Weihenstephaner

The Weihenstephan ("Sacred Stephen") Brewery is the oldest operating brewery in the world.

 In 1040, the Benedictine monastery overlooking the town of Freising, in Germany, was granted the right to brew. It has also been established that the Benedictine monks had already brewed their own beer much earlier than this. Even as early as 768a hops garden was founded in the grounds of the monastery, the harvest of which was certainly brewed in the monastery; which, incidentally, also means that beer made with hops, as we know it today, came into being at Weihenstephan.

 The reputation of the Weihenstephan brewers as true masters of their craft has grown in strength over the centuries, and today’s modern commercial brewery – and the world’s best known University of Brewing – occupy the former monastery buildings. The Weihenstephan Brewery maintains close links with the University. In the brewery, students from around the world are let into the secrets of the Bavarian art of brewing. Many of the world’s best brewers have been trained here and many breweries draw their yeasts from the famous Weihenstephan yeast library. Weihenstephan combines hundreds of years of brewing experience with the most up to date brewing technology and innovation. weihenstephaner.com