Brinkhoff
Brinkhoff's traces its roots to 1844 when the Brinkhoff family started brewing in Dortmund, the industrial heart of Germany's Ruhr region. The brand's defining moment came in 1887 when brewmaster Fritz Brinkhoff accidentally added pale malt to a batch. Rather than disaster, the mistake produced a beer that became a runaway success and helped define the Dortmunder Export style.
Today Brauerei Brinkhoff GmbH operates as part of the Radeberger Group, the Dr. Oetker-owned drinks conglomerate that has consolidated most of Dortmund's historic breweries under one roof. The flagship Brinkhoff's No.1 has been brewed to Fritz Brinkhoff's original 1887 recipe since 1977, a golden pilsner with soft malt sweetness balanced by delicate hop bitterness.
The alcohol-free range arrived through popular demand. Brinkhoff's Alk.0,0frei launched as a true zero-alcohol pilsner, replacing an earlier low-alcohol version introduced in 2015. The brand leans heavily into its regional identity, and that local pride extends to an official partnership with Borussia Dortmund football club.
Brinkhoff's represents a common pattern in European alcohol-free beer: established regional breweries adding AF options to their core range. The advantage is brewing expertise honed over more than a century. The limitation is that alcohol-free remains a sideline rather than the main event.
Availability in the UK is limited compared to Germany, where the brand sits in major retailers like REWE. Specialist importers including Beers of Europe stock the range for those wanting to try proper Dortmunder-style AF beer without travelling to the Ruhr.
At a Glance
- Price Point
- Mid-range
- Company
- Brinkhoffs Brauerei
- Website
- www.brinkhoffs.de
The Collection
1 drink
At a Glance
- Price Point
- Mid-range
- Company
- Brinkhoffs Brauerei
- Website
- www.brinkhoffs.de
Collection
1 drink
