Bärenquell Brauerei
Bears’ brewery gone bare
Once the Berlin Wall came down, locals suddenly realized there was more to do than drink. Unfortunately for breweries in East Germany like the Bärenquell Brauerei, this spelled the end for most of them. Beer production plummeted, and in the years after reunification breweries in the former GDR closed down and were deserted quicker than parties when the fridge runs dry.
They simply couldn’t compete with trendy beers available from the West everyone wanted to drink because they could. While they were buying western beers, western breweries were snapping up their counterparts in the East – because they could.
These days, victims of the Great East German Beertrayal are scattered around Berlin, idle and neglected. A hangover from a country that doesn’t want to remember the party, a country which doesn’t even exist anymore. They hulk over vast yards, immense halls empty, loading bays silent, vats as dry as fridges at abandoned parties.
Once busy, now inanimate and soundless, the deserted Bärenquell Brauerei produces a multitude of clues as it begs to tell its sorry story – metal stairways, platforms overlooking great spaces where inebriating substances were once concocted, wires on tiled walls, ladders, steps, weird looking rusty pipes going anywhere and everywhere, paperwork, files and training manuals behind a dusty door, GDR stuff, manifestos and propaganda, labels scattered around, dusty beer bottles in a crate.
Behind a door upstairs was a kitchen! It had desks with drawers pulled out papers scattered, strange machines and contraptions, broken windows onto an outside world, a world that had left this one behind.
When the Bärenquell Brauerei closed its doors for the last time on April 1st, 1994, it marked the end of a brewery 112 years old. It first opened as the Borussia Brauerei in 1882, was bought by Schultheiss AG and expanded in 1898.
After World War II, it came under state control like pretty much everything else. It was renamed the VEB Bärenquell. (VEB stands for Volkseigener Betrieb, people-owned enterprise. Of course, the people had nothing to do with it.)
Bärenquell proved to be one of Berlin’s most popular beers and was renowned for its good taste. By the time of its closure it was one of the ‘big four’ with Kindl, Berliner Pilsener and Schultheiss.
If it was that popular however, I fail to understand fully why it went bust. Perhaps they ran out of bears. (Bärenquell literally means Spring of Bears.) I certainly didn’t notice any when I was nosing around.
After it closed, the brewery was acquired by Mannheim-based property concern Actris AG, then sold on in March 2014 after Bauhaus pulled out of plans to open one of its ubiquitous DIY stores here.
Now it belongs to the Krieger-Gruppe, which owns the furniture stores Höffner und Kraft, and has plans to turn the Bärenquell Brauerei into another furniture shop.
Kurt Krieger is the businessman who wants to build the huge development in Pankow, where the neglected Güterbahnhof languishes in fear of the new plans.
The Krieger-Gruppe already owns Bärenquell Brauerei’s neighboring site, where the VEB Berliner Metallhütten- und Halbzeugwerke (BMHW) was. That’s already been torn down to make way for – you guessed it – a giant fucking furniture store. Berlin can’t get enough of them.
My search for beer at the the Bärenquell Brauerei proved as fruitful as my search for bears. The closest I came to either was a particularly happy looking bear proudly holding a giant pitcher.
He featured on the side of a Bärenquell crate but wouldn’t share any of his favorite brew, and neither would any of the other bears still adorning thousands of bottle-labels strewn around. It was one of the last batches of labels to be printed. It turned out the bears didn’t come any closer to their beer than I did.
LOCATION AND ACCESS (HOW TO FIND GUIDE)
- What: Bärenquell Brauerei, abandoned brewery.
- Where: Schnellerstraße 137, Schöneweide, 12439 Berlin, Germany.
- How to get there: The S8 towards Grünau will drop you off at S-Bahnhof Schöneweide. It’s a 650-meter walk from there. Or cycle through Treptower Park if the weather’s nice, maybe stopping enroute if you dare at Spreepark, and just keep the river on your left until you find yourself on Schnellerstraße with the brewery on your right. Here’s a map so you won’t get lost.
- Getting in: Not as easy as it used to be. Entrances change all the time and the amount of razor wire only increases.
- When to go: Daytime is best to see the street art. It’s also a lot safer than wandering around at night.
- Difficulty rating: 7/10. But this is a volatile rating, subject to frequent change.
- Who to bring: Like-minded explorers. A girl or a boy for romance (or both!) depending on your preference.
- What to bring: Beer! Ironic as it may sound, it is essential to bring beer. Looking at all those happy bears enjoying their giant pitchers will have your tongue hanging out of your head. And that exploring is thirsty work! Bring a torch too, and a camera if you want to take arty pictures. But do not forget the beer.
- Dangers: Watch out for weirdos and security. There used to be people living here, and others having techno parties, but everyone has been more or less turfed out as the new owners clamp down on the fun.
Photos (2010)
Photos (2014)
Photos (2015)
Filed 29/7/2010 | Updated 5/11/2015
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Great post…I have just purchased an old beer mug with this breweries logo on it and was doing research when I came across your blog. Thanks.
Prost! I’d love a Bärenquell beer mug so enjoy!
We went today, and it was full of people – which is fine, considering it is a sunny afternoon and it’s a place open to everyone.. some were doing art, some were taking pictures – but SOME were throwing stones through the glass windows. relatively young loser teenagers who have nothing to do with their time apart from chasing people away, thinking it’s their territory or something. pubescent and aggressive power-game-style. apart from being utterly ridiculous, it was also really dangerous. we were inside one of the main buildings, and they started throwing stones or others things into the building from the roof. through the glass. pathetic. we then left, and I lost the lid for my lens and couldn’t go back because they were still there roaming the place. they might have been 16-17 years old. it makes me profoundly angry and sad at the same time that people like that ruin these places.. but yeah, may this be a warning to everyone: it’s not necessarily safe there. and some people seem to think it’s their bloody property. not only were they destroying the place, but they were also aiming at us. rant over.
I know how you feel. There were the same moronic types burning some stuff in Teufelsberg the last time I was there. Unfortunately, the fate for most abandoned places is to be slowly destroyed by these idiots with the IQ of a turd. I always get depressed when I go back for second visits to see how they have deteriorated. It just means we have to enjoy them before they become even more wrecked. While proceeding with the utmost of caution of course too.
Hallo, ich bin begeistert von Ihren Berichten. Ich mag Ihren Humor und die Beschreibungen sind alle sehr hilfreich.
Ich selbst bin etwas älter und nicht mehr so sportlich, darum ziehe ich Orte mit niedriger Gefahren vor.
Da kam mir eine Idee, wäre es Ihnen vielleicht möglich den Artikel eine Kategorie zuzufügen. Wenn Sie nun in die Kategorie die Gefahrenscala eintragen kann man z.B. einfach in die niedrigere Kategorie klicken und sieht welche Objekte passen.
Übrigens, Ihre Photos gefallen mir auch!
Grüße von Martina Brandt
Vielen Dank mARTina!
Ich habe schon die Schwierigkeit der Orte bemerkt, so dass Mann wissen kann, ob es möglich zu besuchen wäre oder nicht. Es ist zwar nicht wissenschaftlich aber ich hoffe, es Leute Hilfen würde.
Übrigens Ihre Photos sind toll!
Liebe Grüße, IB
Hi there,
I visited this brewery a few days ago, as part of my trip to Berlin. It was undoubtedly the highlight of the entire week I spent in the city. Thanks for sharing all this information. Will be consulting your notes on each building in my next trip toy Germany.
Kalliope T.
You’re very welcome Kalliope. Glad to have helped you enjoy your visit!
Went to the brewery this afternoon (April 2012)… A very pleasant and straight forward bicycle ride from Mitte. The brewery has suffered from what looks like successive waves of vandals and architectural scavengers. Some of the graffiti is very well preserved and the most interesting I’ve seen for a long while. There were a few other peeps about, wandering through the ruins, at first we thought they were security! A torch is a must if you plan on exploring the brew tank rooms, a bright mobile phone screen may suffice, they are a real horror movie rabbit warren – luckily I wore the brown underpants today! Thanks for the tips on getting in, very helpful!
THE WINDOWS NEAR THE ENTRY ARE ALL CLOSED NOW !!!
I went to this amazing place today (1 August 2012) with friends and we saw that workers were walling all the windows. So I guess it wiil not be as easy as described to get in.
I think you can still try to go throught the portal if you are not so fat…
We went here today you can enter at the main entrance between the fence (there is one larger than the others) very easy to get in and no security.
A lot of amazing paintings. You can also go on the roof.
It’s a long visit, there are a lot of buildings
Be careful there are a lot of broken glasses…
Enjoy the visit
AGA TEAM.
Went today thinking this place was small, it really isn’t (I think I was getting it mixed up with another Berlin urbex location I saw online). Windows are closed off as someone mentioned, but to the left of the main gate there is a gap in the fence. I only had time to explore about half of it, the next half wil have to wait for my next visit. Although there’s no security you are quite exposed sometimes so it’s important to get between buildings quickly, don’t want someone calling the polizei..
The light was dying so decided to leave the rest for another time. The place is well and truly trashed to fuck now, it made Krampnitz seem like it was untouched (which it very much isn’t), but still good to check out and got some good pictures.
-James
went there with some of my friends, we searched long for a place to enter, we found it at the main gate, just sneek between the bars of the gate, that area is huge and amazing!
unfortunately we went when the sun was already down, we forgot flashlights, kinda spooky but great experience, definitely will go there again.
some buildings are making creepy sounds.
Yes, the Bärenquell Brauerei was one of my favourites. I really should get down there again, though I’m afraid to see how thrashed it’s become since I was last there. I LOVE when buildings made creepy sounds! Just imagine all the stories they are dying to tell!
I have to go back soon…
I went to the brewery with my friend a few days ago and it was a lot of fun, especially with the good weather.
Also, we stumbled upon something really interesting:
In the basement of one of the buildings we found a room that was about 10 degrees colder than the rest, and there were 10-20 pines (like the ones people decorate for christmas) lying aroud on the floor, still green.
Does anybody know the story behind that?
I would really like to know.
I have no idea. You find some pretty crazy stuff in places like these…
As a part of the local volunteer fire department (Freiwillige Feuerwehr) I was about 3 times at Bärenquell Brauerei. It’s abandoned, but there is still a lot of things to burn…. It is really a very interesting spot and so much to explore. Why are there still thousands of bottle lables left? Did they really had no use for it. Fun fact: Some time ago, there were thousands of this lables flying around at Edisonstraße in Schöneweide. Someone seemed to set them free.
At the office building (the left one as seen from the main entrance) there were always some homeless people living. We saw some “furniture” when we entered the building some day. And there is also a “janitor”, although he’s not living there.
If there are the fire department or the police on the spot: leave it! There were so many fires set from the teenage dumpsters that the police will arrest everybody they can find.
@Irish Berliner: Give me a message when you go back there, would love to join you!
Hello Irish Berliner,
thanks a lot for this post! Do you still living in Berlin? I will go there in August and I’m looking for people there to visit these kind of places. I want to do urban exploring in Berlin. Would you like to go with me?
Hi Philipp!
I’m Beth from Venezuela. I’m planning to do urban exploring in Berlin in August. This is one of the places I want to visit.I read some of the comments above and it seems like it is a dangerous place sometimes. Due to the fact that I am a girl and I don’t know anybody in Berlin, I would prefer to go with a group of people. Would you like to go with me?
Another video, another point of view 🙂
dailymotion.com/video/xyo7y9_urban-exploration_creation
Hey Irish Berliner!
I just wanna start by saying I love your blog and have been following it loads. Good stuff. Funny stuff 🙂
Anyways, was here last Sunday, and it was really a good experience! Second time I’ve done such a thing (The first being Beelitz-Heilstätten).
But yeah, when I was all done exploring and wanted to head back, I spotted the Polizei parked by the entrance 🙁 Had to jump the fence.
Just wondering, has anyone here had experience with the German Polizei? How do they respond to traspassing here?
Thanks a load!
-Rif
Hey! thanks for site, it’s really amazing! I went to the brewery with a couple of friends at the end of August, we entered just left the main gate. It was Sunday, there were other people taking pictures and others making graffiti. We went in almost all the buildings, and we did not find any danger at all. Thanks, next time in Berlin I’ll go to explore some others place for sure!
Hey Rif! Best thing is just to avoid them where possible!
Glad you had an enjoyable Sunday!
I just want to provide a quick update of the place: I was there a few weeks back and compared to the photos you took, it was TRASHED. Shards of woods, glass, brick, plastic everywhere and I just could not find much to suggest that it was once the Barenquell Brauerei. There might have been a few old bottle labels here or some torn up signs there, but overall it was a skeleton of what once was.
Hey there! I’ve been to the Brauerei 3 or 4 times during the summer to show the place to visiting friends and take pictures of the buildings & paintings, which are well worth the (short) trip.
Sure it’s decaying like all other abandoned buildings in Berlin and will at some point reach the stage of the Hermannstrasse hospital. However it’s quite safe unless you fancy wandering in the basement without a light or hopping on the poorest looking rooftops. We’ve met several groups or couples of local teenagers simply sipping beers on the main rooftop. As some took the habit to throw down their bottles when empty, it’s best to make your presence known, so show yourself and speak at a normal volume – there’s nothing to hide from.
Other people & animals we’ve seen:
– a dozen cameramen & misc staff shooting a rap song video in a basement
– a couple of quiet homeless guys grilling halloumi on a homemade device while listening to the radio
– two guys in full paintball gear but not playing
– a fox living or hunting in the main building
– hawks flying around the top tower (no wonder, it’s the highest building in the neighborhood)
The main gate was blocked during our last excursion this Sunday, so we sneaked in the nearby wasteland and passed over the wall using wooden crates. I very much suspect that they are other ways in, possibly next to the water since most people seem to come from there.
Many thanks to the Irish Berliner for the review, and viel Spass to all visitors 🙂
Thanks Quentin, for your input! Your description fits perfectly!
I went around 6 times to this place. And it is true, everytime i go there i come back home more sad. People is fucking it up.
youtube.com/watch?v=NUxJuV0odgo
Awesome site. Big enough for all the guests 🙂
We went there on 24.05.2014 in a group of 3 people. It is still easy to get through the main gate: sneak between the bars or under the gate. Be careful when touching it, though, somebody put grease on it!
Inside, we met only other visitors, no homeless residents.
We tried to get there today, but it was impossible 🙁 They made a second fence protecting the entrance (you know the kind of metal fence often used on festivals or big public events, made of parts that have beton on the lower part to keep it standing) aaaaand behind it there were two security guys :/ There was an opened van and they were sitting there (eating their lunch… they’re human too! :D). We walked around for 30 mins or so, but they were still there, so we decided to try another time.
We were there yesterday (Friday, May 30th) and we found the place all locked up with security!
Looks like the city took a hold of it at last… Very sorry, maybe it was just temporary for an official visit or something, but no way in at least yesterday.
Let’s hope they don’t hang around for long..
Went there last week.
There war a security guy with a dog. He didn’t look very friendly 😉
Any fresh news?
Well, there definitely is something going on with this location. Coming from the station Schöneweide you’ll passi a vast waste land. This one – no joke – is secured by a guy with dog. TI saw them today walking around several times, and spent the rest of the day sitting in the car. The fences of both areas now have the same signs that tell you to keep of. When I arrived, the first fence was open and I still can use a gap on the right side of the gate to enter. Then, I had a wonderful day. I absolutely was on my own. No one was there. That hasn’t happened since my first visit end of 2007. Just as if local news had announced death penalty for trepassing the Brewery. I was extremely careful, especially when I couldn’t see the car with that security guy on the neighbouring area any longer. My guess was, he might have changed place to guard the brewery. When I left at 18:45 I saw a guy sitting on one side of the ramp at the gate. Block cloth, black hair, black beard. It was’n the guys with the dog, who had a white shirt. When I passed him on the other sideof the ramp, he said something of “Privatgelände”… I didn’t stop and squeezed myself through the gate again. That guys looked both gobsmacked and angry…
Forgot to mention: Every single hole on the ground like sinks or gully – every one that’s been open! – now is secured with fresh flake board screwed in the concrete. And lots of effort has been made to tidy up the place, not removing all the waste, but moving it it together on some places…
Thanks for the update! Very useful! 🙂
When I was at Bärenquell Brewery in early May 2014, the waste land next door, closer to the station, was already guarded by a guy with dog, sitting in his car and occasionally walking a bit. So, I don’t think this is just a temporary action.
Wasteland – former VEB BMHW (i.e. metalware factory with last standing buildings of administration and health care center) and VEB KWO (cabledrum factory with two apartement buildings of long ago abandoned road Wasserstraße) does belong to Möbel Krieger for a long time now. Besides, that is the same owner as Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow-Heinersdorf. So, at BMHW/KWO site there it is planned to build a huge SCONTO furniture store.
Now, Möbel Krieger has also bought Bärenquell brewery, as it is no longer needed for DIY-market Bauhaus. Plans for brewery area are not public yet. But, that is why both areas do have same security service!
I’ll have to do an update post soon. Thanks for all the updates…
These security guys do not operate for well-known companies such as SECURITAS or WISAG. They seem to use their private cars with no signs or badges on. And at least the surprised guy at the ramp had no uniform either. Just casual black jeans, black t-shirt…
I went today. Everything was perfectly close with painful spined metal fences. I say painful cause one ripped my jeans and did a deep hurt on my knee. I kept exploring with my bleeding jeans, and it’s a great place. I found 4 groups of people (5-6 people every group). It’s one of the most beautiful places to explore in Berlin. We went out in a different way cause i was scared to climb up again on the same place. So, is there a very easy way to get in, but it’s veeeeery hidden…. we found it cause some graffiti guys showed to us. I don’t want to say it because I’m afraid idiot people will ruin the place. So, official difficulty rating 9. You really don’t want to bleed..
they seem to have pumped up the barbwire-defenses in several places, not just here.
well, if you are thin enough you can try to squeeze through the main-entrance bars 🙂
but yesterday there was a car on the premises.
How sad, last year I went there a couple of times and always had a great time. All the years before, too. But now it seems to be over. The second fence seems to have been temporary while the construction of the barb-wire enforcement was going on. The barb-wire is now on all sides of the area, very neatly fixed (unlike Spreepark for example). Yesterday I witnessed a single security guard entering the area by opening the chain keeping the main gate shut (i.e. you could try to cut the chain, lock or picklock it). However, since he was not with a car and not even wearing a jacket I think they have some kind of “office” or lookout that is permanently occupied.
I might try to find a way in some other time – in a big place like that it should be possible to avoid security when looking out. Just have to time it right and avoid cutting myself.
Thanks for the update. Perhaps the comment regarding Möbel Krieger helps shed some light on what’s going on. I know I keep saying this, but I hope to do an update soon…
I went in this place last weekend and it is totally closed with barbed wire. It is very difficult to get in. Someone know how to get in now?
Sorry, that is wrong: “It was owned by Bauhuas, which planned to open one of its ubiquitous DIY stores here, but those plans fell through in March, when the site was sold on again.” In fact the site never was sold to Bauhaus but stayed in possesion of its owner ACTRIS, property management of former Henninger Brewery. It has been sold to Krieger by them and ownership changend with 1st of march, 2014.
Thank you! My mistake. I’ll clarify in the post. Thanks again.
I went there yesterday, on Friday afternoon. The half-blocked door was not opened anymore. However, we found a way to get in. You have to get into the wasteland on the right of the building in Schnellerstraße. That is quite easy, but be careful of people squatting there. Then, you have border the huge wall of the abandoned building until the end. There are razor wire along the wall at the top, BUT NOT on the side which faces up to the river. What you have to do is getting to the other exterior side of the wall, where there only is a little fence instead of bricks and razor wires. That is a bit delicate but the bricks of the wall with holes in and the foliage will help you to come there. Then you just have to stride over the little fence and you are inside, near the bottom-right building (which has got an awesome rooftop, btw).
There were two young guards in a safety vest on the site, but they did not seem so attentive and they only patrolled the central roads of the site, so just pay attention in the lower floor and when you decide to go to another building. The guards were still there at 9pm and we met them in surprise, but they were very nice. They told us we had to exit by our own way, otherwise they would call the police. They knew our way to get in and watched our exit but they did not seem to care of this possible entry in the site.
Thanks for the update!
Love this site and all the hard work you put in. Great journalism and photography I think this is a outstanding and fascianating website. Hoping to revisit Berlin soon and will be using your work as a basis for my tourism. Thanks
If you believe that this old construction trailer does belong to some squatters, you might be wrong. It’s been used as the security men’s shed since may.
Great website! My favorite urbex page. Respect for you!
Bärenquell Brauerei. – I went there on Friday. I’m really excited of this trip. Greetings from Poland! 🙂
First picture:
facebook.com/lukaszmalkiewicz.foto/photos/a.750688858336530.1073741872.459275074144578/761324060606343/?type=1&theater
It is all fenced in. It is not possible to enter just like that. And it is illegal. They made really a big fuzz about to fence in all and close it all off.
Property is property. They dont want those people in there coz they destroy everything 🙁
Shame that they dont offer photo tours though. Would be fun to go in.
Oh the irony!
“Shame that they dont offer photo tours though. Would be fun.”
I think you got the wrong site.
Hello thank you very much for your posts!!! I found many abandoned places during my stay in Berlin, I went to the Brauerei on November, there’s a fence but almost near the river the razor wire is pulled out and people put some “steps” over it so it’s not so difficult to climb, the place is awesome, greetings from an Argentinian.
Thanks for the update and the tip! Very nice of you to pass it on!
The entrance “steps” are still in place, enter the big open space next to the brewery from the main road, i found an open gate. walk down to the river you will see the rudimentary ladder.
flickr.com/photos/dizzyhigh/sets/72157650100497892/
Thanks Dizzy! Nice pics!
how cool. wished i could go over such a huge fence…. cant do 🙁
Hey Dizzy. If you go back, take me with you.
Oh my God.
“Property is property”. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
I wanna go too. But last time I went, there was no way to get in 🙁 Will come along though and see.
== Update ==
1. The green entrance gate was enforced with a metal lattice which reaches down to the floor. It is not possible anymore to slip through the bars or under the gate. On top of the gate is strong barbed wire.
2. The wall on the right side of the area (next to the empty wasteland) was enforced with barbed wire as well. Someone is definitely trying to keep out explorers. However, we managed to get in: On a length of about 3 meters, the barbed wire has been removed, and a climbing support was attached to the fence.
Summary: As of 08.02.2015, it is possible to enter IF you are able to climb. However, the landowners will probably repair the barbed wire at some point in the future.
Thanks for the update! Much appreciated.
Hey Guys!
Just been there with a friend of mine today and we had a not so lovely encounter.
While we were taking some pictures, we heard that in another building of the complex, some Nazis were kicking against doors and throwing stuff down the stairs.
(We started on the building right behind the hole in the fence).
From the third floor of our building we could actually see them doing it.
At one point, they realized me, looking at them out of a window.
Then one of them took his shirt of and they started running downstairs.
So did we. Luckily, we could escape and they didn´t reach us.
The Nazis were rather aggressive.
So, please, please take care and, if possible, don´t go on your own.
Still, we don´t want to give up on the Bärenquell Brauerei and are looking forward to go in there again with maybe 1 or 2 other Urbexers. So, if someone wants to join us (2 girls, sometimes 3), feel free to contact me 🙂
Hi Anne,
You`ve mentioned a hole in the fence. Does it mean there is a hole again and the barbed wire (At least a part of it) is gone? Where exactly? Left from the main gate where it used to be in the past? Thanks in advance for any information!
Hi Anne! I want to join you. I really want to go, but not alone, specially after reading the messages. So please let me know if you are going 🙂
Was there today. You can enter vi the front gate. It is a bit open to the left side. Don’t know how long,
went there a few days ago, the bit @front gate is still open
just watchout for workers on the wasteland area and passing ppl
other than that it was really straightfoward no one else around
went there today: there was no security or police issues at all. the site itself is pretty amazing and we met another dude on his way doing some arts in there. go and enjoy yourself! you can enter via the main gate, it’s pretty easy..just the doomed dog from the neighbor company is annoying.
Hey everybody! We went there last weekend and it was amazing! We just had a little bit of difficulty to get in because people were working next to the open fence and watching us.. So we just waited and then got in! Everything went great except at the end… We heard dogs and we saw 3 securities in the breauerei we run fast as we could to get away… They nearly cought us… It was amazing! But watch out for security!
There today, open fence is now covered in razor wire
Following up from my comment earlier, even though the open fence is now blocked up, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible to get in another way. The front gate has a tiny gap in the razor wire on the right, if no one from next door is looking then I reckon you could squeeze through (maybe with the help of a friend).
There is also part of the wall you could climb over but it’s right on the main road side and you’d be spotted for sure (and also have no idea what lays on the other side). The newly paved road along the right side is now a building site and it looks hard to get down there without bumping into suspecting builders, but it’s not closed off, so maybe on a weekend or holiday it’s doable.
If all else fails, a boat and a ladder should do the trick.
T
I’ve been with some friends some days ago.
Coming from the s-bahn Schoneweide we’ve found a good entrance at the small gate near the traffic lights.
You have to climb the gate but it’s very easy because the razor has been cut off.
Maybe a huge dog would shout at you, but it’s leashed on the neighboor building.
It’s a great place.
Have fun.
Eugenio
I was there last Sunday in the morning with a friend of mine. As mentioned above, the barbwire has been cut off on the right side, so that we could climb the wall in Schnellerstraße. However, I recommend to bring a friend who can pass you your backpack, as it is impossible to squeeze through while carrying a backpack.
We have been there today for 5 hours with the sun and no security. We went in over the fence beside the main entrance. There was no other possibility ( we didn´t see ) but it´s a good way in because it´s a little bit in the edge. A lot of people were there with music and cameras and there were some train writers.
No living-there-people but you can see, that some must live there but they were out.
All in all it was very nice and you can still make nice pics and you can find a lot of documents
We explored the brewery yesterday. No security, only relaxed guys in there. There are 2 possibilities for getting in: on the right side of the main entrance, climb the fence. Somebody removed the razor wire there. Or go in the new built street on the right side till you reach the Spree river. There is a repaired breach in the wall with a big tree behind. Somebody removed the razor wire and put a large wooden pallet there that you can use for climbing. On the inside there are 2 metal tubes behind the wall you can use to climb out again.
I went in there a couple hours ago and it was amazing. You can still use the entrance Oliver describes, going down to the spree river on the rightside and there was literally a ladder going in. Easy. There’s a dog next to the recycling facility (I think it’s that) and he barked at us but we just stood still and walked slowly out and there wasn’t a problem. We also saw fresh water and sleeping bags and clothes but we never found out who it belonged too. It’s awesome and open!
went there today..used the entrance at the end of the street that goes to the Spree (between the old brewery and the Momax store). At the very end, there is indeed a gap in the razor wire. And someone even put a ladder against the wall! No Security, lots of urban explorers…
I visited the brewery last weekend and the weekend before. No hassle getting in. The first time there was a few other groups roaming around and last weekend I briefly noticed one other guy with a camera and tripod. I read that there had been a major fire at the beginning of May. Nevertheless it’s an amazing place to visit and I can only imagine the insane parties that must have gone on over the years since it’s closure. I went alone both times and last Sunday it was more or less deserted (not sure where the lone cameraman disappeared off to). I did however hear a dog barking as I was leaving through the main gate so I’m not sure if there was some security on patrol after all or if the dog was located toward the back of the recycling plant – it was hard to tell.
Just got back, great site, thx for the info. Getting in was easy as pie. Main gate barbed wire had been cut on the right side. Saw 2 groups of visitors. No security or hostiles.
As to those complaining about vandals and graffiti artists “destroying” these sites, I see it as part of the decaying process of these urban remnants…
Went a few days ago (Thursday), couldn’t find the breaks at the main gate but ladder on right side by the river was still there. There were 2 yellow security containers and a guard sitting in 1 of them. Thankfully his shift ended soon after we arrived (around 18:15)
I have been there yesterday. It is really easy to get in, on the right side of the main entrance, just jump above the fence and your in. I have seen few people around the site, so I doubt anyone is looking after the place.
Very nice space and street art to see!
Same as Bob, climb the right side of the gate, you should be exposed only 20 seconds. No security inside, just explorers. Amazing buildings.
I was there together with a friend on sunny Oct 3rd. We also entered the brewery through fence on the right side of the main gate with no hassle. We could not see anyone inside while we explored for about two hours.
Been there about 2 weeks ago. The entrance is still hopping over the gate (right side). Be aware that there is a camera on the left side that is filming the gate of the neighbor gate. This camera is not to secure this gate but there is a good chance, that you are on their film!
The whole place used to be a nice site but is definitly fucked up right now. Many fires, graffity (but nearly no Streetart) and junk everywhere.
If you want to see the whole mess: Carismarkus.de and Flickr
J’y suis allé le week end dernier, je n’ai pas pu y rentrer car il y avais des hommes en bleu de travail et gilet jaune a l’intérieur qui y faisaient surement des travaux.
The fence at the main gate was recently fixed. It is impossible to enter anymore from there. There seems to be also some demolition or cleanup activity inside. I could see trash and furniture piled up, in large amounts, in front of the long brick building “Werkstattgebäude” behind the main gate… Sad news!
I went in there a few days ago with a friend. At first we walked around the terrain a few times to look for some kind of entrance but it was all secured, locked and fenced too well. At some point we noticed someone cut the fence for a bit, this is located near the water. This hole looked like it would be enough to enter the terrain. After 30 minutes or 1 hour of exploring the area around the brewery we decided to recharge and look for courage and get a coffee somewhere near. By the time we arrived for the 2nd time we climbed the wall, holding some kind of nail which was stuck in the wall, the next step was pulling our selves up and watching out for the fence. I would recommend wearing old clothes as the fence cut my jacket for a bit. From now on the adventure started. From here on you have to watch out carefully you don’t get caught by someone from a company or house nearby. We also had a police boat passing by so keep an eye on the water. Also: there is a company near the brewery on the water side but also next to the brewery on the other side.
You can get in. Go to the Spree on the west corner of the building. There is a 10cm path you can walk on. You will get to a metal pillar. Here climb up. 7/10
Was just here today.
Tried to enter from the west side through the other industrial company. Alarm went off, ran back. Ran around the whole thing, everywhere super tight.
Figured the easiest way is the small birch tree in front of the main entrance.
Climb up on it, use the wall in the beginning to kick yourself up to the thicker branches,climb onto the roof, and there is a ladder down from there. Watch your step, roof is falling down.
It was easier getting out (the same way) than in. Looks sketchy, but pretty easy.
We used a metal rod with hooks to get our backpacks up there. Bring a thin rope maybe?
was there this weekend – it’s still possible to get in but you have to climb over (or around) the wall close to the river. Better go there soon and on weekend because there is definitly some construction going on :/
Check out my video, to get a better impression: youtube.com/watch?v=_lTzPzFy1Y0
LG Leon
Wanted to get in last week. You cannot enter via front gate anymore, they have razor wired everything above the gate. We could see there was a security guy inside. I think people should avoid working days and hours if they want to explore without being disturbed.
Went in there last week. I asked the people working there to go around and they just let me in, they asked me to not make graffiti on other people’s graffiti, only on empty spaces. I found that a bit funny.
They explained there’s no construction planned yet, only cultural events.
But I guess someday it will come either way
Went here last weekend. Became a bit harder to get in, but still possible. Take the road on the west side of the building going to the bridge. Here you can go down and follow the quay till the small fence with some spikes. There was a boat docked when we arrived. Just wave to the captain and you’ll be fine. Ather this fence you’ll get at a kind of construction side next to the brewery. I suppose these guys work from mo/friday, so not sure if you should go then. There was nobody on sunday. From this area you can walk to the fence, search for the three that allows you to jump over the barbed wire. Voilla, you’re in. The site changed a lot since last time. Most of it looked ‘clean’. There were bulks of waste. It’s also not possible anymore to go in the big building 🙁 The entrance with the smiley is closed with a new fence. We didn’t find another way to get in. Still worth it! Made some nice captures with the drone. Also try to avoid the buildings next to it, since they have an alarm 🙂
We ran through the factory next to the brewery, to get in and out. We were just under the security cameras and we didn’t get caught or anything like that. I don’t think there is someone behind cameras all the time. I suppose it’s just in case of material damage.
The latest situation of wires is making it impossible to jump over high fences unless you are planning to swim around to the low fences on the waterside. Anyways the easiest way could be climbing up to one of the open windows using the side pipes on the main street Bundesstraße and getting in. Though during day it is difficult as the street is always jampacked, so give it a try.
Went there 2 days ago during a holiday trip to Berlin, and it was a total blast!
There are 2 ways of getting in.
The hard way is jumping through the wall on the south side, near the shopping mall. Somebody cut the barbed wire, and brought some wooden pallets to step up, but the wall is still preety high, dont know is there anything on the other side to jump on, and there was this nosey dude watching us from the window of the mall, so it would be better to go through there really early, or during night.
The easier way, we personally picked, was through an opened electric gate of the company on the west side of the main gate to the brewery, there you go 20 meters along the busted up fence and there is a spot where You can get over it. But watch out, the barbed wire still lays under the other side of the fence (some of the older one is still attached to its upper part) and You have to be carefull not to bust up Your pants, like I did ;P its sharp as hell.
Also, be warned- somebody can lock the electric gate to the company, what will leave You trapped inside its territory. We had luck to come across a cool dude from there, who let us out :}
The place itself is FUKKEN HUGE, and magical. We were able to get on the highest tower and see all the cool views. Every building seems to be preety opened at this point, but it looks like someone is cleaning the place a lot, because there are piles of segregated rubble everywhere, and the buildings are cleaned from it, so not sure if the city isn’t prepairing the place for renovation.
Anyway- it was a glorious adventure with my girl, and the only things we regret is We did not have more time to explore, and not taking some brooskies with us :}
Went there yesterday with a friend. We chose to climb over the wall next to shopping mall. Since it was a bank holiday the shopping center was deserted and we could just use the wooden pallets to get on the wall. It’s a bit difficult, but we managed. On the other side there are also pallets that you can use to climb down again. Since we didn’t know how much time we would have, we went into the highest building, which gives you a great view on the top of the platform. At the same time you are quite exposed and we think that somebody on the other side of the canal saw us (I saw him walking in at that point, so maybe he went to call the police). We then kept exploring and there really is tons to see. Especially on a sunny day, it’s nice to see how the light falls in through the windows. Also the piles of separated trash (wool, broken glass, wood etc.) look quite bizarre. In one of the buildings we went to late, there was a creepy teddy-bear with a ripped-off head in his arm, sitting on an armchair. After about 1,5 hours we decided to leave. We climbed back over the wall, jumped on our bikes and drove up to the closest bridge. There we saw a cop car arriving. It stopped, the two policemen got out, they looked at us half-knowingly and we just kept on riding without looking back. We’re not 100% sure, but almost certain that they were coming for us. Since we had already left the premises, there was probably not much they could do. So keep that in mind, fellow Urban Exploring friends. I’d recommend to go on a Sunday or a holiday.
We went there yesterday with my gf and definitely loved it! To get in, we used a wooden pallet that was already there to climb over the wall close to the mall. We wandered around for more than 3 hours and saw no one. You should definitely check it out
Its closed up an thay so called palate people use the climb up. is a single piece of wood. And the other way people garden is covered in razor wire now.
Went there two days ago. The wooden pallet that people speak of is gone, but I managed to jump up and over the wall anyway. If you’re around 1.8m tall and can do at least one pull-up, entering shouldn’t be a problem.
All entrances to the main building (the tallest) seemed to be locked. There might be a way through some of the semi-underground corridors, but I didn’t bring a flashlight so I was unable to check.
Really cool place anyways, the area around seems to be up and coming, so make sure you go before it’s gone or “pay-to-enter”.
Went there a couple of days ago, amazing place! Its easy enough at the moment to just climb over at the corner of the main gate. A kind soul has removed the wire there 🙂
Went there 30/12/18, was easy to get in to by climbing over the wall at the side opposite Mömax. Some entrances to buildings were closed, and the stairs were scarily flimsy, but all in all a great visit! Looks to be in the process of being cleaned up and eventually torn down though… So visit now before it’s gone!
Went there friday 18/01/19 daytime. Still possible to get above the small wall at the corner of the river and the mall. Someone left a trash there you can use as a support. At the moment we climbed though, we heard something and saw a drone clearly filming us. We hided in the building, but around an hour and a half later, when I tried to climb back I stopped as I saw a cop car parked right down the wall waiting for us. We just stayed to visit a bit longer and we could discretely spot them until they left. Try to go on the week ends if you can, I guess it’s much safer.
Thanks. This worked perfectly for me. Exactly opposite Mömax, maybe 50m from the river, is the best spot to get in over the brickwall as someone left a trash can and a pallet there, which makes it super easy to get in. I met no guard there, only stunning photo ops.
Been there before last year and this year in February through the wall close to the river. Went today to check and all options are full of wires. Couldn’t make it in 🙁
Have been last week and it was impossible to get in without stuff like rope or carpet to protect your body from the barbwire. You can climb on the scaffolders at the front of the building but you need a rope to go back by the same way.
Went there today despite the recent warnings that barbwire has been placed everywhere around the fence. We just squeezed in between the steel-fence and the wall (from the left hand side), right behind mömax close to the water. It was super easy to get in, no climbing necessary, and we spend hours walking around completely undisturbed.
We even managed to get up on one of the biggest towers, as there was a huge pile of construction work trash to climb on, so we could easily enter a window.
Great place with amazing buildings and views. I’d recommend you to try entering on a weekend though, as we saw lots of construction material lying around which probably means there are workers during weekdays on the site.
Visited the place today. The fence is open near the spree side. Nice paintings. Most rooms are completely empty. No security, no alert. Great impressions.
Good to hear this is still accessable but I got this hunch still will not be the case in the coming years, I heard there is an investor on the loose with a couple of million! Let me know if u see or hear something changing! See you coming summer.
Was in there yesterday, my first UE adventure! Entry by moving the fence on the right-hand-side of the building by the canal park.
The graffiti is great, although some of the finer works are now peeling somewhat, especially in the upper large rooms of the Maschinenhaus leading to the highest tower (which has splendid views). Construction work seems to be inexorably picking up, and the front buildings facing the main road are largely gutted, with boards on the beams replacing the doubtless-rotten floor. Please be careful in these buildings, you can see all the way down to the basement floor and can earn yourself an impromptu close-up without too much difficulty.
In the building directly opposite the fence gap there is evidence of someone living there on the canal-facing side, both through the trainspotting-esque floor mattress setup (complete with vacuum-packed meat on the floor), still-glowing embers where a fish has been cooked on a griddle, and 2 rooms full of more human shit than anyone should have to see on a Monday – certainly enough for me for the rest of the week. Watch your hygiene in this bit, and be sure not to disturb someone who won’t appreciate it.
Does anyone know if there are still any of the old documents or labels anywhere? I picked up an old grubby bottle label and decided to leave a barrel lid with the brewery name stamped on it, but I was hoping there might still be some souvenirs lying around. Is it (long since) too late for that?
Thanks to the peeps who let me tag along with them for my first adventure!
went in the other day, through a hole in the OSB boards on Schnellerstraße. very easy. was a nice evening. i’m so glad this place is still accessible, i went there like two years ago and thought it’s probably gone by now, but no!
When in today (Sunday) and was easy access from the street. Place is stunning even though it’s clear workers are there (chemical toilets, new truck parked, some new construction) but we didn’t see them. Maybe bcz it was the weekend. We did see some other visitors taking pictures and enjoying the grafiti and all. Wonderful place and maybe won’t b available to explore for much longer
Went in, easy access, great place, doesn’t look to be dissappearing anytime soon, definitely recommend going
Visited the place today. There’s no way in. Only the main gate with a 4 digit number lock is the entryway. If you know the number, you’re lucky.
RIP Bärenquell ��
Hopefully some graffitis will stay.
This will be the future:
bz-berlin.de/berlin/treptow-koepenick/niederschoeneweide-baerenquell-brauerei-erwacht-aus-dem-winterschlaf-mit-bueros-gastro-und-uni
Spent the last two days looking for ways to accomplish entry. No way possible. Luckily abandoned places königin elisabeth hospital and Flugplatz Johannisthal are both around the corner from this brewery.
Visited here last week, (un)fortunately depending on your standpoint the brewery is being redeveloped, If you want to access the site itself there is a flea market on a Saturday if you want to get close to the buildings.
Brewery redevelopment plans: https://baerenquell.eu/
Flea market details: https://reviersuedost.de/subaermarkt