Visit 5 of the Best Breweries in Germany

No talk about Germany is ever complete without the mention of beer. Therefore, no trip to Germany is considered an absolute success without tasting a good local brew. One of the best ways to experience the German culture aside from hopping from one bar to the next is by taking your taste buds on a tour of Germany’s top breweries.

Explore the country’s rich history by listing centuries-old beer breweries. As stated by the Reinheitsgebot or Germany’s Purity Law 1516, only four ingredients are to be used in brewing. They are as follows: hops, water, barley, and yeast. Till date, many breweries in the country are following the law. However, it does not mean that all ales taste the same.

Germany Brewery

With over 1,200 breweries and 5,000 types of crafted beer, visitors can experience and enjoy the art of beer making from state of the art facilities.

Andechs Monastery Brewery

Situated on the Holy Mountain with Lake Ammersee below, the Andechs Monastery in Bavaria has been the site of crusades as well as brew culture since the middle Ages. The monastery tour showcases the rich brewing process history while giving guests access to their top-notch facilities. Housed in the monastery are a church, butcher shop, restaurant, pub, organic farm, and a distillery. Besides playing host to pilgrimages, they also have special performances and events throughout the year. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone, religious site — check! Educational + cultural attraction — check!

Andechs Monastery Brewery

Smoked Beer Brewery

Famous for its much-revered amber Rauchbier or smoked beer, Bamberg in Bavaria has over ten breweries to boast of.  One such brewery is the Spezial Brewery which has been known to date back to 1536. Here, visitors can view the century-old open fire process of drying malt — the real secret behind the mild smokey flavor of the beer.

Smoked Beer Brewery Bamberg

Rechenberg Brewery Museum

One of the oldest breweries running in eastern Germany, the Rechenberg brewery is located in the German Ore Mountains. This historical brewery is best recognized for its brewing room that dates back to 1780. What makes it unique is the complete, original, and fully functioning brewery equipment. There’s no better place to sample exquisite Pilsner beer than in Old Malthouse’s underground cellar.

Rechenberg Brewery Museum

Becks Brewery

As we move north of Germany, on the riverbanks of Bremen, travelers will find Beck’s world-famous beer. Mildly bitter, Becks has been produced in the area since 1879. Take a tour around the brewery and find fermentation tans, malt silos, and brewing rooms to further learn about their distinct techniques. The tour, of course, finishes with some beer drinking.

Becks Brewery

Erdinger Brewery

Last but not least, the largest brewer in the world of wheat beer, Erdinger Brewery can be found in Munich. The brewery combines traditional and state of the art tech to produce their beer. Erdinger brewery merges tried and tested recipes with only the best ingredients which are then bottled and matured in their high tech warehouse. The brewery is so loved that over a million bottles leave the facility each day. Don’t worry; there’s always a fresh batch of Hefeweizen in the beery garden of the brewery.

Erdinger Brewery

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