Hofbräu Munich
Milestones
Ducal, electoral, royal, and state-owned Hofbräuhaus – the names of the world's most famous brewery alone show how closely the Hofbräuhaus is linked to the history of Bavaria.
1589 – Founding of the Hofbräuhaus
Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria founded the Hofbräuhaus to supply his demanding court of 600 men with its own brown beer.
The first brewmaster was Heimeran Pongratz, who was withdrawn from the Geisenfeld Monastery. From 1589 to 1591, the brewhouse was built at the Alten Hof.
1602 – The Hofbräuhaus Brews Weissbier
Duke Maximilian I, the son of the Hofbräuhaus founder, recognized the growing importance of Weissbier and began establishing his own ducal white breweries. Initially, Weissbier was brewed alternately with brown beer in the premises of the Hofbräuhaus at the Alten Hof.
1607 – Relocation of the Brewery to the Platzl
The Weissbier production exceeded the capacity of the Hofbräuhaus at the Alten Hof. Maximilian I decided to establish a new, dedicated brewery for Weissbier at the Platzl. In parallel, the Brown Hofbräuhaus remained operational until 1808.
1610 – Hofbräuhaus Beer for Innkeepers
The financial genius Maximilian allowed the innkeepers of Munich to source beer from the Ducal Hofbräuhaus and serve it not only to the court servants but also to the "common people."
1614 – The First Maibock
Brewmaster Elias Pichler brewed the first Munich Bock beer at the Hofbräuhaus. The beer, brewed in the "Ainpockhischer style," was allowed to be brewed only for a few weeks from the end of April, hence it was named "Maibock." Until 1818, it was the exclusive privilege of the Hofbräuhaus to brew Bock beer.
1632 – The Maibock Saved the City of Munich
In 1632, during the Thirty Years' War, the Swedes occupied Munich. They refrained from looting and burning the city only because they received, in addition to 300,000 Reichstaler, a tribute of 1,000 buckets of beer – 344 of which were Maibock from the Hofbräuhaus.
1806 – The Royal Hofbräuhaus
On January 1, 1806, King Maximilian I Joseph was proclaimed in Munich. Bavaria thus became a kingdom and the Hofbräuhaus became the "Royal Hofbräuhaus."
1808 – Relocation of the Brown Beer Brewery to the Platzl
In 1808, the brown beer brewery moved from the Alten Hof to the larger premises of the White Hofbräuhaus at the Platzl due to space constraints.
1810 – The First Oktoberfest
On October 12, 1810, the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen took place. The celebrations, already referred to as a "folk festival" at the time, concluded on October 17 with a horse race on a meadow outside the gates of Munich. Maximilian I Joseph gladly granted the request to name this meadow in honor of the bride "Theresenswiese." Thus, the Oktoberfest grounds are still called "Theresienwiese" today – colloquially known as "die Wiesn" in Munich. Today, Oktoberfest is the largest and most famous folk festival in the world.
1812 – The First Oktoberfest Beer
Two years after the first Oktoberfest, the royal brewers presented a special brew specifically for Oktoberfest, stronger and with a deep golden color, marking the birth of Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer.
1823 – Fire at the National Theater
In January 1823, the National Theater was in flames. Due to the cold winter, all the firefighting ponds were frozen. King Max I had the idea to extinguish the fire with beer from the nearby Hofbräuhaus. Although the opera house still burned down halfway, the beer funded the reconstruction: from March 1823, a beer penny was levied on every Maß of beer. Thus, the theater could be reopened in its former glory two years later.
1828 – Hospitality Permitted at the Hofbräuhaus
At the beginning of the 19th century, more and more guests frequented the Hofbräuhaus, much to the dismay of the city brewers and Munich innkeepers. In 1815, they even filed a lawsuit against it. In 1828, King Ludwig I decreed the so-called "Minuto sale" to introduce hospitality at the Hofbräuhaus itself. This allowed for serving guests at the Hofbräuhaus, marking the beginning of the current Hofbräuhaus operations.
1844 – King Ludwig Lowers the Beer Price
On October 1, 1844, King Ludwig once again demonstrated his benevolence: instead of 6 ½ kreuzer, a Maß of Hofbräuhaus beer cost only 5 kreuzer, to "give the working class and the military the opportunity to afford a healthy and affordable drink."
1852 – The "Royal Hofbräuhaus" Became State-Owned
With the establishment of the Royal Civil List, the Hofbräuhaus, like other crown possessions, transferred from the ownership of the sovereign to the property of the Bavarian state – thus, the brewing authority passed from the crown to the Free State of Bavaria. However, the name "Royal Hofbräuhaus" remained until 1939.
1879 – HB with Crown is Trademarked
Brewery director Johann Nepomuk Staubwasser registered the trademark HB with Crown first with the Munich Commercial Register and in 1894 with the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin to protect the brand.
1892 - 1894 – Construction of the Hofbräukeller
The impressive building of the Hofbräukeller was constructed between 1892 and 1894. The magnificent Neo-Renaissance building fits perfectly into the architecture of Wiener Platz and is now part of the Bavarian Monument List.
1894 - 1896 – New Construction and Relocation of the Brewery
The new construction of a brewhouse, cooling house, and administrative building for the brewery took place on Innere Wiener Straße in Haidhausen. In August 1896, brewing operations began at the new brewery.
1896 - 1897 – Renovation of the Hofbräuhaus
The Chemnitz architect Max Littmann was commissioned by the royal building authority in 1896 to convert the property at the Platzl into a modern catering establishment. On September 22, 1897, the new Hofbräuhaus with its characteristic bay window was opened.
1919 - 1921 – The Hofbräuhaus as a Political Venue
On Palm Sunday, April 13, 1919, the Communist Council Republic was proclaimed in the banquet hall of the Hofbräuhaus by workers' and soldiers' councils. The goal was a "dictatorship of the proletariat" following the Soviet model.
Almost a year later, on February 24, 1920, the German Workers' Party (DAP) also renamed itself the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party) in the banquet hall of the Hofbräuhaus. At the same time, the new party program was announced. The then-unknown Adolf Hitler spoke as a speaker that evening.
1935 – "In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus"
The Berlin composer Wiga Gabriel composed the song "In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus" to the lyrics of his friend Klaus Siegfried Richter. During the following carnival, the song became a carnival hit and made its way triumphantly to the Hofbräuhaus in Munich.
1939 – Renaming of the "Royal Hofbräuhaus" to "State-Owned Hofbräuhaus in Munich"
On February 25, 1939, Hitler's deputy, Martin Bormann, wrote to the Bavarian Prime Minister Ludwig Siebert that the Hofbräuhaus should no longer bear the title "royal." The Hofbräuhaus was renamed "State-Owned Hofbräuhaus."
1944 – Bombed Out
Even the world's most famous beer hall was not spared from the catastrophe of World War II: On the night of April 25, 1944, the first bombs hit the Hofbräuhaus. In three further air raids, the building was almost completely destroyed except for a small part of the “Schwemme.”
1950 – First Oktoberfest Tapping After the War with Hofbräu Beer
The first Oktoberfest after World War II took place in 1949. 1950 was a milestone in Oktoberfest history, as for the first time, the Mayor of Munich, Thomas Wimmer, officially opened Oktoberfest by tapping the first keg in the Schottenhamel tent.
Curiously, both in 1950 and 1951, the tapping was done with Oktoberfest beer and stone mugs from Hofbräu Munich because the Schottenhamel family could not agree on the beer price with the Spaten Brewery.
1952 – First Oktoberfest Tent for Hofbräu München
The State-Owned Hofbräuhaus has only had its own festival tent at the Wiesn for a surprisingly short time, since 1952. This is where the world meets.
1958 – Inauguration of the New Hofbräuhaus Banquet Hall
As the first landlord after the war, Valentin Emmert hastily patched up the Hofbräuhaus ruins in the fall of 1945. For Munich's 800th anniversary celebration, the banquet hall was reopened, and the renovation work was completed.
1972 – The New Wiesn Tent – The Largest at Oktoberfest
At Oktoberfest, the Hofbräu Festival Tent was introduced as the largest festival hall on the Wiesn. Measuring 82 meters long, 62 meters wide, and with space for around 10,000 Oktoberfest visitors, the new Hofbräu Festival Tent was the largest festival hall at Oktoberfest in 1972. On more than 5,000 square meters of tent area and about 2,000 square meters of beer garden, visitors drank around 5,500 hectoliters of beer and consumed about 70,000 portions of roast chicken.
1980 - 1988 – Planning and Construction of the New Brewery
In 1980, the Free State of Bavaria began planning to relocate the brewery to the outskirts of Munich-Riem. The groundbreaking ceremony at the new location took place in September 1986, and on November 23, 1988, the inauguration of one of the most modern breweries in Europe was celebrated.
1987 – Major Fire in the Malthouse
On April 6, 1987, a major fire broke out in the Hofbräu malthouse and parts of the administrative building on Innere Wiener Straße. A swift move to the brewery shell in Riem became necessary.
1989 – 400th Anniversary of the Brewery's Founding
For the 400th anniversary, there was a grand celebration with performers, jugglers, and numerous brass bands. Bavarian Prime Minister Max Streibl and Bavarian Finance Minister Gerold Tandler, along with many guests from home and abroad, came to congratulate and celebrate. A commemorative publication titled "400 Years of Hofbräuhaus" was specially released for this occasion.
2001 – Hofbräu Munich Commits to Climate Protection / Initial EMAS Validation
EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, also known as the EU Eco-Audit or Eco-Audit) is the world's most demanding environmental management system. With the help of this EU instrument, we have demonstrated since 2001 that we take responsibility for our actions.
2003 – Hofbräuhaus Concept Becomes an Export Hit
Hofbräu Munich takes the leap across the big pond and opens its first licensed tavern in the United States. In Newport, Kentucky, a mini-brewery in the style of the original Hofbräuhaus was established. In the same year, the first Hofbräuhaus in China opened in the city of Jiangyin, in the heart of the Yangtze Delta.
2004 – Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas
The entertainment metropolis of Las Vegas gained another attraction. After a year of construction, an authentic replica of the Hofbräuhaus Munich opened there – right next to the legendary Hard Rock Café. Numerous other Hofbräuhäuser followed.
2005 – Launch of the National Franchise Strategy with Hofbräu Wirtshaus Hamburg
With the Hofbräu Wirtshaus in Hamburg, the brewery launched its tavern strategy in the Alpine region. Numerous establishments in Germany and Austria followed.
2007 – Hofbräu Sources Its Brewing Wheat from Water Protection Areas in Lower Franconia
Since 2007, Hofbräu has sourced brewing wheat from the groundwater protection initiative in Lower Franconia, rather than from the "large world market" for brewing grains. To protect the groundwater, the wheat is grown with around 40% less nitrogen fertilization. This saves the water from 17 tons of nitrate pollution annually, avoids 80 tons of greenhouse gases, and protects 240 million liters of groundwater.
2007 – 400 Years of Hofbräuhaus am Platzl
Return of a Symbolic Figure: For the 400th anniversary of Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, Bavarian Finance Minister Prof. Dr. Kurt Faltlhauser presented a symbolic plaster sculpture of the brewmaster's apprentice Julius. Until the end of World War II, it stood as a bronze figure on the north gable of the famous Hofbräuhaus bay window. Just one year later, Julius returned to his original spot at a lofty height of 18 meters.
2010 – 200 Years of Oktoberfest
Munich and the World Celebrate. For 200 years, the world's largest beer festival has been attracting visitors from around the globe to Munich.
2011 – Hofbräu München Creates a Comprehensive CO2 Footprint “The Climate Gas Emissions of Beer 2011” as the First Brewery
As part of a thesis in cooperation with the University of Augsburg, Hofbräu München assessed the total climate gas emissions associated with its beers. The brewery then developed its climate strategy based on these findings.
2012 – Hofbräu München Breaks the 300,000 HL Mark
With a brewery output of nearly 310,000 hectoliters, Hofbräu München surpassed the 300,000 hectoliter mark for the first time in its over 400-year history.
2013 – 25 Years of Hofbräu München in Riem
For 25 years, Hofbräu München has been brewing its beer in Munich-Riem.
2013 – Brewery Expansion in Logistics and Pressurized Tank Cellar
In 2013, the largest construction project since the brewery's new building in 1988 began. Despite the declining beer market in Germany over the years, the brewery has managed to grow steadily over the past 25 years. As a result, a complete overhaul and significant expansion of the logistics facilities became necessary.
2016 – 500 Years of the Purity Law
Munich celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Bavarian Purity Law with a large festival in the city center.
2018 – Brewhouse Modernization
At the beginning of November, a new major construction project began at the brewery: The brewhouse was upgraded with a new wet mill, a new mash tun, and a new lauter tun. Additionally, a new cooking system contributes to improving our processes and heat recovery. This allows us to brew twelve batches per day instead of the previous eight, reduces malt dust, and significantly increases energy efficiency during brewing. For our beer lovers, the quality of our beers remains as high as ever.
2019 – Brewhouse Conversion with the World’s Most Modern Energy Measurement System for Breweries
During the brewhouse conversion, we took the opportunity to install the most advanced energy measurement system for breweries worldwide to date.
2019 – Green Roof of the Administration Building for Increased Biodiversity
In 2019, we greened the flat roofs of the administration building to reduce surface sealing. These additional areas provide a habitat for bees and insects, contributing to increased biodiversity.
2020 – Renewal of the Bottle Filling and Labeling Machines
In addition to production, we have also enhanced our bottling process: A new bottle filler and a new labeling machine make the bottling process more efficient and save cleaning agents and water.
2022 – Floriade Expo Amsterdam
Hofbräu München was the exclusive beer supplier for the German Pavilion at the International Horticultural Exhibition Floriade Expo 2022 in Amsterdam.
2023 – A New Well for the Brewery
The well has been in continuous use since the brewery's new construction in 1988. In 2023, work began on a second well on the brewery premises.
2024 – New Keg Filling Line
Despite continuous expansions and modernizations, the entire keg filling line was renewed after 35 years. This upgrade increased the filling capacity from 240 to 400-500 kegs per hour. Additional benefits include reduced consumption of resources such as energy, water, and human labor.
From Tradition
to Modernity
Learn about our current environmental initiatives or experience the history of the brewery up close with a brewery tour.
