History

Kreuzberg Franciscan Monastery has a long association with Kreuzberg in the Rhön region. According to the monastery’s descriptions, the Franciscan monastery at Kreuzberg was founded in 1677. In 1692 the monastery itself was established, and in 1731 the Klosterbrauerei (monastery brewery) was attached to the monastery, giving Kreuzbergbier its origin. During the early 19th century secularization, the brewery remained under the monastery’s ownership. Around 1900 Kreuzberg experienced increasing excursion and pilgrimage traffic – the Kurdilcard Faulhaber quotation from 1901 refers to a time when visitors came to the church or to the inn. From about 1920 beer was no longer free for pilgrims, but the brewery continued to produce monastery beer. In the 1950s a refrigeration system and snow cooling were introduced, and in 1970 the fermentation vessels underwent modernization. In 2001 a major remodeling of the brewery was carried out. Today the monastery has 5 Franciscans and about 75 non-cloistered staff who work in the brewery, the tavern and the hotel. Annual output is around 8,500 hectoliters. A third of the beer is served in the Klosterschänke, while the rest is sold in 10–50 liter fusts. Smaller quantities go to affiliated monasteries, for example Engelberg.

Production and raw materials

The monastery brewery uses its own spring water from Kreuzberg, including the monastery’s spring Klosterquelle, which has been in use since 1681. The distillate and malt extract are blended in a traditional process in the mash house, where malt and water meet and are heated to malt mash; then hops are added and boiled to form the wort. Thereafter the yeast is added and fermentation takes place under controlled conditions, where temperature and fermentation time influence flavor and character. Through a traditional process, a handcrafted, authentic monastery beer is produced.

Raw materials and flavor profile: - Potable well water from our own source, including Klosterquelle since 1681 - Malt extract from regional partners; the malt is processed without filtration in certain batches to preserve constituents - Aroma hops from Hallertau - Both bottom-fermenting and top-fermenting yeasts are used for different variants of Klosterbier - The beers are tapped immediately after order to preserve freshness

Tasting notes and beer varieties

• Basic monastery beer with Stammwürze 12.5%, ABV 5.4% and bottom-fermenting yeast
• A variant with Stammwürze 12.5%, ABV 5.6% bottom-fermented and a summer variant from May with 5.6% alcohol and top-fermenting yeast
• An aging variant with about 7.3% alcohol and under-fermentation as a more intense beer, aged for up to a season

Production and storage: - The fermentation process is carefully controlled in the cellar; storage occurs at around 0 °C, where natural carbonation is formed under pressure for four to six weeks; some varieties are aged longer, about a quarter of a year - Annually around 8,500 hl are produced, with about a third served in Klosterschänke, the rest sold in 10–50 l fusts; small quantities go to nearby monasteries, e.g. Engelberg

Distribution and packaging

• Different keg services: traditional Bauchfässer for private use and KEG-fässer for the gastronomy
• Siphon bottles sold directly from the brewery shop; prices and terms for 1 liter and 2 liter bottles described in the pricing and bottling section
• All monastery beer is unpasteurized and filled internally to preserve carbonation and freshness

Products, experiences and visitor facilities

Kreuzberg Monastery offers a monastery beer, a range of guest-accessible settings and experiences: - Monastery Gastronomy: a self-service concept in the monastery’s dining venues, with the opportunity to experience Kreuzberg’s distinctive atmosphere. There are rooms such as Biergarten, Wintergarten, Hofschänke, Gästestube and Forstensaal, and there are also large halls for events. Reservations are not required in the self-service area; for groups arrangements can be made via info@kloster-kreuzberg.de. - Festivals and meetings: Berggasthof Elisäus offers settings for celebrations and conferences in the monastery’s surroundings. - Monastery tours: The monastery offers guided tours with Father Korbinian, for groups and individual visitors for a fee. Smaller groups (up to 30 people) €3.50 per person; payments are made at the monastery shop. New dates are expected to begin in spring 2026. - Exerzitien and Einkehrtage: Offers pilgrim days and Exerzitien as well as open discussion groups such as Franziskuskreis, which meet at Br. Franz Haus and other events in the monastery. - Accommodation: Possibility of staying overnight in the monastery building

Philosophy and core values: - The text presents the slogan Genuss, Tradition & Gastfreundschaft and emphasizes that it is a place for sociability, spirituality and enjoyment in the Rhön’s nature and monastery culture. There is emphasis on hygiene and quality and a Wohlfühl-Seal for the monastery’s restaurant services. The monastery’s self-service concept and spiritual framework are central parts of the guest experience.

Philosophy

Genuss, Tradition & Gastfreundschaft are the key messages: a place where indulgence, culture and spirituality meet. High emphasis on hygiene and quality and a monastery tradition that gives guests a relaxed and informal atmosphere through a self-service concept in certain parts of the guest experience.

Summary of status

• Kreuzberg Monastery continues to produce and operate a brewery and guest facilities today. Their presentation of solid production methods and monastery history shows an active enterprise with ongoing guest experiences and events.