• We brought beer diversity to Hanover back in 2014. Back then with our own specialty beer shop, the Craft Beer Kontor, which still exists today, we now concentrate exclusively on brewing our own beers. The focus is always on selecting the best raw materials and the taste of the beers. Brewing expressive beers does not mean making compromises, especially when it comes to the ingredients. And we don't do that either! Because we love what we brew, the variety and the creativity.

    Our aim is not to brew beers that everyone likes, but rather to brew beers that delight connoisseurs.

    More malt. More hops. More passion. More flavor!

    We develop all Mashsee beers on our self-constructed microbrewery at our site in Hannover Wülfel. Only when we are completely convinced of a new recipe do we brew it ourselves on a large scale in our friendly breweries, the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Wiesen, the Union Brauerei Bremen and the Brauhaus Nittenau. Of course, everything there is also done by hand.

    Together with Deutsche Kreativbrauer eV, we have set our own quality standards, which we strictly follow. The result is the "Natürlichkeitsgebot". This states that in addition to malt, water, hops and yeast, other ingredients may also be used to brew our beers, but only in their natural form. What's wrong with coffee or cocoa beans, cherries or raspberries in beer if they go together so well?

    At the same time, we have also committed ourselves not to use any processes to preserve our beers. Our beers are therefore all unfiltered, unpasteurized and not heated for a short time.

    This means we set ourselves higher standards in production than, for example, the "purity law" allows. Why should we remove components from the beer that are very positive from a taste and nutritional point of view, such as yeast and proteins? With us you get beer in its pure form - a living, fresh product!

    Our declared goal is and remains to build our own brewery in Hanover. Only then can we and our brewing projects fully develop.

    So there is still a lot to look forward to! Stay tuned and support us by drinking more good beer.

    Cheers!

  • "Mashsee" founder and owner Kolja Gigla is one of Germany's first generation craft beer brewers. Since 2014, he has been producing mostly bottom-fermented beers in small batches on his own experimental facility in Hanover. He brews these on a large scale at friendly breweries. His goal is to have his own brewery.

    The fact that Kolja named his beer brand “Mashsee” is a clear commitment to the capital of Lower Saxony. The Maschsee is in a popular tourist destination in the region. In this sense, the name is also a reference to the brewer's mission: beer brings people together, it is an uncomplicated companion, easy to drink, never banal.

    Like Kolja's beers. From the beginning he has dedicated himself to bottom-fermented beers, lagers such as Pils or Helles. The trained and studied brewer gives them a modern touch. The "TrainingsLager", for many, an entry-level beer into the world of craft beer, it is hopped with Simcoe, Crystal and Mosaic. A crisp beer with notes of mango and grapefruit that tingles pleasantly on the tongue.

    In 2014, this beer was a small revolution on the beer shelf, and to this day it is one of the bestsellers among the Mashsee creations, alongside the citrus-fresh, cold-hopped “Beverly Pils” and the alcohol-free “Blaufrei”. “For me, the bottom-fermented Beer styles are the most challenging in terms of craftsmanship. They forgive very few mistakes."

    But stop: Anyone who thinks that Mashsee has committed themselves to light Lagers is doing the brand an injustice. Seasonal creations such as the brown ale “Xoco”, brewed with cocoa beans, or the gingerbread ale “Oma Lene” show that beer diversity is also celebrated in Hanover – sometimes even beyond the purity law. Because Kolja feels committed to the naturalness requirement of the “Vereins der Deutschen Kreativbrauer". "All ingredients may only be used in their natural form. Artificial flavors and the like are taboo."

    All Mashsee beers are basically unfiltered and unpasteurized (except for the non-alcoholic Blaufrei), fresh products whose drinkability and pointed aromas show the brewer's expertise. Taste is the best calling card for a brewer.

    So far, the prototypes of all beers have been produced as test brews on a microbrewery in Hannover-Wülfel. If the result convinces him, he brews it on a large scale with his friends in the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Wiesen, in the Union Brauerei Bremen and in the Brauhaus Nittenau. Functional. But the goal is to have his own brewery. The own brewery would be the basis for further beers “with more
    punch.” More hops, more alcohol, Kolja is flirting with trendy beer styles like the Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) or the hoppy, fruity New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA). Not just because it’s a trend within the craft beer scene. He just wants to experiment without watering down his own style. After all, it’s popular in his home country. The appreciation for local products is growing, and Kolja can feel that too. “My beers don’t have to appeal to everyone,” he says. “But you can’t challenge the Lower Saxon palate too much – even if the willingness to try unusual beers is definitely there.” The goal is clear, the path to get there not always easy. Corona has not only thrown his plans into disarray. Chin up, brew beer: "We independent brewers from the very beginning are used to suffering."
    The motto that prevails over everything is: Don't let yourself get down and keep brewing good beer. "I'm looking forward to what's to come."

    Text: Regine Marxen