The Weihenstephan Story:
The Finest German Beer

The Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan: Nearly one thousand years ago it was the monastery brewery of the Benedictine monks, then the Royal Bavarian State Brewery.

Today, as a regulated enterprise of the Freestate of Bavaria, it is a company run according to the precepts of private business. As the oldest existing brewery in the world, our brewery occupies an exalted site atop Weihenstephan Hill in the Bavarian city of Freising, surrounded by the comparatively still very young Weihenstephan science centre of the Technical University of Munich.

Yet it is precisely this unique combination of tradition and custom, proven knowledge, and modern science, which gives the brewery its incomparable identity and permits it to brew beers of the highest quality. And, of course, we're more than a little proud of that.

Class not mass — a simple description of one of the most important principles of our corporate philosophy. As a mid-sized company, we are dedicated to quality products and are delighted that our beers are viewed — nationally and internationally — as a particular speciality, not just in beverage speciality shops but also, and particularly, in the area of gastronomy. Among brewers we have always been seen as an "insider brand."

This is no surprise when you consider that Weihenstephan represents the centre of international brewing science and that beer brewers all over the world have learned the beer brewer's trade at Weihenstephan. Thus for our scientists our brewery also plays the role of a model plant — a position of great responsibility!

However we are mindful of the fact that we bear a responsibility not only to the university. Above all for our customers and for the connoisseurs of our beer specialities, we want to maintain the highest standards and a corresponding dedication to always brew a special beer and to be available as a trustworthy partner to give advice and to lend a helping hand.

A partnership of trust also means getting to know one another better. Therefore we have tried on the following Internet pages to present briefly the world of beer brewing and thus the world of experience of Weihenstephan. Besides sketching the history of our brewery, we particularly want to introduce to you the reader our corporate philosophy through pictures, information and impressions of Weihenstephan. We do so because we believe that lasting values and the certainty of a good product are important — especially in our fast-paced age.

For us, beer brewing is a special philosophy. We hope that the following pages will whet your appetite and have you looking forward to your next Weissbier (wheat beer) from Weihenstephan. Prost!

History of Weihenstephan

Over the centuries much has changed in the world, and the future lives from change. It's nice to know that in the eventful history of Weihenstephan, with all its developments, achievements and setbacks, one thing has remained constant: our beer. Thus the Weihenstephan Monastery Brewery — after nearly a thousand years — still stands atop Nährberg Hill, proud of its quality and its tradition and conscious of its position as the oldest existing brewery in the world.

Our brief overview through the centuries illustrates the long history of Weihenstephan.