The art of brewing – since 1040
Brewing Process
Brewing is our craft, and has been for nearly 1,000 years. Of course, high-tech has also come into brewing, but the basic brewing process remains unchanged. It isn't enough to brew a good beer. It has to be an outstanding beer of a consistently high quality. Therefore we have set for ourselves the highest standard of quality: Premium Bavaricum.
That not only requires constant concentration by the brewmasters, it also means that all the components for beer production are subject to constant quality control.
Each day we have 300 hands working on just that. From brewmaster to storage facility worker to secretary, they all ensure that only the quality that fulfills our standard leaves our house. And you can taste it!
Best ingredients for great beer
Aside from the brewers, high-quality ingredients are the basis we brew our beers upon. And we do so following the purity law of 1516, of course. Water, hops, malt and yeast – that is all there is.
The creation of the wort
First we make the beer mash from barley/wheat malt and brewing water. This is clarified - freed from its solid components. This results in the wort, the basic component of beer. In the mash house we bring the wort to a boil and add hops. This requires great artistry on the part of the brewer, because this process determines how the beer will taste.
Welcome, young beer!
After brewing, the solid hops and protein components are removed from the wort, which is then cooled to 10 degrees Celsius, before the cultured yeast is added. The wort then ferments for one week, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. When it is finished we have so-called new or green beer.
The maturation process
In our storage cellars, 15 metres beneath the monastery garden, we give the beer an opportunity to recover from the rigors of being brewed - complete serenity for the maturing process. After about thirty days the immature green beer has developed into - no, not an old beer - but a mature, gloriously fresh Weihenstephaner beer.
Clearing the beers
Now it is freed of impurities, such as protein and yeast, in our state-of-the-art filter system (of course, this step is skipped for our naturally cloudy wheaten beer specialities) until it is ready for bottling.
Filling and packaging
After the beer has passed through the bottling cellar, where the bottles are labelled and packaged - and where the pallets of barrels and bottles are stacked up fully automatically. It is finally ready for you, the beer connoisseur.
Constant quality checks
Highest quality is our promise. We work closely with quality control at the Technical University Munich to ensure that our beers meet our standards. Only when every expert in the process gives their thumbs up, we know that this beer has reached „Premium Bavaricum“.
"Brewing beer is craft and art coming together."
Tobias Zollo, Head Brewmaster and Technical Director
Our dealcoholization process
Alcohol-free beers are more than just a trend – and a Weihenstephaner is always a good choice. Back in the 90s we co-developed a special method to dealcoholize beers. You guessed it: together with the TU Munich!
Get to know our brewery and take a look behind the scenes during a guided tour
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