Awarded 2026/27 DAS FREIE Broyhan
A beer style from the year 1526, back in the glass: Broyhan made Hanover the beer capital of Europe in the 16th century. The Gutshofbrauerei Das Freie, an estate brewery in Rethmar near Sehnde, brews it once again, pale and fresh, with a fine acidity.
What sets this product apart
Cord Broyhan first brewed this pale beer style in 1526, and it stood clearly apart from the heavy, smoky beers of its day. Today's reconstruction rests on years of studying historical sources. Orris root, galangal, coriander seed, cinnamon & cloves add spicy, floral notes to malty nuances from barley and wheat malt. Fermentation with several yeast strains, Brettanomyces & Lactobacillus brings the elegant acidity and the champagne-like sparkle.
It all began more than 20 years ago, when two brothers brewed with their grandmother's preserving pan in the laundry room. On 21 July 2015 they opened the Gutshofbrauerei Das Freie on the Gutshof Rethmar estate near Sehnde, built up on their own initiative with the whole family. Today a ten-hectolitre brewhouse is in operation, the water comes from the Harz and the Heide, the summer barley from Lower Saxony's growing regions.
Very distinctive, zesty and sour, one for connoisseurs.
A speciality, unusual sparkle, not a typical beer, special story, a sour craft beer.
Where to find this product
Available directly from the farm. Fresh and regional: straight from the source, full of flavour.
Available in selected food retailers across Lower Saxony.
