Werner Brombach, the long-time owner and managing director of Erdinger Weißbräu, has died at the age of 86 following a short serious illness, according to an announcement from the brewery.
Brombach joined the brewery, which was run by his father at the time, in 1965. During his tenure, he was the first brewer to make wheat beer, previously a regional specialty in Bavaria, popular outside the borders of the Free State of Bavaria.
The approximate annual output of Erdinger Weißbräu under Brombach's leadership.
The brewery, located northeast of Munich, grew from an annual output of 40,000 hectoliters in 1965 to approximately 1.5 million hectoliters under Brombach. In the previous year, Brombach transferred ownership of the company to a family foundation.
Tributes to his innovation
An exceptional beer brewer.
Markus Söder stated that Brombach's willingness to innovate and foresight made him one of the most successful beer brewers of his time. Söder also noted that Brombach created a world-famous brand that continues to be brewed exclusively at its Upper Bavarian location.
