Family Dispute Ends Nearly 100-Year Brewing Tradition
The beloved Bavarian beer brand Unertl from Mühldorf / Bavaria is no more. As of January 1, 2025, the nearly 100-year-old brand has vanished due to a trademark dispute between two branches of the Unertl family. This legal battle marked the end of the brewery’s legacy and led to the rebranding of the beer under a new name.
A Family Divided: Why There Were Two Unertl Breweries
The story of Unertl began in the late 1920s when the original brewery was founded in Mühldorf am Inn. In the 1940s, a son from the family relocated to Haag in Upper Bavaria, where he established a second brewery under the same family name. For decades, both breweries operated independently but coexisted peacefully.
However, in 2021, the Mühldorf brewery was forced to close due to declining demand. To keep the beer alive, production shifted to the Aldersbacher Brewery in Passau. This change disrupted the balance between the two family branches, as the Haag brewery argued that the Mühldorf beer no longer had the right to bear the Unertl name.
The Trademark Battle
The dispute culminated in a 2024 court ruling at the Munich Regional Court. The Haag branch gained full trademark rights, arguing that customers associate the name Unertl with an authentic family-run brewery. The closure of the Mühldorf brewery and the outsourcing of production to Aldersbacher weakened the Mühldorf branch’s claim to the trademark.
A New Chapter: Wolfgangs Weissbier
Although the Unertl name is gone, the beer itself will continue under a new brand: Wolfgangs Weissbier. The Aldersbacher Brewery will produce key varieties like the classic Weissbier, light Weissbier, and organic non-alcoholic Dinkel beer using the original recipes. Other products, such as the Unertl Hell, will return as bio-kellerbier, while some specialty products, like the hemp-based beer mix Chill a bissl, have been discontinued for now.
The rebranding also brings visual changes: beer crates and labels will now carry Aldersbacher’s design. Despite these updates, the recipe and quality of the beer will remain unchanged, offering continuity for loyal customers.
Looking Ahead
Meanwhile, the Unertl brewery in Haag looks to the future with optimism. The next generation of the family, Franziska and Alois Unertl, are preparing to continue the family brewing tradition as trained brewers and maltsters. According to Alois Unertl IV, this step ensures that the family’s commitment to Bavarian beer culture remains intact.
Does the Unertl Brand Disappear Completely?
While the Unertl brand from Mühldorf will no longer exist, the Haag brewery will continue to operate under the Unertl name. This means that the trademark will live on, associated with the Haag brewery and its products. However, the original Mühldorf Unertl brand, with its distinct history and recipes, has effectively ceased to exist under that name. Customers can still enjoy its beers under the Wolfgangs Weissbier label, but the legacy of two coexisting Unertl brands has officially come to an end.
