Region & History

Hofer Bier rightly carries its name, as brewing has taken place in Hof an der Saale since the 14th century. The town charter, granted in 1319, gave the citizens a legal basis for doing so.

At times there were ten brewing sites, and since the 15th century Hof has ranked as the second most important brewing town in Upper Franconia after Kulmbach. In the municipal brewhouses, citizens with their own brewing rights brewed their beer, before individual families went on to build their own breweries.

A festival linking beer and civic duty also dates back to this period. According to tradition, the Hussites laid waste to the town in 1430. The Margrave of Brandenburg waived the citizens' taxes for rebuilding, but in return demanded regular shooting drills for defense. The craftsmen showed up reluctantly, waiting until the last possible day. Hofer Schlappentag is still celebrated today, in 2026 for the 594th time on 1 June, and is recognized as part of Bavaria's intangible cultural heritage.

Two names shape the town's brewing landscape. At Meinel-Bräu, the family's brewing and tavern rights can be traced back to 1731. Brauerei Scherdel traces its roots to Georg Matthäus Scherdel, who received his baker's license in 1831 and soon began brewing beer in the municipal brewhouses.

Further into the Frankenwald, Naila wrote its own brewing history. There, citizens held a brewing right granted by a margrave as early as 1464. The Frankenwälder Brauhaus, founded in 1928 by Andreas Wohn, ceased operations in December 2022.

Since July 1998, Hofer Bier has held protected geographical indication (PGI) status within the EU, registered on 18 July 1998. Only breweries that comply with the registered specification may use the designation. According to the Bavarian Genussportal, there are five brewing sites in Hof today, some still operating under old communal brewing rights.