The history of beer in Hergiswil
Back in 1864, the brewery of the «Gasthaus zum Adler» tapped 3,500 hectolitres each year. The neighbouring establishment, «Rössli», managed 3,000 hectolitres. We shouldn’t forget «guerilla brewer» Jakob Weiler of the «Hasli», who used the brewing equipment without permission and thus supplied Hergiswil residents with 2,000 hectolitres of beer more or less illegally. If the Hergiswil breweries still existed today, their output would constitute around 0.25 percent of the Swiss domestic beer market.
While the «Hasli» breweries soon closed, the «Adler» and the «Rössli» blossomed once they were incorporated into what was at the time the Bavarian brewery located on the «Eichhof» estate in Lucerne: Bavarian Heinrich Endemann had been teaching Lucerne residents the finer points of beer consumption since 1889 with his industrial brewery. Eleven years after its opening, he bought the two smaller Hergiswil breweries. In 1937, this brewery became part of «Eichhof».
More than a whole century later, you can once again enjoy local beer in the «Adler»: we’ve been offering the fine Lucerne «Rathaus Beer» as of late, a creation of master Munich brewer Reinhard Knispel produced in the middle of Lucerne’s old town and delivered fresh to Hergiswil. This is made possible by Gambrinus Gastronomie AG, which has – with a great deal of love and dedication – transformed Lucerne restaurants «Stadtkeller», «Rathaus Brauerei» and «Helvetia» into cosy places visitors enjoy – places for «tous Luzern».
Because that’s the truth: good company and modern, regionally based kitchen philosophy complement one another well. Our own tasty «Rathaus Beer» is one of our exclusive trademarks. Our establishments value traditions highly – we’re down to earth and sensitivity to quality. We give regional suppliers of Swiss products priority wherever possible.
