Berlin's Oldest Brewery Set to Close

German food company Dr Oetker is planning to close one of Berlin's oldest breweries, the home of Berliner Kindl beer, as part of new cost-cutting measures. The brewery, located in the Neukölln district in the southwest of the German capital, is closing its doors after more than 130 years in business. A spokesman for the company said Dr Oetker was planning to transfer production of Berliner Kindl to another of its breweries in the city. It is also closing a brewery in Dortmund, western Germany. The move is aimed at helping Dr Oetker cut up to 450 jobs as beer consumption in Germany declines, the company said. According to the Federal Statistics Office, beer sales in Germany continued to decline last year, consolidating a trend that has surfaced over the last decade. Once dubbed "the champagne of the north," Berliner Kindl is now a beverage of preference among construction workers. The beer has been described by one connoisseur as having a "citrusy nose" and being slightly "skunky."