Schönramer
Schönramer
The history of the Private Landbrauerei Schönram in the Upper Bavarian Rupertiwinkel region between Lake Waginger and Salzburg stretches far back into the past: a tavern is documented as early as 1512 and a brewery is first mentioned in 1622, before the farmer Jakob Köllerer acquired the estate in 1780 and thereby laid the foundation for an uninterrupted family brewing tradition that continues to this day in the eighth generation under Alfred and Helga Oberlindober, with the ninth generation already waiting in the wings. The brewery is deeply entwined with the village itself – in 1852 a church was built specifically for the brewery's employees, and the former inn with its horse stables served as a popular staging post for postal coaches travelling between Salzburg and Munich.
The motto "tradition and progress well united" is no empty phrase at Schönramer but a lived reality in every step of the brewing process. Head brewer Eric Toft, an American from Wyoming with a degree from the University of Weihenstephan, personally selects hops from the Hallertau and Tettnang regions as well as exclusively Bavarian malt from contracted farmers with whom the brewery maintains direct relationships rather than purchasing more cheaply on the world market. Primary fermentation takes place in open fermentation vessels, with unwanted hop resins skimmed off by hand each day, and both flash pasteurisation and pasteurisation are deliberately avoided – details that make brewing more labour-intensive but give Schönramer beer its unmistakable character.
The brewery's range spans from classic Bavarian year-round beers such as the Helles, Pils, Weissbier and Surtaler Schankbier to characterful seasonal specialities like the Grünhopfen Pils brewed with freshly harvested hops, the Christmas festival beer and modern interpretations such as the Bayrisch Pale Ale and the Imperial Stout. With over 25 awards at the European Beer Star and multiple gold medals at the World Beer Cup, Schönramer has impressively demonstrated its reputation as one of the most qualitatively outstanding and distinctive breweries in Bavaria on the international stage.