14 Best Breweries in Munich, Germany

When you think of German beer, Munich rises to the top. If you don’t like beer, you can still find flavors you like when sampling some of the best beer in the world in Munich. You want to drink the best of the best while you are there.

Checking out the landscapes and various great spots in Munich makes for an unforgettable tourist experience, but there’s nothing better than a classic Bavarian beer in Germany.

I’m a beer fan. I developed a massive interest in beer during my time in the Bay Area, enjoying a specific beer garden in San Francisco, working at a brewery in Los Angeles, and singing polka songs in the Hofbräuhaus tent during Octoberfest in Munich.

I love European beers, particularly German-style beer. I love Altbiers, Kolsch and Helles. On my last trip to Munich, I had wheat beer for breakfast before visiting the many breweries!

It’s only fair that I share my findings on the best German breweries in Munich.

Best Breweries in Munich, Germany

1. Schneider Brauhaus

Address: Tal 7, 80331 München, Germany

Schneider Brauhaus is one of the oldest breweries in Munich, so it was our first spot to stop on a Munich beer tour. It started in 1872 and is the oldest wheat beer brewery in Munich. Located in the heart of it all, the brewery is huge and has plenty of old art.

Schneider is a traditional beer hall where you can get a half pint and enjoy the ruckus conversation and music. It’s a classic wheat beer with hints of clove and a surprising touch of banana.

Schneider didn’t blow us away, but it’s a nice stopover spot on your way to Hofbrauhaus. You can’t go wrong with the Sturdy Sepp, pretzel-bread with meatloaf and fried egg.

2. Lowenbrau

Address: Nymphenburger Straße 2 Stiglmaierplatz, 80335 München, Germany

Löwenbräu means Lion Brew. Lowenbrau doesn’t have a much-documented history like the other iconic breweries. The URTYP pils beer has a great gold color with a thick head of foam and mild citrus notes.

The best way to visit this German brewery and beer hall is by visiting Löwenbräukeller, a historic restaurant, beer cellar, and event venue. Stop by for great live music, great German food, and good beer.

The restaurant is known for its traditional Bavarian food. I tried the crispy pork knuckle when there and wanted to drink the dark beer sauce.

See Related: Vienna vs Munich

3. Haderner Bräu

Address: Großhaderner Str. 16, 81375 München, Germany

An organic brew house in Munich owned by a family, the beers here are made from local ingredients that will satisfy you! The brewery often holds events where they tell you about the beer while you try beer samples.

They can be great guides through the creative flavors found in their beers. Their Dunkel is creamy, malty, and smells like toffee.

The staff here is what blew us away. They were friendly and answered all our questions. If you are inclined, they also offer brewing courses to help you make your preferred Hardener beer.

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4. Spaten

Address: Marsstraße 46-48, 80335 München, Germany

If you love Helles, Spaten is the original for it. The brewery’s history dates back to the 14th century. The brewery essentially became a palace in the late 19th century but was nearly demolished during the Second World War.

Spaten was never able to make a full comeback. Fast forward to today, Spaten beer is prevalent in the Munich beer scene.

You aren’t a real beer fan if you haven’t heard of Franziskaner. But that’s OK because now that you’ve heard of it, you can understand why it’s so famous.

While Welles has a sweet and hoppy flavor with some spice, Franziskaner Weißebieris is a traditional wheat beer with clove spice and citrus flavors. They are incredibly complimentary, and you can sample them and enjoy traditional German dining at the Spatenhaus an der Oper.

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5. Hofbräuhaus München

Address: Platzl 9, 80331 München, Germany

Hofbrauhaus? You’ve probably never heard of it, right? It’s not the most famous beer garden in Munich or anything, and I didn’t mention it in the introduction as an iconic Oktoberfest destination. All jokes aside, Hofbrauhaus continues to be an essential Germany tourist attraction because of the outstanding environment and experience. The Helles is pretty good, too.

Hofbrauhaus is a state-owned brewery. It was founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V. It is one of the oldest beer halls in Munich and was founded as the brewery of the old Royal Residence.

It’s become a worldwide phenomenon as a place to gather, enjoy beer, and have a good time.  The Hofbräuhaus beer hall is a must-see in the city center near Marienplatz. It’s a historic part of Hitler’s Third Reich tour.

There are Hofbrauhaus in locations like Melbourne, Bremen, Las Vegas, Chicago, Cleveland, and many others. If it’s a nice day outside, visit the Chinese Garden at the English Gardens in Munich.

The Hofbrauhaus is one of the most famous breweries and bars in all of Germany, and so is the unique Hofbrau beer served at the bar. The Helles has a lacy white foamy head, a grassy scent, and gentle fruit with a slightly bitter flavor lingering at the back of your throat after you drink.

Couple the taste of the beer with the vibrant atmosphere inside the hall, and you have a fun story you get to share with your friends and family back home. You can also tell them about the gutters under the tables used as the original urinals so men wouldn’t lose their seats when using the bathroom.

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6. Paulaner

Address: Kapuzinerpl. 5, 80337 München, Germany

The Paulaner Brauhaus Munich is a brewery, bar, and restaurant in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1634 by German friars, Paulaner Brewery has since grown into a global brand. It is one of six breweries providing beer for Munich’s Oktoberfest, and it is also one of the country’s best-selling German beers.

The beers brewed at the Paulaner brewery in Munich are brewed following the German purity law of 1516. The brewery is particularly famous for its Weissbier, and it brews about six different brands of Weissbier, all of which have the typical creamier texture and slightly fruity aromas of wheat beers.

It’s worth a trip outside the city center to see this beer hall, which can inspire you to visit beer halls all over Germany.

The brewery’s interior was updated with a more modern design but kept some traditional copper. The beer tanks feed directly into the taps, and plenty of others love a fresh pour of beer as much as I do.

The food at Paulaner is amazing, too—we had an awesome dumpling soup that had a light beefy quality, and our friends had a meat platter with pork and duck. Both were fantastic and paired well with the beer.

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7. Augustiner

Address: Neuhauser Str. 27, 80331 München, Germany

I am in love with Augustiner. There are a couple of locations to choose from, but any location will exceed your expectations. Augustiner Stammhaus has an outdoor patio and game area that is fun on a sunny day.

It’s one of the breweries you can’t get anywhere outside Munich. They also serve great food! Choose between traditional beer hall dishes, seasonal flavors, or year-round favorites like the variety of sausages with sauerkraut.

8. Richelbräu

Address: Richelstraße 26, 80634 München, Germany

The Richelbrau is a brewery located in Munich-Neuhausen and offers great access to some of Munich’s best parks. The brewery has a long history on the Bavarian beer scene and is notable for being the first house brewery in the Munich-Neuhausen district.

The brewery is still run out of the basement of a house, and it is famous for its erotic take on beers with names such as the CasaNova beer.

They also organizes home brewing courses for people who want to be able to brew their beer at home. If you’re having a party in the area, you can rent out “Richie,” a mobile beer truck perfect for catering.

See Related: German Wine

9. Higgins Ale Works

Address: Karlstraße 120, 80335 München, Germany

Higgins Ale Works is a brewery located in the Maxvordstadt district of Munich, Germany. It was founded by Paul Higgins, an American who moved to Germany in 2003 and wanted to keep up with his passion for craft beer. Higgins Ale Works is a nano-brewery dedicated to brewing handcrafted craft beer.

True to its founder’s American roots, Higgins Ale Works specializes in producing craft beer heavily influenced by American beer tradition, including American Pale Ales, Indian Pale Ales, and Cream Ales.

For example, the seasonal Woodland Wonders Elderflower Saison uses large amounts of wild elderflowers hand-picked from the Bavarian Alps in its recipe.

The brewery also hosts several beer-themed events at its brewery and other locations, and the events usually involve a beer tasting for participants. You or a group can also organize private beer tastings with the brewery should you wish to.

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10. Hops hacker GmbH & Co. KG

Address: Weißenburger Str. 16, 81667 München, Germany

The open hacker (Hop Hacker GmbH & Co. KG) is a craft beer brewery located in Munich, Germany. The brewery was founded by an American, Matt, and his German friend, Werner, in 2013.

Werner had built breweries worldwide and was around when the craft beer scene became popular in the late ’90s. On the other hand, Matt is a true American beer enthusiast who was fascinated by the beers on the German beer scene.

Beers from the Hopfenhacker are creative takes on formulas agreed upon by both men. They reflect both German precision in brewing and the American flavor common to beers like Pale Ales.

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11. True Brew Brewing Co.

Address: Dreimühlenstraße 25, 80469 München, Germany

The True Brew Brewing Co. is a microbrewery dedicated to brewing beers with special recipes. Each beer brewed is an adventure, and when embarked on together, the bonds between people are strengthened.

To achieve this, they pay careful attention to every brewing process step. From the quality of the ingredients to the creative design of the cans in which the beer is served, every beer is deliberate and tastes like heaven.

The brewery brews several beer brands, and they come in special arrangements. From Lagers to Indian Pale Ales, several brewing traditions are represented at the brewery. Joy Ride is an American Pale Ale with fruity and birth notes while the Vienna Lager has a crisp and toasty flavor.

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12. Hacker-Pschorr Bräu GmbH

Address: Ohlmüllerstraße 42, 81541 München, Germany

Hacker-Pschorr is one of my favorite Helles beers. It’s a staple that you can find at certain locations no matter where you travel around the world.

Hacker-Pschorr is an amalgamation of two breweries. The former Hacker brewery was one of Germany’s oldest breweries.

It was founded in 1417 and predated the famous German purity law of brewing by 99 years. As one of six breweries within Munich’s city limits, the Hacker-Pschorr serves its beer at the annual Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich.

Hacker-Pschorr produces 13 different beer brands, from the malty Munchner Gold beer to the smooth, refreshing Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier. With 5.5% alcohol and a naturally cloudy appearance, the honey gold-colored Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier is probably the most famous beer from the brewery. It’s sold in unique swing-top bottles.

See Related: German Oktoberfest 

13. AND UNION GmbH

Address: Lindwurmstraße 114, 80337 München, Germany

AND UNION GmbH is a brewery located in Munich, Germany. The brewery styles itself as a modernist brewery dedicated to preserving the norms of Bavarian beer-making and its tradition in a fast-paced modern world for a true fusion of traditional brewing techniques and modern beer sensibilities.

The beers brewed at AND UNION go through a painstaking process that usually lasts about eight weeks. This is because the brewery brews beer using traditional processes instead of the large-scale, industrialized approach favored by the bigger breweries.

The most popular beers available at the AND UNION are its range of six-can beers with one beer for each day of the week. One of the beers is an alcohol-free beer, two are beers made in the American brewing tradition, and three are authentic Bavarian beers. The six beers are made of two wheat beers, two ales, and two lagers.

The Thursday unfiltered dark lager has the typical toasted malt and roasted nut aromas you might expect, as well as a mouthwatering addition of dark berries and surprising notes of caramelized orange peel. Obviously, I love it.

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14. Tilmans Biere (Büro)

Address: Thalkirchner Str. 53, 80337 München, Germany

Tilmans Biere is a brewery and bar serving craft beers in Munich, Germany. Tilman Ludwig, a German brewmaster named after the brewery, founded the brewery in 2014.

After leaving the Haas Braui, Tilman wanted to start his venture and leave his unique stamp on the beer scene in Germany. Therefore, on April 23—which just happens to be National Beer Day—Tilmans Biere was registered.

Several brands are brewed at Tilman Biere, including the pilsner, the pale ale, the brown ale, and the das helles. Each beer is served in a typical old bottle, but each bottle has a unique design and its distinctive artist to perfectly capture the mood behind the brand of beer in the bottle.

Every time you get a bottle, it’s like purchasing a beer, an emotion, and a work of art.

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Guide to Beer in Munich vs Other Regions

SECRET TIP: beer styles vary across different regions of Germany. You likely will not find one regional style in another region of the country.

For example, the best Dusseldorf beers are altbier, but Cologne is known for its Kolsch. Bavarian beer is much different than you’d see in Dusseldorf, and the best Berlin breweries will not showcase the same beers as Cologne. It’s a different culture and style. When enjoying the fun things to do in Bavaria and Munich, the following beers are the most popular you will find at the breweries:

• Helles: Helles (HELL-US pronunciation) translates to light. It’s a light lager with limited bitterness and is full-bodied. It’s a crushable lager that’s highly refreshing. Perfect for any type of beer drinker.
• Weissbier: This translates into White Beer. It’s a wheat beer unfiltered with low bitterness and high carbonation.
• Doppelbock: This beer was created by the Paulaner monks and is a double-fermented copper beer described as liquid bread. It has a bit more toasty flavor and is higher on the alcohol content side.
• Marzen: Marzen is a dark lager with a smoky flavor. Its dry and caramel flavor makes it hard to drink larger quantities of it.
• Radler: Radler is a great summer beer with half-lager and half lemonade. It was created in the city of Deisenhofen. Perfect for people who don’t like to drink beer all that much and prefer ciders or like a tart beer.

Generally speaking, in Germany, the beer is good, but the halls make it even better. And outdoor beer halls from Cologne to Nuremberg, or beer gardens, make drinking beer a social outdoor activity.

It translates into good conversation, bouncy music, and fun memories. It’s obviously one of the amazing things to do in Munich.

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