Bommerlunder Bernstein Aquavit

Berentzen-Gruppe AG is one of Germany’s longest-established spirits companies, with roots in Haselünne, Lower Saxony, dating to 1758. The company traces its beginnings to a local distilling business that later came into the hands of Johann Bernhard Berentzen. In 1899, Berentzen vom alten Faß became one of the earliest registered spirits brands in Germany.

For much of its history, the Berentzen family business focused on Korn and other distilled spirits. The company expanded into soft drinks after the Second World War, establishing Emsland-Getränke in 1958 and obtaining a Pepsi-Cola bottling and distribution concession in 1960. The soft-drinks business later developed into today’s Vivaris Getränke GmbH & Co. KG.

A major turning point came in 1976 with the introduction of Berentzen Apfelkorn. Its success transformed Berentzen from a regional grain-spirit producer into a nationally known company and led to the establishment of an export business in 1979.

Formation of the modern Berentzen Group

The modern Berentzen-Gruppe took shape in 1988, when I.B. Berentzen merged with Pabst & Richarz. This was a corporate merger rather than simply a brand acquisition, and the combined business became one of Germany’s largest spirits producers.

Pabst & Richarz itself had deep roots in the German spirits trade. The Richarz business dated to 1861, while the Pabst branch began with a wine business founded in Düsseldorf in 1898. The two companies had already merged with each other in 1969. Today, Pabst & Richarz Vertriebs GmbH remains part of the Berentzen Group and is closely associated with private-label and contract production at the group’s Minden facilities.

During the 1990s, Berentzen expanded rapidly through a series of important acquisitions. In 1990, it acquired the Puschkin Vodka brand from König & Schlichte. In 1991–92, it took over the operating business and brand of Doornkaat, one of Germany’s historic Korn producers. In 1996, Berentzen acquired Strothmann Brennereien in Minden from the Dutch group Bols; Strothmann itself had been founded in 1886 and had belonged to Lucas Bols since 1988.

In 1993, the group was converted into Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft, followed by its stock-market flotation in 1994.

Dethleffsen and the historic North German spirits portfolio

One of the most important acquisitions for the history of German aquavit and North German spirits came at the turn of 1998/99, when Berentzen acquired the spirits business of Herm. G. Dethleffsen of Flensburg. Through this transaction, Berentzen gained a substantial portfolio of historic brands, including Bommerlunder, Hansen Rum, Springer Urvater, Echt Stonsdorfer and Dirty Harry.

Dethleffsen had itself spent decades consolidating historic northern German spirits businesses and brands. Its portfolio had included or absorbed names such as Bommerlunder, Balle, H.C. Asmussen, Echt Stonsdorfer and Herm. C. Andresen. This is especially relevant to historical bottles: some brands now associated with Berentzen were originally produced by independent distilleries long before they became part of the Dethleffsen and later Berentzen portfolios.

Diversification and later development

Berentzen also expanded beyond spirits. In 1996, it acquired Brandenburgische Mineral-Quelle, strengthening its mineral-water and soft-drinks business. In 2014, the group acquired the Austrian company TMP Technic-Marketing-Products GmbH, now Citrocasa GmbH, adding fresh-juice systems to its activities.

In 2008, the investment company AURELIUS acquired a controlling 75.1% stake in Berentzen-Gruppe AG. Aurelius subsequently restructured the business and fully exited its investment in 2016, after which a larger proportion of the company’s shares returned to free float.

Today, Berentzen-Gruppe AG remains based in Haselünne. Its activities span three principal areas: spirits, non-alcoholic beverages and fresh-juice systems. Its spirits portfolio combines the core Berentzen and Puschkin brands with historic names such as Strothmann, Doornkaat, Bommerlunder, Hansen Rum, Echt Stonsdorfer and Springer Urvater.

As of 7 October 2026, Berentzen-Gruppe AG is also the subject of a pending takeover offer by Sazerac Company, Inc. The agreement was announced in September 2026, but the transaction had not yet been completed at that date; Berentzen therefore should not yet be described as a Sazerac-owned company.