Discover our brewery tour and immerse yourself in the fascinating process behind every Eichbaum brew!
Brewery tours
Whether it’s a gift, an outing, or a leisure activity – we, the Eichbaum private brewery, warmly invite you to visit our brewery.
The brewhouse
The brewhouse is the heart of every brewery – this is where the flavour that forms the basis for every beer is created. The entire brewing process begins at this central location, which is part of the so-called hot block. The hot block usually also includes the pre-treatment systems such as the storage and transport of malt and grain, silos, cleaning systems, mills and dust extraction systems.In technical terms, the brewhouse consists of several highly specialised components: the mash tun, the lauter tun, the brew kettle (often referred to as the brew copper) and a heat recovery system. It is supplemented by a malt mill, a ‘whirlpool’ for separating hop residues and protein clots and a wort cooler. Other equipment includes tanks for cold, hot and ice water, a CIP (cleaning in place) system for automated cleaning, a trub tank, a spent grains tank and an additional tank for collecting the last wort from the lauter tun. Today, all systems operate fully automatically and enable precise and efficient production at the highest technical level.
The bottling hall
The bottling of beverages is nowadays fully automated and is a highly complex process. The systems used for this are technologically sophisticated and extremely investment intensive. Depending on the type of packaging – non-returnable or returnable bottles – the process begins with different steps.
For returnable bottles, the first step is thorough cleaning. This is followed by an inspection of the bottle neck and interior as well as a check for integrity and cleanliness. For disposable bottles, the process begins directly with filling. The bottles are then sealed, labelled and sorted into trays or crates depending on the packaging unit.
The requirements for bottling have evolved continuously over the centuries – always in line with the properties of the respective beverages, applicable standards and the needs of consumers. The correct handling of pressure and oxygen is particularly important for beer: it must be bottled under counterpressure and in a low-oxygen environment in order to preserve flavour and quality. In addition, bottling is subject to strict legal requirements, particularly regarding hygiene and product safety – essential standards for modern food production.
For returnable bottles, the first step is thorough cleaning. This is followed by an inspection of the bottle neck and interior as well as a check for integrity and cleanliness. For disposable bottles, the process begins directly with filling. The bottles are then sealed, labelled and sorted into trays or crates depending on the packaging unit.
The requirements for bottling have evolved continuously over the centuries – always in line with the properties of the respective beverages, applicable standards and the needs of consumers. The correct handling of pressure and oxygen is particularly important for beer: it must be bottled under counterpressure and in a low-oxygen environment in order to preserve flavour and quality. In addition, bottling is subject to strict legal requirements, particularly regarding hygiene and product safety – essential standards for modern food production.
The loading
Loading is a central component of the logistics chain and, in addition to the actual handling, also includes the utilisation of loading infrastructure such as ramps, storage areas and conveyor technology. We use a modern time slot management system to optimally coordinate the processes at several loading ramps. This allows waiting times to be minimised and the loading process to be controlled efficiently.
The goods are loaded and unloaded as required using conveyor belts, forklift trucks or other industrial trucks. Correct weight distribution plays a decisive role here – both inside and on the vehicle. On ships, this responsibility generally lies with the chief officer, while in the case of lorry transport it is the responsibility of the driver.
We use the Rhine-Neckar port of Mannheim – the largest inland port in Germany – for our shipping operations. It comprises four sub-ports (Handelshafen, Rheinauhafen, Altrheinhafen and Industriehafen) with a total of 14 harbour basins and three inland ports. With an area of 1,131 hectares, it forms an important hub for cargo handling in the region.
The goods are loaded and unloaded as required using conveyor belts, forklift trucks or other industrial trucks. Correct weight distribution plays a decisive role here – both inside and on the vehicle. On ships, this responsibility generally lies with the chief officer, while in the case of lorry transport it is the responsibility of the driver.
We use the Rhine-Neckar port of Mannheim – the largest inland port in Germany – for our shipping operations. It comprises four sub-ports (Handelshafen, Rheinauhafen, Altrheinhafen and Industriehafen) with a total of 14 harbour basins and three inland ports. With an area of 1,131 hectares, it forms an important hub for cargo handling in the region.
Contact
If you are interested in a guided tour of our private brewery or have further questions, please use the contact form or call us on 062133700.
