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Former brewery of Mutzig dans le Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin

Former brewery of Mutzig

    1 Rue Gambrinus
    67190 Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Ancienne brasserie de Mutzig
Crédit photo : © Ralph Hammann - Wikimedia Commons - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1800
1900
2000
1810
Foundation by Antoine Wagner
1844
Modernisation by Jérôme Wagner
1886
Direction of Camille Wagner
1895
Construction of neo-medieval buildings
1969
Integration in Albra
1989
Final closure
2001
Historical monument classification
2009
Partial rehabilitation
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Façades and roofs of the three neo-medieval buildings (see plan annexed to the decree); in the entrance to the administrative building (Box 04 195, 196): registration by order of 14 February 2001

Key figures

Antoine Wagner - Founder (1810) Master cooper at the origin of the brewery.
Jérôme Wagner - Modernizer (1844-1889) Industrialization and illegal extension of walls.
Camille Wagner - Innovator (1886-1927) Pasteurization and construction of iconic buildings.
Jérôme II Wagner - Leader (1932-1975) World export and passion for Bugatti.
Roland Wagner - Last heir (1959-1997) Automation and peak production.
Ettore Bugatti - Family friend Artistic and automotive link with the Wagner.

Origin and history

The former brewery of Mutzig, located in the Lower Rhine (Great East), was founded in 1810 by Antoine Wagner, master cooper. Originally a craft, she was industrialized by five generations of Wagner, becoming an Alsatian brewing empire. In 1844 Jérôme Wagner modernized the installations, while in 1886 Camille Wagner introduced pasteurian discoveries, multiplying production (from 500 hl/year in 1810 to 340,000 hl in 1964). The neo-medieval buildings, erected around 1895, blend yellow and red bricks, crenelages and stylized arches, inspired by the Basel breweries.

The brewery reached its peak under Jérôme II Wagner (1932-1975), which made it a brand exported to Africa. In 1969, it joined the Albra group, bought by Heineken in 1972. Production ceased in 1989, and the site, acquired by the city in 1992, was partially rehabilitated in 2009: incubator of enterprises in the "Château" (classified administrative building), public services and hotel in annexes. The maltry, enhanced in 1922, and the turret (round road) bear witness to its technical past.

The history of the brewery crossed Bugatti's: Camille Wagner, friend of Ettore Bugatti, shared his passion for automobiles. Jérôme II collected Bugatti (Type 57, Type 40), while the beer logo was inspired by the brand's aesthetics. Today, Heineken markets a Mützig beer in Africa (with a legal distinction), brewed under license in Rwanda, DRC and Cameroon. The Mutzigo site, partially destroyed in 1990, preserves buildings classified since 2001, symbols of Alsatian industrial heritage.

The Wagner family also marked local urban planning: in 1865, Jerome had 33 metres of the medieval rampart cut down to enlarge the brewery, despite the absence of authorization. The technical innovations (refrigeration in 1866, artificial ice) and architectural (Tudor style) fire of Mutzig a regional model. After World War II, Roland Wagner automated bottling, bringing production to its maximum. The closure in 1989 marked the end of an era, but partial rehabilitation preserved this unique testimony of the brewing industry from the 19th to the 20th century.

External links