Water & Soil

Where does the water for Hofer Bier come from, and can you taste the Frankenwald in it? Hof lies on the Saale river in the Hofer Land, with the Frankenwald adjoining to the west. The bedrock there consists mainly of slate and greywacke, rocks that impart few minerals to the water.

Rain seeps slowly through this low mountain range and re-emerges in cool springs. Water of this kind is considered soft. Reliable measurements for the brewing water of individual Hof breweries are not available, so deliberately no figures are given here.

What soft water does in the glass can be explained in general terms. Hop bitterness comes across cleaner and finer, as has long been praised in Pilsner-style beer. Hard, carbonate-rich water carries dark malts better, as in porter or stout. Hof brews pale and dark beers side by side, and can therefore afford not to depend on a single water profile.

It should also be noted that nearly all breweries today treat their water: softening it or adding salts in a targeted way. Water no longer defines the style on its own, but is one of the brewmaster's adjustable variables. Meinel-Bräu states as a principle that it uses exclusively regional raw materials from controlled cultivation.

The climate in the Hofer Land is harsh, with long winters. This benefited traditional lagering: cool cellars kept beer fresh for weeks. In 1902, Meinel built its brewhouse with its own fermentation and lagering cellars on Alte Plauener Straße, while the family's original site with its inn is located in the Vorstadt district.