Eberl-Faber - A Munich Brewery Stein
By Walt Vogdes

The little boar, symbol of the Eberl-Bräu brewery of Munich, provides a striking image in both logo and thumblift on this brewery stein. Founded in 1593, this brewery operated in Bierstadt München for almost 330 years before being taken over by Paulaner in 1920. Brewery steins are a favored collectible in Germany, and there are thousands of different breweries to collect. This stein was produced circa 1900.

In 1860 there were 18 breweries within the city of Munich, producing 802,000 hectoliters per year (1 hl. = 100 liters). In the following 20 years both the number of breweries and their total output doubled. Production doubled again by 1902, but a shakeout in the industry reduced the number of firms to 27.

In 1891 Eberl-Faber produced 32,000 hl. of the "liquid bread," placing it 14th in size among active breweries. In comparison, the four largest breweries (Spaten-Bräu, Lowen-Bräu, Augustiner and Leist-Bräu) produced a total of almost 1.5M hl. By 1900 Eberl-Faber production was in excess of 126,000 hl. Despite this four-fold increase, Eberl-Faber's rank among other Munich breweries was almost unchanged, as the entire industry expanded at a similar pace. Although they produced one of the more attractive brewery steins in Bierstadt München, by any objective measure Eberl-Faber was a small brewery. Zacherl-Bräu, which was to become Paulaner, acquired Eberl-Faber in 1920, as the Munich brewing industry underwent continuing consolidation. By 2003 Paulaner, following a strategy of acquisitions, was probably the largest brewery in Munich, producing 2.7M hectoliters of suds per year.

Below, the Kellermeister checks on the status of a huge barrel from Aktienbrauerei zum Eberl-Faber, circa 1935. Would the carved end of the barrel add to the decoration of your bar? And just imagine having this barrel full of beer in your Keller. You would probably never have to buy any more!

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