Privatbrauerei Gaffel will officially take over the Mühlen Kölsch brand from Brauerei zur Malzmühle on September 1, 2025, marking a pivotal step in the ongoing consolidation of the Kölsch beer market. The brand, with an annual output of around 50,000 hectoliters, will soon be brewed at Gaffel’s state-of-the-art facility in Cologne-Porz. Gaffel will also assume responsibility for distribution, aligning its total proprietary beer volume with that of market peer Cölner Hofbräu Früh, each now reaching roughly 320,000 hectoliters.
According to Heinrich Philipp Becker, managing partner of Gaffel, the acquisition is about more than volume: “Mühlen is a jewel in the Kölsch segment with high potential, especially in formats like the 0.33-liter ale bottle and the 0.5-liter Euro bottle.”
The shift also marks the end of in-house brewing of the brand at Malzmühle, a move that affects about 20 jobs out of the brewery’s 250 positions. Malzmühle had moved Mühlen Kölsch production in 2022 to the facilities of Sünner located in Cologne-Kalk. Malzmühle had acquired Sünner in 2021 and renamed the brewery to Brauwelt Köln, to make it the home of both beer brands. Bottling had already been outsourced to contract producers such as Königshof in Krefeld. The future of Malzmühle now lies in gastronomy.
Melanie Schwartz, managing director and 80% shareholder of Malzmühle, emphasized the strategic decision to withdraw from brewing Mühlen Kölsch: together with business partner Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, the company will focus on its hospitality portfolio, including six Cologne-based venues such as the historic brewpub on Heumarkt, Anno 1858, and Brauwelt Köln. Gaffel will remain a long-term contract partner for Mühlen Kölsch distribution. Meanwhile, the former Sünner brewery will continue producing its own beer and spirits, including the Kölsches Wasser soft drink range.
The Kölsch market has been under pressure, with total sales falling by 2.5% in 2024 to 1.42 million hectoliters—down from 1.785 million in 2019. Rising energy and raw material costs have further strained small breweries, pushing many toward partnerships or market exits.
