Weihenstephaner Brewery

If beer had an equivalent of very old universities quietly reminding everybody how long they have been around, Weihenstephan would be near the front of the queue.

Located in Freising, Bavaria, the brewery traces its official brewing licence back to 1040, making it widely recognised as the world's oldest continuously operating brewery. Monks were brewing on the site long before most modern countries existed, which does give their experience level a slight advantage.

Weihenstephaner remains one of the defining names in German beer, particularly for wheat beer. The famous Hefeweissbier is often treated as a benchmark for the style, combining banana, clove, soft wheat character and remarkable drinkability. Alongside it sit outstanding lagers, pilsners, bocks and stronger seasonal beers, all brewed with the precision German brewing is known for.

The brewery also maintains close links with brewing education through the Technical University of Munich's Weihenstephan campus, helping shape generations of brewers alongside producing beer itself.

Many breweries claim heritage. Weihenstephaner generally does not need to mention it very often because everybody else already has.