Feldschlösschen

The story of Feldschlösschen began with two men: Theophil Roniger, a brewer from Magden, and Mathias Wüthrich, the son of a farmer from Sennweid, in Olsberg.

Roniger was born in Magden, the son of a small farmer, a grocer, and an innkeeper. He learned the brewing trade and spent three years traveling through German towns and breweries as a journeyman. Theophil Roniger returned with ideas—big ideas.

Wüthrich was born in the nearby village of Magden; he is the son of a wealthy farmer. He wants to become a farmer and remain one, with cows, land, and horses. His father encourages him to go into business with the brewer Roniger. Mathias Wüthrich has his feet firmly on the ground and a solid financial foundation.

Thanks to funding from Wüthrich, they purchased the former industrial site located near the new Rheinfelden train station. By the end of January 1876, 365,000 francs had been invested in renovations, state-of-the-art brewing equipment, and raw materials—a colossal sum for the time.

The brewer and the farmer founded the “Wüthrich & Roniger Brauerei zum Feldschlösschen General Partnership” and brewed their first beer on February 8. This date marks the birth of the Feldschlösschen brand and company. During the first year of operation, 3,600 hectoliters are produced. 

It was precisely during those early years that they faced almost insurmountable difficulties. The winter of 1877–1878 was so mild that none of the ponds in the region froze over. Mechanical ice production had not yet been invented, and without ice, it was impossible to brew or store beer. 

A team from Feldschlösschen travels by horse and carriage from Rheinfelden to Klöntal, in the canton of Glarus, to “fish on the ice” on the frozen lake. The ice, obtained at considerable expense, is then transported by train to Rheinfelden. That year, the prices of hops and malt also reach unpredictable levels.

Many observers predict that this young company will soon go out of business.

The founders were able to anticipate trends. The future belongs to high-quality craft breweries. Feldschlösschen beer is highly regarded, and its market is constantly expanding. The company is undergoing a period of rapid and dynamic growth.

The partnership between these two very different entrepreneurs is paying off. The brewer produces a product of exceptional quality. The farmer, with the help of his horses, handles transportation to the brewery and to customers’ homes. Profits are consistently reinvested.

In 1882, the production facilities were expanded for the first time, increasing capacity from 15,000 to 30,000 hectoliters per year. The new buildings constructed in 1887 allowed the capacity to reach 45,000 hl. With each new construction, the Neo-Gothic style became increasingly prominent in the buildings.

Thirteen years after its founding, Feldschlösschen’s beer sales are twelve times higher than they were in its founding year. Feldschlösschen is now investing in the infrastructure for a direct rail link. Time savings, cost reductions, and a modern infrastructure in line with the company’s rapid growth are the reasons behind this investment project.

The direct connection to the Swiss rail network becomes a competitive advantage for the brewery’s future logistics operations. In 1907, Feldschlösschen purchased its first locomotive.

The company’s rapid growth has led to the ongoing expansion of its production facility in Rheinfelden and has resulted in the expansion of its distribution network to cover nearly all of Switzerland.

The founders were forced to give the company a new legal structure. On October 1, 1890, the joint-stock company Brauerei zum Feldschlösschen was founded in the former “Feldschlösschen” restaurant on Spalenberg—today the Hotel Basel. Its first chairman of the board of directors was Fritz Brunner, an industrialist and later mayor of Rheinfelden.

Fourteen years after its founding, Feldschlösschen has become deeply rooted in people’s hearts. Feldschlösschen shares represent a sound investment. Mathias Wüthrich and Theophil Roniger are respected entrepreneurs and esteemed citizens. They manage their company in an exemplary manner, particularly as employers.

On February 8, 1909, Theophil Roniger’s grand vision became a reality: exactly 33 years after Feldschlösschen was founded, the first batch was brewed at the new brewery on February 8, 1909.

Theophil Roniger places great importance on the architectural design of his brewery. From the very beginning, he entrusted the design of the buildings to professionals. The initial designs for his vision of the fermentation hall were created by the Langeloth architectural firm in Frankfurt am Main, and later the Zimmermann design firm in Freiburg im Breisgau joined the project.

The design process began in 1906. In November 1907, Roniger presented the final plans to the board of directors and received approval to proceed with the project.

In 1913, Theophil Roniger died, and his son Adolf took over the brewery. He steered the company through two world wars, raw material crises, and market crashes.

Like his father, Adolf Roniger is a tireless construction entrepreneur: in addition to his forward-thinking expansion of production capacity, he is particularly committed to preserving at-risk retail locations by systematically purchasing and renovating them.

Adolf Roniger has been working at Feldschlösschen for 60 years.

1912

Feldschlösschen had as many as 60 brewery horses. However, with the arrival of the first trucks in 1912, their numbers began to decline gradually.

1992

Even before the SBB, Feldschlösschen introduced the pallets that are still used today all over the world to transport its beer.

1996

Beer production has surpassed the symbolic threshold of one million hectoliters—equivalent to 100 million liters—for the first time. This is 250 times the amount of beer produced when the company was founded in 1876.

1990

Installation of the first cylindrical-conical fermentation tanks with a capacity of 4,000 hl. The shape of these tanks allows for yeast harvesting without racking or pressure loss, so that primary fermentation, secondary fermentation, and even storage can all take place in the same tank.

1991

Feldschlösschen Schlossgold non-alcoholic beer (now Feldschlösschen Alkoholfrei) replaces the old EX beer, which has been on the market since the 1930s.

1992

Feldschlösschen has established a modern holding company bearing the same name.

1996

The classic Feldschlösschen lager, brewed since 1876, is now called “Feldschlösschen Original.”

2008

On April 17, Aramis, the brewery’s horse, was born: he is the first Feldschlösschen foal born at the Rheinfelden stables.

2009

Celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the fermentation room: a symbol of a brewing tradition that is still alive today and of decades of artisanal craftsmanship.

2013

Feldschlösschen is putting Switzerland’s first 18-ton electric truck into service and delivering beer and other beverages to its customers without producing any emissions.

2021

Feldschlösschen is opening the “Brauwelt” visitor center, marking an important new milestone in the brewery tour.

2021

With twenty 26-ton electric trucks, Switzerland’s largest fleet of electric trucks has been established.

2024

Opening of the Magdener Bach floodplain, located in the immediate vicinity of the castle and on land owned by Feldschlösschen.