Monastery breweries dot Germany and offer you the chance to taste some locally made beer. (designed by Stripes staff)
Beer has been around for thousands of years. It served as a way for our distant ancestors to both preserve grains and supply high calories outside of harvest season. Beer became the type of homemade food that every family had a version of, especially in northern Europe. As Christianity spread and led to communal living by monks and nuns, it was only natural that they, too, would need to brew this vital beverage. At first, religious orders only brewed beer for their own residents; much like the gardens and farms run by monasteries, breweries were a small part of what kept the complex fed.
Unlike household beer, however, the monastery suds were high quality.
As some of the few people during the Middle Ages who could read and write, these holy brewmasters had the opportunity to become niche experts. They kept records and recipes and continuously strived for high-quality draughts worthy of their religious calling. Religious orders were at the forefront of developing and defining the many beer varieties we have today.
Frescho of a monk pouring beer from a barrel, east wall, Orslev church, Denmark (Stig Alenäs)
Since monasteries and abbeys often served double duty as lodges and hospitals, the breweries became popular among travelers, bringing money into the local community. Today, you can still visit a monastery brewery (Klosterbrauerei) just to try the local brew.
Each Klosterbrauerei continues to brew beer with methods developed hundreds of years ago, even after most of the religious orders have dissipated and were replaced with privately owned companies. A Klosterbier (monastery beer) is still associated with high quality and tradition.
Monastery breweries dot Germany and offer you the chance to taste some locally made beer. (Hans und Christa Ede - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Andechs | founded 1455
The Benedictine Andechs Monastery, perched on the Holy Mountain southwest of Munich, is still a religious pilgrimage site. You can visit the ornately decorated church, see the monk’s herb garden and old apothecary, and, of course, tour the brewery. There is a café, restaurant and brew pub with outdoor seating, so you can try their famous Doppelbock Dunkel or a tasty Helles in an angelic courtyard.
Andechs Monastery on the Holy Mountain is still a pilgrimage site and famous for it’s beer. (David Brown - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Ettal | founded 1330
A visit to this major tourist site is on most itineraries to the Bavarian Alps. Near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the large Ettal Monastery complex is still an active abbey for Benedictine monks, even offering men the chance to stay in the cloister for personal retreats. There is also a hotel for casual visitors. Do not miss the impressive basilica and pop into the bookshop or traditional herbal liqueur factory before sipping a famous Weissbräu at the Bräustüberl (brew pub).
Ettal Monastery in the Bavarian Alps is still an active abbey producing herbal liqueurs and beer. (Frank Krautschick - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Kreuzberg | founded 1677
In central Germany, the Franciscan Kreuzberg Monastery is tucked up on a forested mountain and still retains a small, local feel with only one beer brewed year-round. Once a month, a monk offers tours. There is also a petite hotel and restaurant to try their Dunkel, brewed using the monastery’s spring water. Take home some of the specialty beer by visiting the brewery gate in the afternoons for draft pours by the liter (or just snag a party keg).
Kloster Kreuzberg brews one beer year-round and only a couple specialty holiday beers. (Pixel62 - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Mallersdorf |founded 1107, re-established 1869
South of Regensburg, the Kloster Mallersdorf is home to Sister Englehard, brewmaster. She brews seasonal beers and typically only one will be bottled at a time. You’ll find them available for purchase by nuns at the small brewery shop. There are no tourist facilities, but the monastery is open to visitors. As the motherhouse for the Poor Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family Order, the monastery is primarily a religious complex for the over 500 nuns who live there.
Sister Engelhard is the brewmaster at Mallersdorf Monastery. (Hubert - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Scheyern | founded in 1119
Visiting the active Scheyern Monastery is a glimpse into the lives of modern Benedictine monks who participate in spiritual activities while also working in the butcher shop, distillery, fish farm, goat dairy and other vocations like the brewery. The many kinds of beer you can taste at the monastery are fresh, not pasteurized or treated, and are made from local raw materials. They offer tours of the monastery and brewery, plus there is a restaurant and hotel on site.
Scheyern Monastery offers fresh, untreated beer brewed from local raw materials. It can be tasted at the brew pub and during special festivals like this Christmas market. (Robbeld - stock.adobe.com)
Kloster Weltenburg | founded 1050
Perched along a beachy curve in the Danube River, the Weltenburg Monastery claims the title of oldest Klosterbrauerei in the world. This destination for rest and relaxation has a hotel and is a great place for contemplative hikes, cycling or boating along the Danube. Although the brewery is known for its Dunkel beers, there are plenty of other selections brewed and served at the tavern.
Weltenburg Monastery claims the title of oldest Klosterbrauerei in the world. (Visions-AD - stock.adobe.com)
