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Alsace is readily associated with its wines, but the region is also France’s great beer country. According to Alsace’s tourism and attractiveness agency, around 60% of French beer is brewed here and almost 95% of French hops are grown here. From the big historic breweries to more recent microbreweries, here is how to discover Alsatian breweries, between tradition and modernity.
Alsace, a land of beer and hops
Beer has been part of everyday life in Alsace for centuries: village breweries, winstubs and bierstubs, beer festivals and seasonal beers (spring beer, Christmas beer) punctuate the year. The hop fields are mainly concentrated north of Strasbourg, in the Kochersberg and around Hochfelden. Growers here notably cultivate Strisselspalt, an emblematic aromatic variety that gives Alsatian lagers their floral note. In late summer, at harvest time, the tall poles covered in hop bines create a striking landscape.
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Meteor in Hochfelden: a family tradition
Founded in 1640 in Hochfelden (Bas-Rhin), the Meteor brewery describes itself as the oldest independent family brewery in France. It has been run by the Haag family for several generations and brews around 500,000 hectolitres a year, a large share of which is Meteor Pils, its flagship beer.
For visitors, the brewery has opened the Villa Meteor, a guided-tour space: the stages of brewing, a garden of raw ingredients, the brewing, fermentation and maturation rooms, followed by a tasting at the bar. Hochfelden is about twenty minutes by train from Strasbourg. As opening times and prices vary with the season, check the brewery’s official website before you come and remember to book.
Read nextThe Cloister of Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune in StrasbourgKronenbourg: from Strasbourg to Obernai
The story of Kronenbourg begins in 1664, when Jérôme Hatt set up his brewery in Strasbourg. To escape the floods of the Ill, the brewery moved around 1850 to the heights of the Cronenbourg district, which gave it its name in 1947. The famous “1664” was born in 1952, named in tribute to the year the brewery was founded. Since 1969, most of the production has taken place in Obernai, on a site that is now the largest brewery in France. Kronenbourg has belonged to the Danish Carlsberg group since 2008.
The Obernai site is not presented as a tourist attraction; instead, make the most of your visit by strolling through Obernai’s old town and along the nearby Wine Route. In Strasbourg, “Le Tigre”, a venue named after the brewery’s old Tigre Bock beer, offers a bar, a restaurant and a concert hall.
Licorne, Fischer and the other big names
In Saverne, the Licorne brewery, a subsidiary of the German Karlsberg group, carries on a long brewing tradition at the foot of the Northern Vosges. As for Fischer, the historic beer of Schiltigheim, its production was entrusted to Meteor from 2026, after Heineken announced the closure of its Espérance brewery in Schiltigheim, long nicknamed the “city of brewers”.
Microbreweries: the modern face of Alsatian beer
Alongside these big names, Alsace has some forty craft breweries and microbreweries spread across the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. Wheat beers, IPAs, beers flavoured with Christmas spices or local hops: creativity is the order of the day. Many sell directly to the public, run a tasting bar or offer tours by appointment. The Alsace Beer Route (Route de la Bière d’Alsace) brings together places to visit, themed itineraries and tastings.
Our tips for a successful visit
- Book your brewery tours in advance, especially at weekends and during the holidays.
- Combine your visit to Hochfelden with a drive through the Kochersberg in late summer to see the hop fields before the harvest.
- Try the seasonal beers: spring beer when the fine weather returns, Christmas beer during Advent.
- Pair your tasting with an Alsatian speciality: tarte flambée, sauerkraut or munster cheese.
- Take the train or choose a designated driver: excessive drinking is harmful to your health, so please drink responsibly.
Émilie
Hello ! My name is Émilie, and I have a soft spot for stories that inspire dreams. From the legends of medieval castles to the mysteries of Alsatian forests and the tales of Great History, I take you on a journey through time. Passionate about writing and discovery, I spend my days exploring archives, listening to locals, and weaving this richness into my articles. I especially love writing about places where reality and imagination intertwine, like Mont Sainte-Odile or Christmas tales. So, are you ready for an extraordinary adventure ?