Augustiner Bräu

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Augustiner Bräu München

Location	Munich, Germany
Owner	Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG
Year opened	1328
Annual production	90 megalitres 2003
Active Beers
Edelstoff	Export
Lagerbier Hell	Helles
Oktoberfestbier	Märzen
Pils	Pilsner
Maximator	Doppelbock
Augustiner Dunkel	Dunkles
Heller Bock	Bock
Augustiner Weissbier	Wheat beer

Augustiner Bräu is a brewery located in Munich, Germany. Established in 1328, it is Munich's oldest brewery and produces some of Munich's most popular brands of beer.

1 History
2 Distribution and marketing
3 Brands
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

The origins of the Augustiner brewery date back to the year 1294, when, on the order of the bishop of Freising, an Augustinian monastery was established at the Haberfeld, just outside the gates of Munich (a city famous for its breweries operated by monks). By 1315, the monastery had been incorporated within the city walls of Munich.

The earliest documented evidence of the brewery's existence comes from the year 1328 (when a major fire spared the brewing house)- this year is now commonly accepted as the founding year, although the brewery had probably existed for several years before the fire. The monastery was granted the right not only to brew beer but also to sell it on their premises which started the tradition of brewery-owned beer halls that still exists today. From the brewery's inception until secularisation in 1803, when many Bavarian monasteries were put under state control by Napoleons' reforms, the brewery was present at the original site and only sold within the monastery's own tavern. After the takeover of the monastery by the state, the monks walked out in protest.

Soon afterwards, the brewery was denationalised and was moved to Neuhauser Straße in the city centre in 1817. In 1885, it was once again relocated, this time to its present location on Landsbergerstraße 31-35 (Westend district). The second location of the brewery was transformed into a restaurant, which still exists today at Neuhauser Straße 27 under the name Augustiner Großgaststätte (Augustiner Restaurant).

The brewery was bought in 1829 by Anton Wagner. Today, 50% of the brewery are in possession of a foundation for public utility, established by will of the last descendant of the Wagner family. The other 50% are held by various limited partners. Contrary to popular belief, Augustiner Bräu is not the only Munich brewery still in German hands - Hofbräu and Unionsbräu are also in German hands, as well as Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr by 50,1%.

The current location of the brewery on Landsbergerstr is in the Kellerareal (celler area) of Munich, where many of the city's breweries have their main brew-houses. During the second world war the brewery suffered heavy damages, but the whole complex, including its listed brick facade, has been completely restored to its former glory.

Over the years, the capacity of the brewery has been continuously enlarged, while modern brewing processes have been intertwined with traditional methods (mechanised bottling plants alongside draught beer in wooden barrels). The whole company is supplied with hot water warmed up with non-polluting natural gas. The steam clouds from the Sudhaus are not, as in former times, simply blown into air, but reused for power production. The brewing water is pumped up from a well at a depth of 230 m and has outstanding drinking quality. The brewery still maintains its own tavern/restaurant, the "Bräustüberl", on Landsberger Straße.

[edit] Distribution and marketing

Augustiner beer is normally found within the Greater Munich area, and rarely, if ever, outside of the Southern German state of Bavaria. The reputation of the brewery is so good that the company does not engage in commercial advertising campaigns. As an example, when most German breweries changed their bottle to a slim and more modern design to give their beer a more classy and less old fashioned appearance some ten years ago, Augustiner stuck with the "classic" older form, often nicknamed the "Bauarbeiterhalbe" (construction worker's bottle). The labels have not changed the past 20+ years either. Its brands nevertheless are among the most popular of Munich's beers, and the company regularly reaches an annual output of more than 900.000 hectolitres (2003).

Augustiner Bräu operates a beer tent on the Oktoberfest, as well as owning one of Munich's largest beer gardens, the Augustiner-Keller at Arnulf Straße 52, and several traditional bars throughout the city. In recent years, Augustiner beer has become a popular drink in several bars in Berlin; however, the amounts of Augustiner consumed in Berlin are still minuscule compared to its popularity in Munich.

In the record-breaking heat of summer 2003, the brewery refused to sacrifice brewing quality and traditional process to increase production, even though it could have sold more beer.

In the US there is one distributer named Global Village Imports, LLC. that carries Augustiner, it is located in King of Prussia, PA. Although the demand is high, the distribution is very limited.

[edit] Brands

Augustiner's most popular brand is Augustiner Helles (5.2%), a light lager beer that is given a prolonged secondary fermentation phase. This is the brand that is generally referred to when talking about Augustiner.
Edelstoff (German for "noble stuff") is a slightly brighter, slightly sweeter, more sparkly, and stronger (5.6%) lager variant.
Augustiner Dunkles, a malty dark beer
Augustiner Pils, brewed accoding to the original Pilsner recipe.
Augustiner Weissbier
Oktoberfestbier, a style of beer (known as Märzen in German) specially brewed for the Oktoberfest. Augustiners Oktoberfest beer is the only beer at the festival that is still served from traditional wooden barrels.
Maximator, a Doppelbock and, like the Oktoberfestbier, seasonal. Brewed to coincide with lent, this is a starkbier (strong beer, 7.5%).
Heller Bock