Brasserie Coreff, whose name comes from Breton and whose meaning is “beer,” was founded in 1985 with the aim of perpetuating the values of the founders: respect, authenticity, conviviality, courage, and tenacity.
Ownership has changed over the years, but the principles of the founders remain. These principles are ingrained in the brewery’s way of being-against uniformity of taste and for a different understanding of consumption.
The true Breton identity of this brewery is breathed and alive in everything, starting with the horse symbol printed everywhere, a constant presence in the history and culture of the place.
Today it represents one of the cornerstones of Breton brasserie production, but like any great successful company its history makes us go back a few years. The world of French craft beer was not yet so flourishing: it was the year 2008 when Matthieu Breton, now president of Brasserie Coreff, first met EasyBräu-Velo, known then only by the name of Velo. Matthieu decided to rely on a partner with the knowledge and experience behind him to lay the foundations of a solid brasserie production.
The decision to rely on Easybräu-Velo was born precisely out of the search for a partner with whom to share a lasting collaboration. The relationship was built on a combination of professional and human characteristics that overlapped perfectly: technical preparation, design and construction skills, attention to detail, and the humanity behind every call, message, or meeting are the pieces that made it possible to put together the puzzle that is Brasserie Coreff today.
After the first filter, which is still part of the production process today, the collaboration between Easybräu-Velo and Brasserie Coreff continued in the following years. This includedmany other pieces of equipment such as a CIP plant and several gradually larger fermenters and maturation tanks that are still in service at the various production sites.
In 2017, Brasserie Coreff purchased its first brewhouse 50 hl from Easybräu-Velo, along with the entire fermentation cellar and an automatic CIP plant for safe and efficient cleaning of the entire production set-up. Careful installation of everything was meticulously performed at the historic and current site in Carhaix-Plouguer – in the heart of Brittany – where the core of production and headquarters are still located today.
Thanks to the Carhaix-Plouguer fbrewhouse, today 5 brews a day are made in just two shifts. (the potential is to produce more than 11 crushes in 24 hours if needed), About half of the liters produced in the various factories are bottled here.
It was a successful partnership that opened the door to many more collaborations. Between 2018 and 2022 Brasserie Coreff continued to expand its production capacity at both the Carhaix-Plouguer and Vigneux sites by integrating fermenters, maturation tanks, and more production equipment. In 2022 success results in the purchase and installation of a second brewhouse 50 hl, installed at the Liffré site (Rennes) complete with the entire cellar of fermentation and maturation tanks.
Meanwhile – between 2019 and 2022 – a third site, based in Vigneux, was also growing, where a series of new fermentation tanks were installed to expand product production, storage capacity and improve the efficiency of distribution logistics.
Last but not least, there is the brewpub opened in Vannes, where a small 10-hl Compact-Bräu brewhouse has been installed. Vannes brewpub is in a restaurant setting within a museum site that tells the story of the Breton people.
Today, entering Brasserie Coreff does not just mean taking a tour of a now historic brewery, but living a welcoming and friendly experience. Everyone knows each other and interacts together with harmony and professionalism, starting with Matthieu himself, who with his charisma and marked communicativeness can make everyone feel at ease and involve collaborators and partners in projects for the future.
Another key figure, and technical soul of the whole Brasserie Coreff project, is Sébastien Rouxel, master brewer, production manager and architect of the planning and implementation of an overwhelming process and path of growth.
Sébastien, always and tirelessly present at the brewery in Carhaix-Plouguer, is undoubtedly the mind that, as the business grew, reorganized production, created with his team recipes that characterize the brewery’s success. Careful consideration was used to choose collaborators and partners to accompany the necessary changes.
Sébastien is now the technical reference for all the other plants as well. He shares and completely embodies the “spirit” of Brasserie Coreff: ability to listen, respect for human values, spirit of collaboration, and respect for tradition.
Values that also inspired the construction of Liffré’s most recent production facility: the site saw the light of day after more than two years of careful studies. In 2022 the brewhouse 50 hl, second for the group, was placed with the first group of tanks, and already in 2023 the fermentation cellar was expanded with the installation of four 200 hl tanks.
Philippe, Liffré’s production manager, comes from the world of agribusiness and cider, and as he defines himself, he is a “production man, with the versatility of a Swiss Army knife”: Phillipe is practical and down-to-earth, interested in the success of the work but always with an eye on the personal growth of the people who work with him as well.
Here, too, the importance of people and the humanity they apply to the work is then transferred to the finished product, making it unique to those who know the history of this brewery. The fair exchange of technical and personal knowledge means that behind the success of a great entity like Brasserie Coreff are all the people who work with this in mind.
“What has made the difference is not only Easybräu-Velo’s technical and production preparation, or the speed of reaction to every problem, the relevance of the proposed solutions and the good value for money, but also the human, genuine and direct approach,” Matthieu Breton – president of Brasserie Coreff emphasizes. “For us, Easybräu-Velo is not a supplier, but a partner, the partner that has helped Brasserie Coreff in all stages of growth. Together we have built all the pieces that today represent the smiles, satisfaction and success of this brewery.”
“Knowing that our client is satisfied, and that we have achieved the goal together while respecting the spirit of the project, is a great source of pride for us,” adds Stefano Giacobini – BU leader of Omnia Technologies’ beer division. “On our side, we have to thank Coreff, because it allowed us to grow and understand the real needs of the client on the one hand, and the future evolutions and needs of the brewing industry on the other.”
And for the future? The focus is all on improving working conditions and reducing environmental impact. The transformation is already underway: Coreff’s next investments are geared toward three main goals: waste reduction and consumption control (water, energy, cleaning products).
The very first step will be to eliminate the use of big-bags for malt, which generate high volumes of plastic packaging.
At the same time, we are studying with them a different management of discharges during the processing process, separating these wastes by type to eliminate their impact on sewage treatment plants,generating added value for local farmers.
Finally, a major intervention on management software is being studied that will enable even more accurate monitoring and management of water and energy use so as to optimize all consumption.
Brasserie Coreff combines the values of its tradition with an extremely modern vision, open to innovation with maximum attention to sensitivity of environmental issues and sustainability, a trait that unites it and Omnia Technologies and all its member companies.