Description
Brewing culture has a long tradition in Guben which reached its peak during the industrial revolution. In the 19th century, there were eight breweries in the city, the first three of which were of regional importance. These were the breweries Gubener Genossenschafts-Brauerei GmbH, in existence since 1870, Brauerei Herman Haselbach since 1875, Löwenbrauerei G. Kröll since 1862 and Brauerei Bunzel-Brauerei Keiler, Brauerei Dörfling-Brauerei Spörel, Brauerei Gräfe, Brauerei Matthies-Brauerei Güttler and Brauerei Lehmann.
Today, only fragments of this former culture are visible in the buildings. These include the still existing administration building of the brewery Löwenbrauerei Gustav Georg Kröll, built together with a side building on the eastern side in the arcade style (the German version of the Neo-Romanesque style). Further characteristic elements of the building include decorative double window arches. The complex also includes a rare wine cellar. The special, for those times, innovative insulation of the cellar walls and ceiling ensured a constant temperature for the alcoholic beverages stored there. The building is owned by the company "PKM Wioletta Poniatowska".
Historical background
Beer weighing was, next to the production of textiles and fruit picking, one of the most important industrial branches of pre-war Gubin, of supra-regional importance. Gubin beers were produced for wholesale and for restaurants and, in the case of smaller breweries, for the local population. The largest beer factories, such as Gubener Genossenschafts-Brauerei, Haselbach or Löwenbrauerei, were created as a result of taking over smaller, local breweries and their relocation or expansion, which made it possible to use modern production and aging technologies at the time. These included i. e. properly designed cellars, multi-chamber peasants and machines for injecting carbon dioxide into the produced elections. Technological progress and the demand for flavored beverages were getting to know the owners of breweries by expanding their assortment with carbonated, alcohol-free drinks or wines.
The reputation of Guben beers was so great that many of them won awards at international beer fairs. These included Haselbach Pilsner and Haselbach Bär-Bräu, which in 1901 won respectively a distinction and a gold medal at the food and delicatessen exhibition in Cottbus (Ger.: Allgemeinen Ausstellung für Nahrungs- und Genussmittel der Spreestadt Cottbus) or a distinction at the Paris fair (Fr. Diplom d'Honneuravec Insigne et Médaille d'Or) in 1902.
Löwenbrauerei G. Kröll: Piwna 1, 66-620 Gubin, Polen
Löwenbrauerei G. Kröll:
19th-20th century
Construction material: brick
Access to the ruins of the Gubener Genossenschaft-Brauerei basement impossible (private area, in danger of collapsing); The Löwenbrauerei administration building and the Haselbach Brauerei halls are accessible from the outside from the street (all buildings are on private property). The interior of Haselbach can be seen while shopping at the fruit and vegetable warehouse located there.
