Germany

Mechanical refrigeration reaches the brewery

Carl von Linde’s ammonia refrigeration, first installed in a brewery in the early 1870s, freed lager production from cold cellars and natural ice.

1873

Why it matters

Made lager brewable year-round and anywhere, which is why a Bavarian cellar technique became the world’s default beer.

Certainty	Documented. Supported by contemporary records that survive and are agreed on.
When	1873. Known to the year rather than to the day.
Where	Germany

Bavarian lager brewing — Cold fermentation and extended cold storage, developed in Bavarian cellars long before refrigeration and later exported worldwide.

See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.

Last reviewed 2026-08-16.