As most good stories, this one also started with just two crazy guys and an idea!

Meet Bjoern and Mario

Bjoern, a Berlin-based entrepreneur, who happens to own a brewery in the area of Hanover, Germany, and Mario, a former IT consultant with a big love for Brazil, met and decided to go for a trip to Brazil. They had a vague idea of a German-run Brazilian brewery already in mind.

After arriving in Brazil, they met with their long time business partner Roberto, got some tips, ideas and recommendations where to go and to whom to talk. They travelled some 4000km in the states of Rio and Sao Paulo and ended up again in Rio de Janeiro with no results and a bit frustrated.

Mario had to leave 4 days earlier back to Germany and Bjoern planned to finish his last business meeting and drink lots of beers the last days to compensate the miserable results....

In his hotel he met three German guys from Hanover, who invited him to a weekend trip to he mountains over the weekend before he leaves. Bjoern agreed and went to his last meeting. After the business part, they had a beer and Bjoern talked about the brewery idea.... and one of the guys said that his business Carlos and his friend Andre also have the dream to brew beer.

On a very short notice, they arranged a meeting and Carlos, Andre and Bjoern met the other day. Carlos invited him to his holiday house in Visconde de Maua and by chance, this was exactly the same place, where the students from Hanover wanted to take Bjoern – and both houses where 100meters away! – Coincidence, is it you??

Bjoern and Carlos decided to have a BBQ in Carlos house in Maua the next day to go deeper into the topic.

Their first trip was to the beautiful landscape of Visconde de Maua and the surrounding mountains. There they realized that this must be the spot to brew the beer. Looking at the scenery, they just felt it.

It took another 1.5 years and lots of trip to Brasil to explore the region to really find the best place to build their dream. And they got help. Mario, Roberto and Andre joined the team and all help to make it happen. By the end of 2011 they all founded the Visconde Bier Company Ltda. Aldo and Marcelo (former founders of Baden Baden brewery) joined the team as advisors and partners.

In Summer 2012 Florian, a business partner of Bjoern from Berlin joined Bjoern for a trip to Brasil (he had some business meetings there anyway ;-). Together they visited Visconde and Florian fell into love with the land and the idea. The next day, Sidney – an old school friend of Roberto, who heard about the project, flew in to Visconde to also see the land. He has heard about the project from Roberto and liked the idea too.

The next day, they went on a yacht cruise in the bay of Rio with Sidney. After a few beers, Sidney said: “It’s a lifestyle project, isn’t it? I’m in!!”. Florian also joined in and the team was almost completed.

So the team was almost completed – but one guy was missing -> a German brew master! But once again, heaven helped … In October 2012 Bjoern planned his next trip to Brasil and talked about it to Rainer, a good friend and brew master from Germany. It took him a day and the flight was booked. They had a good time in Brasil and in 2013 Rainer also joined the team – completed!

Meet our founders team:


Carlos

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Bjoern

Bjoern Baehre is a German entrepreneur raised on a farm in Northern Germany and started his career in the online industry right after his studies. After two years working in an online agency. He built up the German operations for Result.com and later founded several online and mobile companies e.g. simfy.de, Fakturino AG, getsteep.com, UFS24.com. In 2009 he re-started together with a friend a very traditional brewery in Germany – doebbecke.de – and shortly after this, the idea was born to build up a brewery in Brasil to serve the German team during the worldcup 2014 ;-)


Roberto

Roberto Thiele lives in Rio, where enjoys family, friends, nature, music, football, sailing and beer of course. Graduated as engineer, works with network services for many years. Understands a little about banking and business aviation, and a bit more about digital and mobile stuff. Stubborn entrepreneur, started and managed several companies, often involved in international projects. Challenged by a German ´brother´ to make a micro-brewery, quickly said let´s do it. Invited a group of talented friends to join the vision of building a great beer club, dreaming of staying close to it forever.


Andre

Andre de Paula was born in Brasilia and grew up in Rio de Janeiro. He majored in Architecture and met Carlos Jorge Ramers while still a student. He soon became a partner in Ramers' Architecture practice. After a period in the field, he and Carlos Jorge decided to pursue other passions outside of Architecture. Having considered various options, they decided to start their own brewery. They met Bjorn, who was himself planning to open a brewery in Brazil, and here they are!


Mario

Mario Holze, also born in the North of Germany, is today living in the marvelous city of Rio de Janeiro. After being a student at FGV University and semi professional Triathlete, Mario turned to be an entrepreneur in early years. His principle business is a small Consulting and Investment Company called HoQECS.com, which is managing several ventures in Germany and Brazil, often related to the Food & Beverage industry. Latest project is the launch of Cantio Advanced Sports Nutrition, bringing back the worlds best supplements to athletes. Sport & Beer as lifestyle!


Sidney

Sidney has been an investor and executive in the IT industry since 1994, and has already founded six companies. His latest entrepreneurial success started in 2004, when Sidney built ALOG Data Centers do Brasil. ALOG is among the leading carrier-neutral data center services providers in Brazil and serves approximately 1,400 customers across its three data centers in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Sidney grew ALOG to $100 million in revenue and 450 employees before he sold it to Equinix and Riverwood in April 2011. In addition to his for-profit work Sidney also founded Potencial NGO in 2011, a non-profit that helps low-income students graduate from high school, into college, and then helps them in securing their first job. He has also invested in education ventures in Brazil, and serves as a board member and investor in Gera Venture Capital. Sidney graduated in Aeronautical Mechanics Engineering from the Aeronautics Technology Institute - ITA. He holds an MBA from COPPEAD/UFRJ and an OPM from Harvard Business School. Sidney is a member of the 2013 Class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.


Dr. Florian Resatsch

Florian Resatsch is an entrepreneur from Germany. He has founded friendticker, dealomio and radcarpet, which later was sold to Ströer Media AG. Florian is also invested in companies with a focus on mobile and payment. Born in Bavaria, he always was a big fan of beer and combined with his enduring interest in South America, the idea of a Brazilian brewery was easily sold.


Rainer

Rainer, our brewmaster
Rainer started with an apprentiveship as brewer and maltman at Hofbrauhaus Wolters AG in Braunschweig after school. After three years of training, he started as brewer at Berliner Kindl Brauerei AG in Berlin and decided then to study brewing technology at the Technical University of Berlin. After he successfully finished his studies, he worked for 4 years as the brewmaster at Joh. Albrecht Brewery in Dusseldorf. After that he concepted and implemented several breweries in e.g. Moskau, Novokusnezk (Russia), Yokohama (Japan), Lissabon (Portugal), Bangkok (Thailand). And started in parallel his own brewery in Germany which he now merged with Bjoern’s brewery. To have more time to focus on the Brasilian activities of the Visconde Bier Club.