A chapter of Bavarian brewing history may soon come to an end. The Rötz Cooperative Brewery (Genossenschaftsbrauerei Rötz e.G.), located in the Upper Palatinate district of Cham, has filed for insolvency after more than a century of operation. The small but traditional brewery, employing 19 people, submitted its bankruptcy application to the District Court of Regensburg earlier this week.
The brewery, which has produced beer since 1923, now faces closure unless a new investor steps in by the end of November.
A proud local tradition under pressure
The Rötz Brewery is one of the few in Bavaria still using old-style swing-top bottles – known locally as Maurerflaschen. Its beers have long been considered a symbol of local craftsmanship rather than industrial production. “This would be a heavy blow for the region,” said insolvency administrator Rosemarie Lankes, who is overseeing the proceedings.
According to her, the Rötz Brewery is not a major commercial player but rather represents what locals affectionately call “the luxury of the working man.”
Energy prices and inflation squeeze small brewers
Lankes pointed to a combination of factors behind the insolvency: a sharp rise in energy prices, higher raw material costs, and an increase in Germany’s minimum wage, all of which have placed significant strain on small producers.
“These companies are fighting on multiple fronts,” she explained. “And on top of that, people are spending less — we see it everywhere, even at local festivals. Many of them aren’t full anymore because people simply have less money.”
The brewery’s sales channels include restaurants, supermarkets, and local events such as Volksfeste. But in recent years, keg sales have dropped steadily, and the cooperative’s finances could no longer sustain operations.
A search for investors before the final pour
Operations will continue until the end of November, giving management a narrow window to secure a buyer. Ideally, any investor would also purchase and restore the brewery’s historic property — the “Pfleghof Kommunbrauerei,” a heritage-listed building where beer has been brewed for over five centuries.
Lankes confirmed that there has already been one expression of interest, possibly from another small regional brewery. The Rötz Cooperative currently has 84 local members, most of them residents of the Rötz community.
A wider industry trend
The collapse of Rötz Brewery reflects broader challenges facing Germany’s beer industry. Smaller breweries, especially in rural areas, have struggled with rising production costs and changing consumer habits.
Earlier this year, a well-known Hessian brewer filed for bankruptcy, while the Oettinger Brewery CEO warned of a potential “beer collapse” across the country as inflation, logistics, and energy expenses continue to rise.
If no investor is found, one of Bavaria’s oldest surviving cooperative breweries could pour its last beer before the year ends — closing a 102-year story of local craftsmanship, tradition, and community pride.
