOLTENs Biersenf
- Landwirtschaft
Products and services
- BOLTENs Alt
Quantifiable outcome
- BOLTENs Alt has achieved continuous year-over-year sales growth (volume), per company website
Companies that use Bolten Brewery
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bolten Brewery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Bolten Brewery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BierSelectcoreBierSelect operates as the online sales platform for BOLTEN, enabling 24/7 direct-to-consumer ordering for customers outside the regional distribution area. The partnership extends BOLTEN's reach beyond its regional footprint, stating 'Gemeinsam mit dem BierSelect-Team kriegen wir das hin' (Together with the BierSelect team we make it work).
- Senfmühle Terhorst (Terhorst Senfmühle)minorTraditional mustard mill from Erkelenz that combines its craft tradition with BOLTEN's brewing heritage to produce BOLTENs Biersenf (beer mustard). The mustard is made using old stone mills for triple cold-grinding of mustard seeds, finished with fresh BOLTEN Alt.
- Kirberg ManufakturminorKirberg Manufaktur produces specialty fine food products (Feinkost) that are sold through the BOLTEN Kontor. Products are tested in BOLTEN's gastronomy operations for quality and consistency before being added to the BOLTEN Kontor program.
- Fleischerei Erkes (Glehn)minorLocal butcher from Glehn produces sausage specialties (Altbierwurst, Salami-Altbierwurst, Pfefferbeißer) that are included in BOLTEN's Präsentkisten gift boxes and sold through the BOLTEN Kontor.
- Spirit of SpiceminorSpice producer whose products are sold through the BOLTEN Kontor alongside BOLTEN's own beer-based specialty foods.
- kywi GmbH Markenagenturminorkywi GmbH is the branding and marketing agency responsible for the concept, text, and layout of the BOLTEN website and branding materials (as stated in the Impressum).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bolten Brewery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Uerige Brauerei: Uerige is a historic Düsseldorf Altbier brewery with a famous brewhouse and large on-site restaurant. Comparable to Bolten on traditional Altbier brewing, NRW regional focus, integrated brewery + gastronomy model, and heritage-driven brand positioning.
- Diebels Altbier: Diebels is one of the most recognized Altbier producers in NRW (Issum), offering the same top-fermented regional style as Bolten. Highly comparable on product category (Altbier), regional customer base (NRW on-premise and retail), and heritage positioning. Co-owner Bösken-Diebels shares the Diebels family name, highlighting industry overlap.
- Frankenheim Brauerei: Frankenheim is a Düsseldorf-based Altbier producer with strong NRW distribution and on-premise presence. Comparable to Bolten on Altbier style, regional NRW wholesale/retail channels, and traditional German brewing positioning.
- Schlüssel Alt: Schlüssel is a traditional Düsseldorf Altbier brewery operating its own brewhouse and on-site Altbierstube. Directly comparable to Bolten on Altbier production, on-premise taproom model, and regional NRW customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Krombacher Brauerei: Krombacher is one of Germany's largest privately held breweries, headquartered in NRW with broad national distribution. Comparable on NRW regional heritage and craft-adjacent positioning, but operates at much greater scale and with a much wider product portfolio than Bolten.
- Warsteiner Brauerei: Warsteiner is a large German regional brewer with national and international distribution. Comparable to Bolten as a privately held German brewery with broad off-premise and on-premise presence, though operating at much larger scale and serving a broader geographic footprint.
- Veltins Brauerei: Veltins is a major German regional brewery based in NRW with national distribution across multiple beer styles. Comparable on NRW regional roots and broad on-premise/retail presence, but operates as a broad incumbent across Pils and other styles rather than specializing in Altbier.
- Radeberger Gruppe (Dr. Oetker): Radeberger Gruppe is Germany's largest private beer group, owning multiple regional brands including binding, Schöfferhofer, and Frankenheim. Comparable to Bolten in operating regional German brewing brands with on-premise/retail distribution, but at vastly greater scale and portfolio breadth.
Emerging players
- Maisel & Friends (Brauerei Gebr. Maisel): Maisel is a Bayreuth-based traditional German brewery that has expanded into craft beer experiences, brewery tours, and on-site gastronomy. Comparable to Bolten on craft/traditional German brewery positioning, integrated experience concept, and premium gift-box/merchandise offerings, though with a different regional home base.
Regional players
- Bischofshof Brauerei: Bischofshof is a traditional Bavarian brewery producing regional German beer styles with on-site gastronomy and gift products. Comparable to Bolten on traditional brewery + gastronomy + gift-box business model and craft/regional positioning, though based in Bavaria rather than NRW.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bolten Brewery social profiles
Digital presenceBolten Brewery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bolten Brewery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Bolten Brewery subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Bolten Brewery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bolten Brewery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bolten Brewery
What does Bolten Brewery do?
Privatbrauerei Bolten brews and sells a portfolio of traditional German Altbier and specialty beers (including Alt, Ur-Alt, Landbier, Helles, Weizen Spezial, seasonal specials, non-alcoholic options, and an AltBierCola mix), along with distilled spirits (Brand, Likör) and beer-based fine food products. The brewery operates the BOLTEN Kontor retail outlet, the BierSelect online shop, owned gastronomy venues (Landwirtschaft restaurant, Gasthaus Hoff Marie, Altbierstube event space, Picknick-Biergarten), and a regional B2B sales network for retail and gastronomy customers.
Is Bolten Brewery a public or private company?
Bolten Brewery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Bolten Brewery founded?
Bolten Brewery was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Bolten Brewery based?
Bolten Brewery is headquartered in Korschenbroich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Bolten Brewery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Beer Sales (Retail & On-Premise) is the primary driver. The others are gastronomy & Hospitality and fine Food & Merchandise.
Who are Bolten Brewery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Uerige Brauerei, Diebels Altbier, Frankenheim Brauerei and Schlüssel Alt. Broad incumbents are Krombacher Brauerei, Warsteiner Brauerei, Veltins Brauerei and Radeberger Gruppe (Dr. Oetker). Maisel & Friends (Brauerei Gebr. Maisel) is listed as an emerging player. Bischofshof Brauerei is listed as a regional player.
Does Bolten Brewery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bolten Brewery.
What industry is Bolten Brewery in?
Bolten Brewery's product category is Craft Beer Brewing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service), with a secondary code of THAFALAL, Producer-Owned Retail & Bottle Shops (On-site). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.