Kitzingen Brewery Story

 
 

Kitzingen GermanyKitzingen, Germany


The microbrewery's namesake is inspired by Kitzingen, Germany, a small town near Wurzburg. Formerly part of the United States Army Wurzburg military community, it was home to the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) 2nd Brigade after WWII and in 1996 it became the home of the 1st ID.  It was closed and turned over to the German Government on March 29, 2007 when the 1st ID returned to the United States. Rommie Bailey served at the base in the 1980s, and much of the decor inside the brewery will tell the story and pay homage to the relationship between the American soldiers and the German people at the base.

Kitzingen is also known for its local legends, which heavily influenced the brewery's logo design. The city's main landmark is the Leaning Tower, a 13th century structure famous for its crooked roof. According to lore, the tower was constructed during a drought, and when workers ran out of water for the mortar, they substituted wine which caused the top of the structure to lean. It's said that the angle of the tower points to the grave of Dracula in the nearby cemetery and that the golden ball decorating the top of tower contains his heart. Those same builders also added the cross-shaped windows, supposedly to help ward off any blood-sucking vampires.

For more information about the city of Kitzingen, Germany, see this article on Wikipedia.

 
 

German Memorabilia

Rommie Bailey also keeps in contact with many of the soldiers he served with in Germany, some of whom have already begun sending memorabilia for the brewery. "We will have a lot of military history displayed and unique items for the bar," Bailey said. "Some beers will be inspired by the military and appropriately named, and I have many suggestions from my military buddies who were stationed in Kitzingen, both Larson and Harvey Barracks. Others will be decidedly local."

That combination of local influence, German beer tradition and even a Dracula connection is sure to make this brewpub a unique addition to the West Michigan brewing scene.

We are proud to be serving German craft beer to patrons from the following Michigan communities: Wyoming, Grandville, Grand Rapids, Byron Center, Kentwood, Jenison, and Hudsonville.