Monumental Tanks Arrive at Dreher
The underground passages of the 13th‑century limestone quarry beneath Dreher’s historic brewery have been reinforced to enable the construction of new production units. In the first phase of the company’s HUF 100‑billion investment programme, the entire fermentation process will be renewed – supported by 35 gigantic tanks that have already been floated up the Danube from Germany.
The fermentation and maturation tanks were transported by road during the night from the Csepel Freeport to the Kőbánya brewery site in late October and early November 2025. The largest units, measuring 20–22 metres, had to be manufactured without external insulation in order to receive the permits required for oversized transport through Budapest. The insulation layer will instead be installed on-site in a specially constructed hall with the help of an international team of experts.
“In the life of a historic company, there comes a moment when comprehensive development and the complete renewal of certain processes become necessary. In Dreher’s 21st-century story, that moment has now arrived. Thanks to the professional and business successes of the past years, we have reached a point where Asahi Europe & International has chosen to launch a globally significant investment with us – one that will secure the long-term future of our brewery,” said Mike James, CEO of Dreher Breweries.
Fermentation is one of the most critical steps in brewing. During this stage, yeast transforms the sugars in the wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide – fundamentally shaping the beer’s flavour, aroma, and carbonation. This makes the current investment especially important for Dreher: alongside the modern buildings and 300‑cubic‑metre tanks, new technologies will also be introduced. Next to the new fermentation building, an energy centre is being constructed that will later serve the entire production process and improve the efficiency of water and energy use.
“We are carrying out the largest single investment ever made in the Hungarian beer industry at the country’s leading brewery*, on a historic site – all while continuing full production. This requires exceptionally creative handling of every logistical challenge. The complexity of our project, called the Master Plan, is well illustrated by the fact that we had to reinforce 800‑year‑old tunnels so that a 500‑ton crane could lift into place tanks that, in their completed form, could not even be transported on Hungarian roads,” said András Rácz, Director of Integrated Supply Chain at Dreher Breweries.
In recent years, Asahi Europe & International has already implemented several developments to improve the efficiency of the Kőbánya brewery and strengthen Dreher’s export capability: HUF 4.6 billion was invested in replacing compressors and filtration equipment, followed by a HUF 7‑billion investment in a new aluminium canning line. The first phase of the Master Plan mega‑investment – also fully self‑funded – amounting to HUF 30 billion, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Further development directions will be determined based on how the domestic market evolves.
Please find the video and photo gallery of the tank transport and construction work under the links.
*Source: Based on NielsenIQ RMS beer category sales data for the 12‑month period ending September 2025, covering the entire Hungarian retail market (Copyright © 2025, The Nielsen Company (Europe) Sarl).
