Sternburg is a brand of German beer, brewed and bottled by Radeberger. It has 9.5% of the market share[1].
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The history of Sternburg goes back to 1278 in the brewery of Rittergut, which lies between Elster and Mühlteich. Rittergut was purchased by Wilhelm von Mechfritz in 1405, and then in 1822 it fell under the ownership of Maximillian Speck, who bought the property as grazing grounds for his sheep. When Speck entered the gentry he asked to add the name of "Sternburg" to his title. However, he was not allowed to sell the beer at its current location in Leipzig and so he moved production to the cellar of a castle in Leipzig, and in April 1823 he received a permit from the Leipzig city council. From that point onward he sold an average of 300,000 liters of beer per year.
In 1948 the ownership of the brewery was made public as was common under the government of the newly formed state of East Germany (GDR), and in 1968 it was absorbed into the state-run VEB drink management organization in Leipzig. After re-unification in 1990, it once again became an independent venture, "Sternburg Brauerei GmbH," in cooperation with the "Stuttgarter Hofbräu." Demand for exportation fell to 600,000 liters per year, and so Sachsenbräu AG bought the business and closed the brewery at Lützschena, continuing production instead at the Reudnitzer Brewery.
In 1992 the brands "Sternburg Export" and "Sternburg Pilsner" became discount brands. In 1997 "Sternburg Schwarzbier" and "Sternburg Export" received the seal of approval from the quality-management bureau "CMA-Gütesiegel," and one year later "Sternburg Pilsner" also received this designation, followed by "Sternburg Schwarzbier" in 1999. In 2002 Sternburg Export was 48% of Germany's beer exports and the variety "Sternburg Radler" was introduced. "Sternburg Diesel" followed in 2003 and "Sternburg Doppelkaramel" in 2004. The last addition was in 2005 with the introduction of "Sternburg Hefeweizen."
The brand Sternburg has its own fan magazine. "Sterni" is published as a PDF-document regularly online at the homepage of the brewery. Inside are stories from fans from the brand, and bands that have written songs about the beer. Interactive features play a large role; readers can express opinions about music or their favorite types of beer.
| Introduced | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Sternburg Export | Pilsner |
| 1997 | Sternburg Schwarzbier | Schwarzbier |
| 2002 | Sternburg Radler | Shandy |
| 2004 | Sternburg Doppelkaramel | Shandy |
| 2005 | Sternburg Hefeweizen | Wheat beer |
| 2008 | Sternburg Urtyp | Bock |