Giesinger
Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Giesinger Bräu started in 2006 in a double garage in Munich’s Giesing district, founded by Steffen Marx and brewmaster Tobias Weber. What began as a small operation making distinctive beers has grown into Munich’s second-largest private brewery, with a proper foothold in a city famous for its established brewing giants. Giesinger built its reputation by combining Bavarian brewing traditions with a willingness to try something different, eventually earning official recognition as Munich’s seventh brewery.
The brewery’s range is rooted in classic Munich styles. Helles, wheat beer, Dunkel, Märzen and bock beers sit alongside seasonal releases and a smaller craft range. Its flagship Untergiesinger Erhellung helped establish the brewery, while Münchner Hell offers a more traditional take on the city’s famously drinkable pale lager. The beers are brewed fresh and left unpasteurised, keeping the focus on flavour and freshness.
Water is an important part of the story. In 2019, Giesinger began drawing water from its own well, more than 150 metres below the city, helping it meet the requirements associated with Munich beer. The brewery now operates two production sites, including a modern facility in Lerchenau that opened in 2020, while its original Giesing home remains closely connected to the neighbourhood.
There’s more to Giesinger than traditional lager. The brewery also makes stronger beers such as Innovator, alongside seasonal Festbier, Winterbock and experimental releases. It has embraced local pub culture too, opening standing-room bars that revive an old Munich tradition, where a quick beer and a chat are very much the point.
Giesinger Bräu is an interesting example of a relatively young brewery finding its place in a city with centuries of brewing history. It respects the styles that made Munich famous, but it has built its own identity through independent beginnings, fresh unpasteurised beer and a willingness to keep the range moving. For anyone interested in Bavarian beer beyond the biggest names, Giesinger is well worth knowing.
