Keystone Brewing Group signs exclusive distribution agreement with ‘World’s Best Lager’ Hofmeister

We’re incredibly excited to share news that Keystone Brewing Group will be adding Hofmeister to their premium brand portfolio as their flagship world lager, enabling us to significantly scale across Great Britain via its extensive on- and off-trade distribution network. This significant move will see Hof stand shoulder to shoulder with renowned breweries such as Black Sheep Brewery who place the same value on quality and authenticity as we do.

This is an exciting new chapter in the Hof story and we’re looking forward to working with the Keystone team to get more glorious steins into the paws of beer lovers across the country whilst we focus on building the brand and what’s next for George.

For further detail please read the press release:

Keystone Brewing Group has announced an exclusive UK-wide sales and distribution partnership with the ‘World’s Best Lager’, Hofmeister. The deal expands Keystone’s premium brand portfolio and will enable Hofmeister to significantly scale its GB operations.

First brewed in the UK in the 1970s, lifelong friends Spencer Chambers and Richard Longhurst relaunched the iconic brand after acquiring it from Heineken in 2016, moving brewing to Bavaria, the birthplace of lager. There, 500-year-old purity laws mean the beer is brewed from just three of the very finest local ingredients and in 2017, the first kegging of Hofmeister Helles (5% ABV) took place.

The award-winning Hofmeister range is built on premium authentic Bavarian beers; Helles Lager (5% ABV.)  and Weisse (5.1% ABV), a Bavarian wheat beer. The brewery has also recently expanded into the low-and-no market with its Bearly Any, 0.5% Helles.

This unwavering commitment to quality has paid off, with Hofmeister consistently winning awards around the world for its brews, including being the current holder of the IWSC’s World’s Best Lager.

This new partnership will enable Hofmeister to leverage Keystone’s extensive on-and off-trade distribution network throughout Great Britain , with the aim of tripling its production output over the next three years.

CEO of Keystone Brewing Group, Steve Cox, commented, “Keystone is excited to welcome such an iconic, international beer brand to the Group. There has been a gap in our portfolio for a world lager - and with its exceptional quality - Hofmeister is the perfect addition.

“World larger is one of the fastest-growing alcohol categories in the UK on trade, and we know that consumers love Hofmeister’s brand heritage want to see more of it. As such, the deal supports our broader strategy of building a £100m portfolio of exceptional beer brands and beverages by 2028.”

Hofmeister co-founders and joint CEOs, Spencer Chambers and Richard Longhurst, commented: “We’ve long admired Keystone and its portfolio of brands, recognising it as a true disrupter in the market. With its unwavering dedication to quality and innovation, Keystone is a natural fit for Hofmeister, aligning with our core values.

“Keystone’s distinctive, character-driven portfolio is a perfect match for Hofmeister, and we’re excited to stand shoulder to shoulder with such renowned breweries as Black Sheep Brewery. We look forward to elevating our beers to new heights and expanding their reach to even more consumers across England, Scotland and Wales.”

Keystone Brewing Group’s exciting and growing portfolio of award-winning brands now also includes Black Sheep Brewery, Purity, Brick, Brew by Numbers and more recently Big Drop, North Brewing Co., Maison Sassy, Magic Rock, Fourpure and Wolf Pack. The Group is dedicated to supporting and nurturing both established and emerging brands within the brewing industry. Its mission is to ensure the continuation of excellence and quality seen in established operators, whilst also fostering new and exciting brands in the brewing industry.