Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Freising, Germany · Est. 1040
Also known as Weihenstephaner, Weihenstephan
Tally's Take
Why this matters
A testament to survival and purity. It endured raids in 955, plagues, and multiple fires, and was already centuries into the craft when the Duke of Bavaria enacted the Reinheitsgebot purity law in 1516. Today it's both a historic monument and, integrated with the Technical University of Munich, ground zero for modern brewing science — the origin site of the W-34/70 lager yeast now used more than any other on the planet.
The founding thesisA Benedictine monastery that needed to sustain itself; brewing was licensed by the City of Freising in 1040, making it widely regarded as the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world.
The Museum
Timeline
- 725Monastery founded
Saint Corbinian establishes the monastery on Weihenstephan hill.
- 1040Brewing licensed
The City of Freising grants the monastery the right to brew and sell beer.
- 1516Reinheitsgebot
Bavaria's purity law arrives — Weihenstephan is already centuries into perfecting the craft.
- 1921State + University
Becomes a Bavarian state brewery integrated with what is now the Technical University of Munich.
The People
Behind the beer
Ran the brewery for centuries through fire, plague, and war.
Championed the W-34/70 lager yeast strain isolated here — now the most widely used lager yeast worldwide.
The Beer Library
Beers
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Year-RoundGerman Hefeweizen
The global reference standard for the wheat-beer style — banana and clove from the yeast.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Vitus
Year-RoundWeizenbock
A pale wheat bock from a brewery that traces its line to 1040. Banana and clove at seven-point-seven percent, and it hides every one of them.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Korbinian
Year-RoundDoppelbock
Named for the monk who founded the abbey the brewery grew out of. Doppelbock was originally brewed by monks as liquid food for Lent — this is that tradition, unbroken.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Hefeweißbier
CURRENTHefeweizen
Current flagship wheat beer.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Original Helles
CURRENTHelles
Current classic Bavarian Helles.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Hefeweißbier Alkoholfrei
CURRENT / NANon-Alcoholic Wheat Beer
Current non-alcoholic wheat beer.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Travel Guide
Plan a visit
- Bräustüberl restaurant
- Guided brewery tours
- TU Munich brewing campus
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