A Look Behind the Scenes at Hofbräu Munich
Munich, the city of beer, boasts a long and proud brewing tradition closely tied to our mid-sized brewery. For centuries, Hofbräu Munich has stood for excellent beer enjoyed around the world.
What exactly lies behind these sacred halls, and what makes a brewery tour an unforgettable experience for all beer lovers?
Brewmasters and Their Secrets
For lovers of the golden brew, there’s hardly anything more fascinating than watching a brewmaster at work. During the brewery tour, you’ll have the chance to experience up close how water, malt, hops, and yeast come together to create the delicious Hofbräu beer.
Brewing beer has become a science in itself. Due to the versatility of the tasks involved, brewmasters today need expertise in microbiology, biochemistry, energy supply, and hygiene. They are involved in every step of the production process, from selecting raw materials to bottling. They oversee the entire brewing process, ensure quality standards are met, and develop new beer varieties.
Our brewmasters are supported by state-of-the-art computer technology that monitors and controls the brewing process. This allows us to guarantee consistent quality in our beer and ensures that all cleaning programs run automatically, traceably, and, most importantly, safely.
The Aroma of the Wort
Another highlight of the tour is the moment when we breathe in the intense aroma of the wort. In the brew kettles, the mixture simmers while the unmistakable scent of malt and hops fills the air. In our newly designed brewery tour section, you can engage all your senses with the ingredients of our beers and learn everything there is to know about the origins and unique characteristics of these components. Of course, this includes the key ingredients we use: water, malt, hops, and yeast.
Water of the highest quality is the essential ingredient in brewing beer. For our beers, we use only brewing water from our own well, which reaches 150 meters deep. It is completely untouched by human influence and therefore free from modern environmental contaminants.
Malt is the soul of the beer, giving it richness and fullness of flavor. In our wet grist mill, the malt grains are first soaked, crushed, mixed with water, and then pumped from below into the mash tun. Hofbräu Munich requires about 4,000 tons of malt per year. This malt is sourced from eight different, mostly Bavarian, malt houses and is stored in the brewery’s ten silos until it is ready to be processed.
The three hop varieties that Hofbräu Munich uses for its world-famous beer are grown in the Hallertau region: the bitter hop "Herkules" and the aroma hops "Hallertauer Perle" and "Select," all in pellet form. Depending on the beer variety, the proportion and quantity of the hop variety are adjusted accordingly.
Yeasts are single-celled organisms that reproduce themselves and significantly influence the flavor of the beer. This is why Hofbräu Munich cultivates its own yeast strains in a "pure yeast culture facility." This ensures that Hofbräu Munich brewmasters can guarantee that every HB fan enjoys the beloved taste of their beer, batch after batch, stein after stein, and bottle after bottle.
Tasting Straight from the Beer Tank
A highlight of the brewery tour is undoubtedly the tasting of a freshly tapped Hofbräu beer directly from the beer tank.
Here, you experience the unadulterated taste of beer in its purest form. It’s a moment that shows beer is not just a drink, but an art form, crafted with dedication and precision.
For many guests, tasting from the tank is a highlight, as it allows you to drink the beer straight from the source and feel a connection with the brewmasters.
Insight into the Brewing Art of Hofbräu Munich
The Hofbräu Munich brewery tour offers more than just witnessing the brewing process. Participants also gain insights into the raw materials used in brewing, visit the brewhouse and fermentation cellar, and learn how bottling and storage work.
For example, our new keg-filling system can fill up to 500 system kegs per hour. The kegs are first washed externally, emptied of any remaining contents, and pre-cleaned with warm water and lye before being filled with beer. Right next door is the bottling line. Before washing, the empty bottles must first be sorted in a complex process to ensure that only bottles and crates that can be filled at HB enter the filling process. The bottles then enter the cleaning process, where up to 39,000 bottles per hour are cleaned and stripped of their labels. Afterward, the bottle inspection machine checks each bottle for damage or contamination. The bottles then proceed to the filling and capping machine before the label is applied, and a vector laser engraves the best-before date onto the back label.
The bottling process is always a highlight of the tour, as it combines informative background knowledge with entertaining insights.
Delightful Conclusion
After exploring the secrets of the brewing craft, Hofbräu Munich offers participants another treat: a hearty Bavarian snack in the cozy Bierstüberl.
Whether it’s savory Leberkäse or traditional Weisswurst, the enjoyment continues, rounding off the brewery tour in a convivial setting.
A brewery tour at Hofbräu Munich is an unforgettable experience for all who love the world of beer. From the secret techniques of the brewmasters to the tasting of freshly tapped beers, the tour offers a comprehensive insight into the rich tradition of brewing.
And the best part? At the end of the day, we leave the brewery not only with new knowledge but also with a full belly and a happy smile on our faces. Cheers to Hofbräu Munich!
