07.03.2025 – 10:01

FARNY brewery launches first alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen with GEA technology

2 Documents

Story: Alcohol-free beer: They want it all, they want less

GEA is supporting Edelweißbrauerei FARNY, the pioneer of Kristall-Weizen, with state-of-the-art de-alcoholization technology. In May 2025, FARNY will commission a GEA AromaPlus system to produce its first alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen directly at its brewery in Kißlegg, Southern Germany.

First alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen of its kind introduced

FARNY brewery launches first alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen with GEA technology

Düsseldorf (Germany), March 7, 2025 – GEA is supporting Edelweißbrauerei FARNY, the pioneer of Kristall-Weizen, with state-of-the-art de-alcoholization technology. In May 2025, FARNY will commission a GEA AromaPlus system to produce its first alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen directly at its brewery in Kißlegg, Southern Germany. With this move, the traditional brewery is responding to the increasing demand for alcohol-free beers, which now account for around 8 up to 10% of the market. The new beer was first introduced on February 25, 2025.

Alcohol-free: a market with a future – and challenges

Per capita beer consumption in Germany has been declining for decades, while demand for alcohol-free alternatives continues to rise. “Alcohol-free beer is no longer a niche product. Our alcohol-free Hefe-Weizen already accounts for 40% of the bottled volume of our Hefe-Weizen. Expanding into an alcohol-free version of our most well-known beer, Kristall-Weizen, is the logical next step for us,” says Elmar Bentele, Managing Director of Edelweißbrauerei FARNY.

Technology determines quality – GEA AromaPlus ensures flavor preservation

The key challenge in alcohol-free beer production is retaining the aroma and characteristic properties of the original product. FARNY relies on GEA’s proven AromaPlus membrane filtration system for this purpose. “Our technology is based on reverse osmosis, enabling a particularly gentle de-alcoholization process without thermal stress,” explains Ralf Scheibner, Product Manager Membrane Filtration at GEA. “Alcohol is removed at low temperatures, ensuring that the fine aromas of Kristall-Weizen remain intact. Consumers should barely notice the difference from the original.”

The GEA AromaPlus system uses spiral-wound special membranes that allow water and alcohol to pass through while preserving the essential components responsible for the beer’s aroma, color, and clarity. The process takes place in multiple stages: first, the traditionally brewed beer is concentrated; then, de-aerated water is continuously added during the diafiltration phase to wash out more alcohol until the desired residual alcohol content is reached. Finally, the de-alcoholized and concentrated beer is diluted with de-aerated water to achieve the desired extract content. FARNY will use this technology to produce an alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen with an alcohol content of just under 0.5%.

Kristall-Weizen: a traditional beer takes a new direction

FARNY is recognized as the birthplace of Kristall-Weizen, first brewed in 1924. Today, this beer accounts for about 40% of the brewery’s revenue. “We know that Kristall-Weizen has a clear identity – it’s a crisp, finely sparkling beer with citrus and floral aromas,” explains Wolfgang Sigg, Technical Director and Brewmaster in Kißlegg. “That’s why it was essential for us to choose a technology that preserves these characteristics unaltered. GEA AromaPlus convinced us.”

The new alcohol-free version is aimed at beer enthusiasts who want to enjoy the refreshing taste of Kristall-Weizen even when avoiding alcohol. FARNY is focusing on long-term market development: “The trend is clearly toward alcohol-free beers with high sensory quality. With our new system, we have created the best foundation to future-proof our portfolio,” emphasizes Managing Director Elmar Bentele.

About Edelweißbrauerei FARNY

Edelweißbrauerei FARNY, based in Kißlegg in the Allgäu region, is a medium-sized brewery with around 50 employees. Known as the inventor of Kristall-Weizen, FARNY has established itself as a specialist in wheat beers. The brewery produces around 100,000 hectoliters annually and is the market leader for wheat beers in the West Allgäu-Bodensee and Upper Swabia region.

Picture Overview (Download link for high resolution versions of pictures)

https://assets.gea.com/gea/action/directLinkImage?assetId=338919

Image 1: Cheers! Elmar Bentele, Wolfgang Sigg (both from Edelweißbrauerei FARNY) and Paul Locherer (Managing Director of Osker und Elisabeth Farny-Stiftung) presented their 11th beer variety in February 2025: an alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen produced with GEA AromaPlus. Source: FARNY/Carina Sproll

Image 2: According to FARNY Brewery in Kißlegg, its alcohol-free Kristall-Weizen is the first of its kind worldwide. De-alcoholization takes place using GEA AromaPlus membrane filtration. Like the original Kristall-Weizen, it is crystal clear, has a fine, stable foam, and is refreshingly crisp. Source: FARNY/Carina Sproll

Image 3: GEA AromaPlus uses a filtration technology with special polymer membranes to separate alcohol and water from the essential beer components responsible for aroma, color, and clarity. The cold filtration process works under pressure rather than heat, ensuring that the original flavors remain intact and do not need to be adjusted after alcohol removal. Graphic: GEA

Image 4: Non-alcoholic beer remains on-trend. Source: GEA/Statista

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

More information about GEA
To the GEA Media Center
Follow GEA on LinkedIn, Youtube

Contact Media Relations
GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft
Fanny Förster
Peter-Müller-Str. 12, 40468 Düsseldorf, Germany
Phone +49 211 9136-1504
 fanny.foerster @gea.com

About GEA

GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2023 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customer’s production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world“.

GEA is listed on the German MDAX the European STOXX® Europe 600 Index and is among the companies comprising the DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability as well as Dow Jones Sustainability World and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Indices.

More information can be found online at gea.com.