best brewery tour munich

Editor Picks: The Best Munich Brewery & Beer Tours

Munich’s reputation as one of the beer capitals of the world is well deserved and evidenced in the huge number of brewery and beer tours the city has to offer.

(Photo: GetYourGuide.com)

The Oktoberfest festival may only come along once a year, but the atmosphere of beer-fuelled conviviality endures in Munich all year round. Yet you could spend weeks in the Bavarian capital and barely touch the surface of Munich’s vibrant beer scene. But for a small taste of it, why not join a Munich brewery or beer tour? There are several companies based in the city providing such tours and we’ve chosen five of the best below.

Munich’s Beer Halls and Breweries

When it comes to drinking establishments in Munich, visitors are spoilt for choice. This 3.5-hour tour takes the decision-making out of your hands by taking you on a whistle stop journey around some of the city’s most acclaimed beer halls and breweries, including Germany’s oldest commercial brewery. Taking place on foot, your guide will navigate you through the city streets on your way to visit such notable institutions as the world-famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall. During each stop-off you’ll learn about the venue’s history and the secrets behind its beer-making techniques. There’ll also be time to sample the local brew as well as some traditional German dishes. The tour price includes your guide, all entrance fees and two complimentary beers. From Є35 per person.

Book at GetYourGuide

Small-Group Munich Beer Tour and Bavarian Bites

(Photo: Viator.com)

Run and organised by renowned local company Fork & Walk Tours Munich, this small-group tour invites visitors on an intimate gastronomic odyssey complete with lashings of beer and food. During the 3.5-hour guided tour, you’ll receive personalised treatment as you hear stories and discover brews and traditional Bavarian delicacies dating back centuries. There’ll be stop-offs at various acclaimed drinking and dining spots, as well as the chance to look around the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, one of the city’s best cultural venues and an important protector of its long-standing beer-brewing legacy. The tour ends in the buzzing bar quarter of Munich, as you dive head first into the local nightlife scene. All alcoholic drinks, snacks and dinner are included in the tour price. From Є140 per person.

Book at Viator

Munich’s Original Pub Crawl

If you’re struggling to decide where to settle down for a hard night’s drinking in Munich, then how about simplifying matters by embarking on a full-blown pub crawl? This 3.5-hour tour introduces visitors to the city’s legendary pub, bar and club scene in a fun and friendly atmosphere where you’re certain to make friends. Accompanied by a party-loving – but ever-the-professional – guide, you’ll take in three of the city’s hippest watering holes where you’ll sink some welcome shots and spend some time before moving on to the next. The revelry ends in a club where you’re welcome to party long into the night – and beyond. The tour price includes free entry to all venues and free shots. From Є25 per person.

Hofbräuhaus Tour

Of all Munich’s myriad of pubs, only one is internationally famous – the Hofbräuhaus. On this one-hour guided tour you’ll learn all about its history, including quirky facts and anecdotes, during an exclusive and behind-the-scenes visit. You’ll even gain access to the Hofbräuhaus ballroom, which is usually only open in the evening. At the end of the tour you’ll get to enjoy a “Mass” (one litre) of beer. The tour price includes your local guide, beer, and special Hofbräuhaus coin to take away as a souvenir. From Є25 per person.

An Evening of Bavarian Beer and Food Culture

Immerse yourself in Bavarian beer and culinary culture during this 3-hour tour, where you’ll get to sample some of the region’s best food and drink. In the company of a friendly, English-speaking local guide, you’ll discover why and how Bavaria became the beer capital of the world. You’ll join an exclusive private tour of the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, get to try out several different beer varieties, as well as traditional food including Weisswurst (white sausage), dumpling, roast pork and more. The tour culminates with a visit to the world renowned Hofbräuhaus. All venue entrance fees, plus food and drink, is included in the tour price. From Є43 per person.

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Munich’s Best Breweries, Beer, and Beer Culture: Ultimate Guide for Beer Lovers

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Last updated on December 15th, 2021 at 11:48 am

With nearly 1,000 years of brewing tradition in Bavaria, the brewers in and around Munich have fine-tuned their craft and growing a global reputation. In fact, 6 million people come from 40 countries around the world just to attend Oktoberfest. Alongside Munich’s major breweries and despite Germany’s strict purity laws, craft breweries are starting to emerge in Munich, bringing fresh flavors to the beer scene here in Munich. We’ll begin by exploring some of the history, culture, and traditions of Bavaria’s relationship with beer, including some facts and prices. Then I’ll profile the six biggest breweries in Munich – known as the “The Big 6”, help you plan the best brewery tours, day trips, and beer-related activities, and finally uncover emerging craft beers.

A Brief History of Beer in Munich

The Munich area is home to the world’s oldest brewery still in action, dating back to 700 AD. So, it is safe to say that Munich’s beer history is long and embedded in their culture. But, to make a long story short-ish, most breweries in Munich have religious roots. Monks living in monasteries were the first brew masters. Churches would use beer as incentives to encourage people to attend church, with many German receiving free beer on Sunday and other religious events. Religious roots still exist today, and Starbierfest is an event during lent to drink strong Doppel beer during the fasting period.

It wasn’t long before the royalty got involved in the profitable beer industry, and beer was soon taxed to provide income for the royal families and government. Production quickly spread to prominent families that owned restaurants, and the brewing industry boomed.

The Purity Law

Along with it, many laws and regulations began to govern brewing. In 1516 a law was passed that beer must be made with only barley, hops, water (yeast was later added), or it could not be called beer. This law still exists today here in Germany. If any additional ingredients are used in the brewing process, such as orange, sugar, or chocolate, it can not legally be called beer. If you’re thinking about some of those German craft beers you’ve tried and are confused, brewers can use the official name for the brew, such as IPA, Stout, etc., but it can’t be called beer.This ensures the highest quality of beer is being produced in Munich.

Beer Gardens

In the 1500s, a law was passed that beer could not be brewed in the summer months as lack of refrigeration reduced the quality of beer made in the summer. Legally beer was only brewed from the end of September to the end of April using a bottom-fermenting technique with yeast capable of fermenting in cold temperatures. This practice was called lagern, which is why bottom-fermented beers are called lagers.

Brewers needed a place to store their beer in a cool area during the summer months, so they dug out cellars and planted chestnut trees above the area to keep the beer below cool. They used this outdoor space to sell beer, and thus the beer garden was born! Many restaurants complained the breweries were putting them out of business, so a law was passed that people were able to bring their own food to beer gardens, which is still encouraged today.

World War II

Munich’s beer history even plays a prominent role in WWII history. Hitler’s famous Beer Hall Putsch happened in Munich, as he attempted to take over the Bavarian government and occupied a local beer hall the Bürgerbräukeller. Hilter also often met with his closest Nazi allies in the historic Hofbräuhaus, which still stands today. However, after the war, Munich’s booming beer industry crashed, with many breweries closing their doors causing international exports to decline as the economy struggled.

Munich’s beer scene was able to recover and now generates billions of Euros to the Munich and German economy. Oktoberfest alone generates around 1.2 billion in two weeks. Many of Munich’s elite families developed their status thanks for their involvement in the beer industry from owning Oktoberfest tents, operating breweries, or owning a Keller serving beer from one of Munich’s six most famous breweries.

Beer Etiquette & Traditions

Say “prost”.

When cheersing in Munich, you must tap beer glasses with everyone individually at your table – and while making eye contact, say, “Prost!” (Pro sst). Germans rarely make eye contact, but this is a crucial part of drinking beer. No one really knows why you make eye contact, but everyone will tell you that if you don’t, you will have 7 years of bad sex. Typically you should wait for everyone to have a beer before clinking glasses and saying prost.

Stay Friendly

A lot of cultures associate drinking with violence, however here in Munich, drinking and beer culture are associated with comradery. So, make sure you stay in control, make friends, and keep those firsts down.

If you’re attending any of Munich’s beer festivals or events such as Frülingsfest, Oktoberfest, Starkbierfest, or traditional Volksfests dress up! It is common for people in Munich to wear their Tract, also known as Dirndls for women, and Lederhosen for men. You can even get away with wearing Tract to beer gardens, or beer halls any time of the year. You will be the odd one out if you don’t dress up at a larger event, so budget some time for shopping after you arrive in Munich for an event.

Pfand & Cost of Beer

Most beer gardens charge a high price or pfand. At any of the beer gardens in Munich where you take the glass away from the ordering counter the pfand can be between 2-5 Euro. Don’t panic, you get it money back as long as you hang onto the coin and return it along with the beer stein at a kiosk. At a kiosk, beer costs about 1.50-2.50. At restaurants, beer costs about 4-5 Euro. At beer gardens with the pfand, it can be between 8 – 10 Euro. Oktoberfest beers cost a whopping 13 Euro and there is no pfand, on top of that it is customary to tip your server at the event. 

The Right Pour

Pouring beer is an art that was perfected in Germany. Beers should have the perfect amount of head on top and be served in the proper glassware. In a traditional German glass liter, the top line and above should be beer head, and the rest should be beer. The breweries in Munich can get fined for abusing their beer portions, especially at Oktoberfest, so if your beer is mostly head and not enough beer, or too much beer and not enough head, it is not worthy.

Popular Types of Beer in Munich

Helles translates to light. So, Helles beer is a light in color bottom-fermenting lager beer. The beer is low in bitterness, lightly sweet, low in carbonation, and full-bodied – compared to most light lagers. It is a smooth beer, perfect for hot summer days, and adds a refreshing finish to lighter dishes. This is one of the most popular beers to drink in Munich. If you order a beer without specifying, it will probably be Helles.

This translates to white beer and is traditionally a white top-fermenting beer made with at least 50% malted wheat. It is typically unfiltered beer with low hop bitterness and highly carbonated. Weißbier is usually consumed from a glass with a thin bottom and wider top with an ample portion of head. You should swirl the beer between pours because it is not fermented.

Doppelbock (Starkbier)

Doppelbock was first created by the Paulaner monks in Munich. It is a double fermented dark copper beer and is described as liquid bread because it is a meal replacement during lent. It is a rich malty beer with toasted notes and little detectable hops. The alcohol content ranges from 7-14% with traditional Bavarian doppelbocks on the higher side.

Festbier & Märzen

Traditionally brewed for Oktoberfest, each brewery brews a fest beer to tap around Oktoberfest, but it is no longer served at the event. Gasp – isn’t Märzen served at Oktoberfest? Contrary to popular belief in the U.S., Märzen is NOT currently served at Oktoberfest. Märzen was the drink of choice at Oktoberfest until the event grew in popularity and many people complained it was too thick. I mean it is hard to drink several liters of Märzen. So, brewers created the Festbier, also known as Oktoberfestbier or Wiesenbier, which is now what you’ll find at Oktoberfest. This is probably a good thing because Festbier is easy drinking and to reduce hangovers! It is a light beer in both color and flavor, with a light hoppy finish. It won’t fill you up too much, but it will get you drunk.

Märzen, on the other hand, is a dark lager, with a full-bodied smoky flavor. Most brewers serve this around Oktoberfest, but you’ll need to go to the Keller to get it. 

A Radler is a half lager beer and half lemonade drink. It was created just outside of Munich in Deisenhofen. During the cycling boom in the 20s, an innkeeper Franz Kugler created a bicycle trail from Munich to his pub. On a sunny day in June in 1922, more than 10,000 cyclists showed up at the pub, and as he ran out of beer, he mixed it with lemon soda. The Radler was born and named after Rad – or bike in German. The drink is a bit sugary, but the balance of lemon and beer is a refreshing drink for summer.

“The Big 6” Munich’s Main Breweries & Beers

With roots back to 1634 Paulaner Monastery is home to the traditional Starkbier, their signature doppelbock “Salvator,” named after the father of their order.  On the day they were allowed to serve to the public, the monastery, shared this brew with local politicians. To this day, the tradition carries on at the start of Starkbier Fest when the first liter of beer is given to the Bavarian Minister President to kick off the festival.

Don’t Miss: “Salvator” Doppelbock, is a bottom-fermenting strong beer first created by the Paulaner monks.

Best Locations:

• Paulaner am Nockherberg: Original brewery with a large beer hall, outdoor garden. Hochstraße 77
• Paulaner Bräuhaus:  Indoor and outdoor dining in a quiet, cozy, and traditional location. – my fav! Kapuzinerpl. 5

Events: Starkbier Fest: End of March – Start of April  @ Paulaner am Nockherberg.

Munich’s oldest independent brewery, dating back to 1328. Their rich history in Munich has generated a cult-like following among locals and foreigners alike, making it Munich’s “cool” and possibly favorite beer among locals. With vintage horse drawn beer wagons seen at Oktoberfest, they pride themselves on tradition.

Don’t Miss: “ Augustiner Edelstoff,” a traditional beer, brewed with noble raw ingredients.

• Augustiner Keller: Augustiners best restaurant, beer garden, and basement cellar. Order Edelstoff from the wooden keg! Arnulfstraße 52.
• Augustiner Bräustuben: Original brewery and restaurant located in an old brick building. Landsberger Str. 31-35

Events: May Day: May 1st, for a traditional May Pole raising celebration at the Augustiner Kellner.

Munich’s most famous brewery exporting and attracting beer-enthusiasts from around the world. The highlight of the Hofbräu is their historic beer hall, which is nearly 500 years old and the most famous beer tavern in the world. Here you get a real feel for what Oktoberfest might feel like and is on many beer bucket-lists. They stick to tradition, only brewing a few beers they pride on being flawless. The upstairs of the beer hall is a place seeped in WWII history where Hitler drank beer with members of his party.

Don’t Miss: “ Hofbräu Original,” a classic bitter, but refreshing beer that is known around the world.

• Hofbräuhaus: Historic beer hall and restaurant in the the old town with live German music. Platzl 9.
• Chinese Tower Beer Garden: Lovely outdoor beer garden serving HB beer in the middle of the Englischer Garten. Englischer Garten 3.

Events: Film Fest Munich, don’t miss Munich’s Film Festival in June/July with HB beer being served at all major events.

Spaten beer is known for bringing the famous helles beer to Munich. At the peak of the brewing industry in Munich, just before the war, Spaten was the largest brewery in the area. However, after the war, they were never able to make a full come back and Spaten beer is often somewhat of an afterthought in the Munich scene. However, Franziskaner Weißebier owned by the same brewery is quite popular and definitely worth having!

Don’t Miss: “ Spaten Helles,” Munich’s original Helles beer, or try the Franziskaner Weißebier

• Spatenhaus an der Opera: German fine dining in a ritzy part of Munich, near the opera house. Residenzstraße 12.

Events: Don’t miss Spaten at the Schottenhammel tent, which is surprisingly one of my favorite tents.

Hacker-Pschorr

I have a soft spot for Hacker because A: they are one of the only brewiers that had female leadership from Thersia Hacker along with her husband Pschorr (her name is even first) and B: they have been operating a sustainable business with an environmental mindset since 1417 – might they be the OG sustainable business? All their beers have traditional swing tops as well, so they are 2x as fun to drink!

Don’t Miss: “ Kellerbier” with fruity notes and tastes of honey and caramel. It’s less carbonated and easy to drink.

• Altes Hackerhaus: The OG location of the Hacker-Pschorr brewery. Now a cozy restaurant in the heart of the old town. Sendlinger Str. 14
• Der Pschorr: A restaurant and outdoor beer garden near the Viktualienmarkt. Beer is served in wood barells and kept on ice. Viktualienmarkt 15

Events: Don’t miss Munich ice hockey! Hacker beer is served at events like EHC Red Bulls ice hockey games or the Bad Tölz ice hockey team.

Löwenbräu meaning Lions brew, has a foggy history in Munich. Not much seems to be known about the founding date. It is noted that a lion fresco was hanging above the brewery at one point and that is where it seems to have gotten its name. They specialize in pils beer. The Löwenbräu tent is always fun to walk past with the roaring lion, you can’t miss it.

Don’t Miss: “ URTYP” which is a traditional pils beer brewed just like they did hundreds of years ago.

• Löwenbräukeller: A historic restaurnt, beer cellar, and event venue – come here for live music, great food, and good beer. Nymphenburger Straße 2

Events: Nacht der Tracht is an annual event held at Löwenbräukeller. Dress in your best dirndl and lederhosen and dance all night. They also host an Oktoberfest after party.

Munich Beer Festivals and Events

Oktoberfest.

The world’s largest beer event, Oktoberfest attracts millions of people from around the world for two weeks starting at the end of September. Dozens of tents full of traditional music and lively people serve Munich’s best beer. Outside the tents are beer gardens, carnival rides, restaurants, and fair games. This is a bucket list must for any beer lover visiting Germany. If you’re an introvert looking to avoid the crowds in Munich, then don’t miss my introverts guide to Oktoberfest.

Frühlingsfest

Is an early spring festival that takes place in the same location as Oktoberfest, but it’s half the size. A popular event among a younger local crowd, the three tents and handful of rides, is a great way to enjoy the warming weather in Munich. This event typically takes place at the end of April of Begining of May.

Starkbierfest

This festival takes place during lent and celebrates the dark Doppelbock lager known as Starkbier. Located at the original Paulaner Brewery be prepared to black out as this beer is strong. Located indoors it has a similar vibe to an Oktoberfest tent with a live band, dancing, and plenty of drinking. The event usually starts in the middle of March.

During the autumn close to Oktoberfest many of the small towns near Munich, such as Dachau, Regensburg, and Augsburg have small folk festivals with local beer, carnival rides and games, and reason to dress up in traditional Tracht. Keep an eye peeled for local folks fest events and find more details on the Bavarian website.

Munich Day Trips for Beer Drinkers

Andechs monastery brewery.

My favorite beer-focused day trip from Munich involves a light hike through the woods, ending in a fantastic hillside monastery that brews delicious beer. This beer trip from Munich is just an S-Bahn ride away to the charming town of Herrsching. You can walk down to Lake Ammersee before taking a 45-minute walk through the quiet forest, emerging at the monastery. If it is summer, eat outside on their beautiful deck. Read the full scoop on getting to  Andechs Monastery from Munich  so you can drink their fantastic beer.

Weihenstephen: Tour The World’s Oldest Brewery

The brewery at Weihenstephen is the oldest in the world! How freakin’ cool is that? Dating back to 750 AD, Weihenstephen started as a monastery brewery. Today, the state of Bavaria now owns it and runs a program with the TUM university for food science and a master’s program in brewing. For 11 Euro, you get a 2-hour experience, including a tour, tasting, pretzel, and a gift voucher. The tours are run by local university students, and you get to sample all their core beers. The brewery located in Freising, so you will need to hop on the FRONT end of the S1 headed to Freising. Get off at Freising and walk up to the brewery to start your tour. You should book your  beer tour at Weihenstephen ahead of time,  and you can do so online.

Tegernsee Brewery Near Lake Tegernsee

The adorable town of Bad Wiessen. Photo Cred: Wandering Chocobo

Tegernsee beer is what the cool kids in Munich drink. There’s just something about the Tegernsee Special brew that offers something just different enough from Munich’s 6 leading breweries. For this trip, you’ll need to hop on a BOB train headed to  Tegernsee from the Munich Central Station . Make sure you grab a group ticket if you’re traveling with 2-5 people after 9 am. You can spend the day hiking, swimming in the lake, sledding or skiing, just make sure you stop by the Tegernsee Brewery on the lake for a fresh local beer.

Nuremberg Beer Cellars

Nuremberg is just north of Munich in the Franconia region of Bavaria. They have great beer, and you can spend the day exploring their red beer cellars and tasting Nuremberg brewery. Hop on a Deutsche Bahn train headed to Nuremberg and book your  Nurember beer cellar tour ahead of time  to make sure you save your spot.

Ayinger Brewery

Hop on the S7 headed to Aying to tour their brewery, eat at their restaurant, and explore the charming town of Aying. There is even a little farm where you can take a walk with llamas.  Book your brewery tour with Ayinger brewery ahead of time.

Erdinger Brewery

You’ll often find Erdinger beers in Munich, so taking the S2 to Erding to visit their brewery for a behind the scenes tour. The town Erding is a charming city break as well, so you can explore historic architecture.  Book your tour of the Erdinger brewery  or just enjoy a local beer at their restaurant. Afterward, you can even visit their fan shop after to pick up your favorite beers and swag.

Bamberg for Rauchbier

If you are in for a more extended day trip, then hop on a train to Bamberg to their smoked märzen dark lager. This beer is unlike anything you’ve tasted and originated in Bamberg. It smells like smoked meats and had dark wood flavor notes. The town of Bamberg is well worth walking around the charming alleyways and old timber houses. Budget a full 8 hours to drink all the beer and explore the town.

Brewery and Beer Tours in Munich

Paulaner brewery tour in munich.

The Paulaner Brewery is one of my favorite beer halls and gardens in Munich. It has all the rich Bavarian history you’re looking for without the tourist hype of the Hofbräuhaus. If you book a  brewery tour with Munich Walk Tours  you’ll visit the Paulaner brewery with an expert beer guide, plus you’ll even visit a few more of Munich’s main breweries such as Hofbräu. You may also try contacting Paulaner at Kapuzinerstrasse to see if they have brewery tours available for your group.

Hofbräuhaus Brewery Tour in Munich

Hofbräu is one of the world’s most famous breweries and brands, so visiting where all the magic happens is a dream come true for beer lovers. The tour takes you through the brewing, and fermenting process starts to finish, a beer tasting, and an optional meal (meat) included. Tours run Monday-Thursday every day of the year, EXCEPT holidays, and the week before, the weeks during, and the week after Oktoberfest. Tours start at 10 am with an optional additional meal or 1 pm with no additional meal. The cost of the trip is 10 Euro with no meal, 15 with meal. You must be 16 or older and register for the  Hofbräu brewery tour  in advance.

Spaten Brewery Tour in Munich

The Spaten Brewery tour includes Spaten, Löwenbräu, and Franziskaner brewing production lines. However, these tours only TAKE PLACE IN GERMAN, despite their website being in English. This tour is not ideal for my English reader, as you can see by reading my friend Ashley’s post about her  mishap with the Spaten tour . You can book your  Spaten Brewery Tour  through Munich walking tours – if you speak German.

Microbreweries and Craft Beer in Munich

I used to give Munich a hard time for having lacking diversity in their beer. Cool, there are 6 major breweries in Munich that all make a similar tasting Helles. Where is the creativity and fun in the brewing industry? My prayers have been heard and slowly but surely new creative craft brews have been popping up in nooks and corners around the city.

Crew Republic

I’m not the only one that thinks the beer scene in Munich is boring. Mario and Timm behind, Crew Republic agree with me. Which is why they quit their corporate jobs and began homebrewing in their back yard. Crew Republic has grown to be a favorite among the young hip crowd in Munich, brewing edge stouts, several types of pale ales from German, Indian, and West Coast USA, and barley wine all following Germany’s purity law. Look for their beers at supermarkets and beer kiosks across Munich, of if you’re in town on a Friday, stop by their taproom from 4 pm – 10 pm for light snacks and fresh craft beer on tap.

Giesinger Brew

Giesinger Brew is like one of the big six breweries that had a baby with a hip craft brew. They take their beer very seriously, but always strive to push the brewing limits in the craft beer scene here in Munich. Instead of a typical Helles, try their Lemondrop Triple, for a strong beer with light, refreshing citrus notes or their Doppel-Alt for a dark lager, that won’t put you on your ass like many of the Starkbiers. Stop by their brewery and restaurant at the Giesinger braüstüberl for a cozy, but traditional German restaurant serving up great beers.

Haderner Bräu

I came across these beers at a recent festival in Munich, and after I carried boxes of beer home with me to try, I fell in love. They are now one of my favorite craft breweries because they are Munich’s first certified organic brewery. This small family-owned brewery still bottles and brews everything by hand. You can buy a traditional Helles or Weißbier – made with all-natural ingredients. Or check and see what seasonal brew they have on tap like the Fest Märzen for winter. You can visit their taproom on Friday afternoon if you want to try the beer on tap. They also offer home brewing classes (in German) and a brewery tour.

Hopfen Häcker

Hopfen Häcker is a blen o cultures and countries as the duo behind this craft beer are from the United States and Germany. So, they bring together the innovation of U.S. craft beer and Germany tradition and expertise in the craft, as they hack hops to make new beers. Try their “Kill Bill” with fermented yeast from Belgium and hints of bitter orange and coriander. Or try their Wuiderer, a red ale – I know, I can’t believe I found a red ale in Munich either!! Each and every label is a work of art, so make sure you try them all. You can visit their brewery on Friday or Saturday early afternoon to drink beer on tap.

Tilmans Bier

This is an underrated and unsung hero in the Munich craft beer scene. Started by Tilman Ludwig, who did a master’s in brewing from the world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephen, just outside of Munich. After graduation, he decided to branch off and try something different. Tilmans brews 9 beers, including everything from Helles, Pils, and even stouts and traditional English style ale. One of my favorite things about this brewery is the social impact aspect. They partner with locals such as Munich’s best coffee roastery for a caffeinated stout, and Munich’s “Kulturator” philanthropy. All profits from the Kulturator brew go right back to charity – so you can drink for world peace.

The world’s first and only airport brewery AirBrü is worth flying into Munich just to try their craft beer. While most of their beers are quite traditional, the small-batch beers are created at the airport brewery and have fun travel-themed names. Dine-in their outdoor beer garden in the summer, hole away inside at their cozy modern dining area, or sit in a hot air balloon basket (on the ground) as you pretend to drink around the world in 80 days.

Best Beer Halls & Beer Gardens in Munich

My favorite beer hall and brewery, the Paulaner on Kapuzinerstrasse is a local favorite that is chic and cozy. With large spacious indoor area that is warm and inviting in the winter and a beautiful outdoor beer garden for the hot summer days. This is the one local beer hall and garden I take all my friends and family to eat at.

Chinese Tower

The Chinese Tower is located in the heart of the Englischer Garten. The walk through the gardens is enjoyable and the natural setting is refreshing.  In the winter they have a wonderful Christmas Market, and in the summer they often have live bands. This is a touristy spot, but it’s worth the visit for the experience.

Also located in the Englischer Garten, Hirshau is a lively hoot and a half frequented by locals. With a stage for folk dancing and a live band playing music, this is one of the best outdoor beer gardens in Munich.

Maybe one of the most gorgeous outdoor beer gardens resting along a lakeside also in the Englischer Garten. You can sit on the water’s edge and watch boats and swans sail by during the hot summer days.

Biergarten am Wiener Platz

This outdoor beer garden is located in vienna platz in a charming neighborhood south of the Isar. Enjoy sitting outdoors in a bustling square with plenty of unique shops and restaurants around. There’s even a large May Pole at the center of the square so you are immersed in Bavarian culture.

I’m including this place as it is a global cultural icon known around the world. While it is touristy, there is a lot of historical and cultural significance, so it is a really interesting place to visit. Bavarians dressed in their traditional Sunday best drink from ancient beer steins while a live German plays oompa music.

Pubs & Bars for Beer in Munich

Tap Room is large American style tap room, featuring dozens of beerson tap and plenty of bottled beer cold and ready in the fridge. Frisches Beer  is a small watering hole with plenty of craft beer on tap and in the bottle. True Brew  is a new hip pub in town with a 60s retro vibe with live music and plenty of craft and local beer. The Crow Bar is a simple bar with not a lot happening other than great beer and chill people. Scholars  is a classy Irish pub with U.K. beer, and hidden nooks to cozy up in front of the fire place with a cool one.

Beer for Those with Dietary Needs

If you are gluten intolderant or don’t consume alcohol for any reason, don’t dispair! You are in luck G asthaus Obermeier,  which is outside Munich city center serves a full gluten free menu including gluten free beer!  Alcohol Free  beer can be found literally anywhere at all supermarkets, and just about every restarurant. The big breweries in Munich do a great job ensuring they always have a alcohol free beer because there are a lot of pregnant women in Munich and people who choose not to drink for cultural or religious reasions.

Share Munich’s Best Beers and Breweries!

Make sure you pin or share this post so all your beer lovin’ friends can have the best possible beer filled trip to Munich and the surrounding area. What is your favorite Munich beer? Let me know in the comments!

About the Author: Susanna Kelly-Shankar

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Been going to Octoberfest since 1967. What a great time. Lived in Bremenhaven Germany when in the military. Purchased my first dog in Munich area when camping with my wife 1968, when I was poor. Plan on going this year to Octoberfest, since it was cancelled last year due to Virus. Thank you for the recap on all the types of beer’s in Germany.

I hope we can have Oktoberfest this year, but we will see what happens. I hope you’re able to drink some German beer soon!

Oktoberfest, 2022- Can’t go but i’m stocked up with some of my favorites. Augustiner Brau Edelstoff, Paulaner Salvador Doppel Bock, Hacker-Pschorr Munichener Gold, Welhenstephaner Original, and Welhenstephaner Hefe Weisbier. Love to celebrate this wonderful event!!

I’m planning a trip in August.

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THE 10 BEST Munich Beer Tastings & Brewery Tours

Beer tastings & tours in munich.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
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• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Munich Oktoberfest Tour With Hofbräu Beertent Tickets, Beer, Food

2. Munich City Walk and Oktoberfest Tour With Beer Tent Reservation

3. Lunch Like a Local: Munich's ORIGINAL Viktualienmarkt Food Tour

4. Oktoberfest Munich Tour incl. Table Reservation, Food & Drinks

5. Munich Beer and Bavarian Bites Small-Group Tour

6. Munich Viktualienmarkt and Beyond Small-Group Food Tasting Tour

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9. Self-guided Beer-Tour of Munich: Main Sights, Beer & Breweries

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14. Oktoberfest Experience in Munich: Fun, Food, Beer & Seats

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16. Munich Oktoberfest Guided Full-Day Experience

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19. The Perfect Start: Munich PRIVATE Tour with Bavarian Breakfast

20. Epic all-inclusive Oktoberfest Beer, Brewery and Fest Experience!

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Beer and Brewery Tour

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Start time:

Jan. 2st – Feb. 29th

Fr + Sa 04:25 pm

March 1st – May 31st

Fr + Sa 05:25 pm

June 1st – Sep. 20th

Tu + Fr + Sa 05:25 pm

Oct. 11th – Jan. 31st (2025)

Duration:  3 – 3,5 hours

43.00€ + 41.00€ for <26 and 67+

The price includes two 0.5 litres of beers, free transport and entry fee into the brewery.

Yes, please. Although our guides are paid, it is still customary in Munich to tip your tour guide as it is an important part of the guide’s income.

Tour language:

Meeting point:

The tour starts on Marienplatz right in front of the Tourist Information for the City of Munich in the Gothic town,see map on page meeting point.

Because of legal regulations we are not allowed to take drunken customers into the brewery!

Private Tour:

Are you looking for a more personalised Beer Tour with your own guide and starting time of your choice? Would you like to get picked up from your hotel? Do you like to eat in the brewery?

Would you like to open and drink the beer from your own wooden keg? Do you want to tap it yourself?

Whatever you like, we can arrange it: Private Beer and Brewery Tour

Come and join us on a tour full of fun and facts in the city that rightly claims to be the beer capital of the world. Learn about and try a variety of beers in places where the locals go!

We take you round Munich’s oldest existing brewery the Paulaner Bräuhaus and show you how it is made. At the brewery you’ll also have the chance to eat good food at fair prices.

Final stop is the Hofbräuhaus. Discover the secrets behind the world’s most famous beer hall before rounding the evening off with a litre of their finest. This tour is obviously of special interest to beer lovers, yet many non-beer drinkers can also testify to this tour being among the highlights of their travels!

Hofbräuhaus Guided Tour

Discover the most famous beer hall in the world with an official guide of the city of Munich and enjoy a fresh Mass of beer afterward!

Hofbräuhaus Munich Tour

Included in the price:

• 90-minute, guided tour of the Hofbräuhaus
• Fridays at 11.15 am
• a Mass of beer (1 liter) or a non-alcoholic drink
• officially trained guides of the City of Munich
• exclusively with us: free city map and 50 % discount on the official city guide
• free cancellation until 24 h before the tour start time

Important note: Meeting point for the tour is in front of the Tourist Information at Marienplatz . 

90-minute Hofbräuhaus tour

Located in the old town of Munich, the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl is one of the city's most popular and world-famous beer halls. Learn more about its interesting history, its local traditions and the famous guests that the brewery has had over the years.

Listen to anecdotes and interesting facts about the Hofbräuhaus business and don't miss the visit to the Hofbräuhaus ballroom (which is otherwise only open in the evening). From the gallery, you can take unique pictures as a personal souvenir.

At the end of the tour, you will receive a coin in a currency that is only available at the Hofbräuhaus: You can redeem it at any time or keep it as a souvenir. We guarantee that it is not subject to currency fluctuations!

With this in mind: Have fun during the tour and enjoy the beer tasting! 

Important information

Meeting point: Please arrive in front of the Tourist Information at the New Town Hall on Marienplatz approx. 10 minutes before your tour starts.

Duration: approx. 1.5 hours

General information: Please note that not all rooms are always accessible due to events or short-term closures.

Note on the Hofbräuhaus coin: Please note that alcohol is only served in the Hofbräuhaus from the age of 18. The coin has the value of a mass of beer, it can also be redeemed for other drinks.

Information about your booked tour through the Hofbräuhaus: Please show your booking confirmation printed out or on your mobile phone to your tour guide.

You will receive the free City Map and the 50% discount on the official City Guide "simply Munich" upon presentation of your booking confirmation at the Tourist Information at Marienplatz or at main station (please note the current opening hours). There you can also buy tickets.

Accessibility: This tour has limited accessibility - please feel free to contact [email protected] for more information.

Photos: Tobias Ranzinger, Sven Kolb, Frank Stolle, Werner Böhm

München Tourismus Herzog-Wilhelm-Str. 15 80331   München

Frauenkirche: Visit of the South Tower

Book a visit to the observation deck of Munich's Frauenkirche and enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the city.

Viktualienmarkt Tasting Tour

Discover the most delicious delicacies of the city and learn all kinds of interesting facts about Munich's most famous food market.

Discover the most delicious delicacies of the city and learn all kinds of interesting historical facts about Munich's most famous food market.

Justizpalast Tour

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Hop on and be whisked away by one of the world's most beautiful stretches of street: the Romantic Road to Rothenburg and Harburg.

New Town Hall Tour

Explore the Neue Rathaus on Marienplatz with an official City of Munich tour guide. A visit of the famous law library is also included!

Explore the Neue Rathaus on Marienplatz with an official tour guide. A visit of the famous law library is also included!

Magistrates, Monachia and magnificent celebrations: explore the Neue Rathaus on Marienplatz with an official City of Munich tour guide. A visit of the famous law library is also included!

Dream castles Neuschwanstein & Linderhof

Immerse yourself in the world of the fairytale king!

Visit of the Law Library: Juristische Bibliothek

Impressive architecture and unique ambience: discover the Law Library in the New Town Hall.

Pedicab tour through the old town and nature

Enjoy this special tour and pedicap ride past all the famous sights of Munich's old town and into the Englischer Garten.

Hofbräuhaus Tour

City trip incl. Munich Card and Tower Ascent

We look forward to seeing you again in Munich. Our tip: the exclusive travel package with Munich Card and Tower Ascent.

Old Town Tour

The city walk for everyone who wants to become acquainted with the most beautiful parts of Munich's city centre.

Spaten Brewery Tour

Experience a brewery tour at Spaten with a look behind the scenes, interesting facts about the company history and beer tasting in the brewery tower.

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The hop-on hop-off city bus tours of Gray Line will let you collect unforgettable impressions of Munich.

Buy now vouchers for your visit in Munich. The ideal gift! Guided tours, guest cards and more...

Private guided tour through Munich's Old Town

Exclusive and safe: Discover the most beautiful sights and corners of Munich's city centre with your official personal guide.

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The day trip takes you along the Alpine Road to Berchtesgaden area with its dreamlike scenery.

Salzburg and the Lake District

Visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and relax on the journey to beautiful Lake Wolfgang.

Visit the birthplace of composer extraordinaire Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, stroll through the Baroque old town and then relax on the journey to beautiful Lake Wolfgang.

Oktoberfest Shop

Bring a piece of Oktoberfest home: Purchase official souvenirs such as the Wiesn poster or the Oktoberfest beer stein in the official Oktoberfest shop.

Dream castles Neuschwanstein & Linderhof VIP

As VIP in the footsteps of King Ludwig II. On this day tour in the luxurious long-distance coach of Gray Line Sightseeing you can visit both dream castles of the fairytale king.

A day tour in the luxurious long-distance coach of Gray Line Sightseeing.

Rental bike 1 day

With a rental bike, you can experience Munich at your own personal pace. Discover hidden alleys and charming districts off the beaten track.

Discovery trip incl. City Pass

2 nights in your selected hotel and - thanks to the City Pass - free admission to 45 museums, sights and attractions: our travel package for explorers.

Munich Card & City Pass

Discover Munich in a relaxed and uncomplicated way: discounts for the diverse range of art, culture and leisure activities with our guest cards.

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Public transport is included

Many discounts with the Card, many things for free with the Pass.

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Local Love Munich

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Munich is full of tradition - of course also from a gastronomic point of view. A tour through the kitchens of the city.

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Munich is a true paradise for shopping.

A successful city trip should include an extensive shopping spree.

A successful city trip includes an extensive shopping spree: Munich offers almost heavenly conditions!

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Munich is pure cultural pleasure! We present the most important Munich museums, galleries and collections at a glance.

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Beerwanderers

Munich Beer & Food Tours

Beerwanderers is not only an information resource for the beer and hiking trails of Bavaria but also a full service provider of guided customizable hiking tours which bring the traveler to breweries often not visited by walking on paths rather than riding in a tour bus. Get off the bus and feel the earth move under your feet. We also specialize in making sure clients get beers and local foods not to miss at our stops.

Munich departures: Enjoy your own group with a Private Tour.

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I'm an American living in Munich. Why? Well, I came for the beer but stayed for the girl. I'm very happily married to a German woman. Of course, the bonus of great beer certainly doesn't hurt. An avid love of hiking and finding new beers has led me to found beerwanderers, an information resource on beer hiking trails in Franconia with an emphasis on Franconian food specialties and the endless variety of amazing beer the region is renowned for. I also just published my first book Beer Hiking Bavaria which features 50 beer hikes in Bavaria. View all posts by beerwanderers

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Taking a Spaten Brewery Tour in Munich: Everything NOT to Do

Last Updated: August 14, 2022 //  by  Ashley Smith 34 Comments

Taking a Spaten brewery tour in Munich, Germany made me realize something. Sometimes, especially if you’re a natural blonde like myself, you find yourself making dumb mistake after dumb mistake.

I say dumb mistake because some mistakes are justified: thinking you can pull off bangs (Zooey Deschanel can; why can’t you!?); going over your credit card limit because JetBlue was having a two-for-one sale (robot voice: “I. am. powerless. to. resist. beep boop beep.”); or burning dinner because someone just got away with murder on How To Get Away With Murder. GASP! I never saw it coming!

On the other hand, for some mistakes there are just no excuse. You just weren’t thinking and there’s no one to blame but yourself.

You don’t even try to place blame, you just stare blankly into the abyss that is your own idiocy trying to figure out at what point it all went wrong. I could’ve blamed it on my cat, Fatty. He likes to lay across the computer a lot. There’s a chance he had something to do with this…

This post was originally published in October of 2016 but has been updated for 2020.

Spaten brewery tour

And that’s how my husband and I ended up trapped on a Spaten Brewery tour in Munich, Germany . And don’t look at me like I’m some scoundrel who doesn’t appreciate a good escape game–it was just a lot more miserable than it sounds. Trust me.

My history with the Spaten brewery tour

Touring breweries is a hobby of mine. Thanks in large part to my parents who started me down this path at a young age–despite the fact that they themselves don’t drink beer. It’s like they knew I was destined for greatness in the matter and took the proper steps to prepare me. They’re like the anti-Dursleys.

I like to think I’ve made good on my upbringing by continuing this tradition well into pseudo-adulthood. I’ve visited and toured breweries all over after all. So on my first visit to Munich back in 2012 I made it my mission to get inside the mothership–the Spaten brewery.

Oktoberfest tips ─ If, like me, you’re looking to take a Spaten brewery tour while you’re in Munich for Oktoberfest, be sure to check out my post on all my top Oktoberfest tips . (I am an Oktoberfest tour guide after all.)

Get my 2023 Oktoberfest Packing List here!

Spaten brewery tour: attempt 2012

My husband, a big fan of the Spaten beers, and I stumbled upon the Spaten brewery while wandering around downtown Munich , mere hours after arriving. But if I know my husband at all it was probably just like that time I “stumbled” upon the Hello Kitty department store in Taipei. I’m not even sorry.

We had hoped to get in for a tour but… nothing. No information. No people. Nothing going on. No crazy man in a purple velvet suit and orange hat beckoning us into his magical factory. It’s like they’re just not as eager as we Americans are to invite strangers into our homes for drinks. What gives, Germany?

And what happens when someone says you can’t do something? You want it even more, right Veruca? Or, you trespass. Lucky for me my husband is vaguely adult-ish or I may have more than one breaking and entering charge on my record.

Spaten brewery tour: attempt 2014

What is that thing people say all the time? That insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? Well, I like to think of it not as insanity but as ambition. Hope, even. Also, up theirs.

At least this time we found a door… that led to an office… that looked somewhat beer related… where again there was no one . No employees. No brochures. Not even any tiny, busy orange people. We began to wonder if this place was even functional. We left before we set off any alarms.

Clearly, getting onto a Spaten brewery tour is challenging. It’s like remembering to floss… or getting gum out of your hair. But for your liver.

FYI: It took three attempts but we finally found the entrance to the Spaten Brewery and it’s shown below for your future reference. I promise the only reason we found this door was because of my husband’s aptitude for video games. 

Spaten brewery tour: attempt 2016

While preparing for our upcoming trip to Munich for Oktoberfest , I decided to do a little more digging and see what I could find on taking a Spaten brewery tour. I know, I know… I must be insane !

Well, punks, one page led to another, that led to another, that led to the YouTube page for the Finnish metal band Hevisaurus that produces heavy metal for children. That eventually led to the booking page for Munich’s Spaten brewery tour!

Tours are available only on Saturdays and the first Friday of each month –and we’d be there on a Saturday. But , was it as simple as filling out the form and booking ourselves on a Spaten brewery tour? Oooof course not.

They had to change their website

For starters, I had to get them to change their website . Spaten–a company that has successfully run itself since the year 1397. Thirteen freaking ninety seven! Leave it to me.

When I tried filling out the straightforward-looking Spaten brewery tour booking form, I discovered the only options under Title were “Lord” and “Miss.” (red flag #1🚩) Umm, huh? Is this actually 1397?

It didn’t really matter that I was neither of those options really. I could pass for a Lord if I really wanted to. The real problem I incurred was the fact that the United States of America wasn’t listed as an option for Country. (red flag #2🚩) How is the USofA not an option?  I should have seen this not just as a complete lack of geographical understanding, but for the red flag that it was. 

A few days after emailing Spaten’s fearless leader, the booking form was updated to the more 21st century-appropriate “Mr” and “Ms” and to include the United States as a country. It’s been so for over 240 years guys.

Fatty, clear my schedule! We’re going on a Spaten brewery tour!

Well, technically, yes. 

There are some things in life you can only learn the hard way–like why dating the “bad boy” or getting any sort of cosmetic procedure at a discount are bad ideas. This is one of those things.

I let my excitement for finally booking a Spaten brewery tour overshadow some fundamental facts about traveling internationally.

How NOT to take a Spaten brewery tour

There are a handful of things that went wrong on this day but they all revolved around one central mistake…

Mistake #1: Assuming the tour would be in English.

I booked this tour in May but it wasn’t until September when we were seated in the waiting area–that was quickly filling up with Germans–that it occurred to me. I leaned over to my husband and whispered, “Holy shit. This tour is in fucking German.”

Important note: I don’t speak fucking German.

When planning trips I like to err on the side of hilarious. If shit’s gonna go wrong, it’s gonna go hilariously awry.

How did I miss this?

How had the possibility of this not occurred to me sooner? Was it because the booking site was in English ? Was it because I was one of those ethnocentric Americans that thinks the global community, and therefore brewery tours, revolves around her?

To be honest, language consideration never crossed my mind. I feel like something must have led me to believe the tour was in English. Right? Or was this just like [insert dumb mistake here] all over again?

Trying to learn organic chemistry solely through osmosis, trying to climb a mountain while hungover, working at Hooters–take your pick, I’ve got an endless number of options!

I’m just going with brain fart — a condition that affects the best of us. Ugh I just wanna punch myself in the throat sometimes.

Even the confirmation email I received was 100% in German.🚩 (…except for the subject?)

The confirmation email

Here are some things they noted in the confirmation email other than the fact that the tour is in German:

• You must remain within sight and reach of the tour guide.
• “The consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises is not permitted, as is the taking of animals.” We’re at a brewery right, not a zoo?
• “Please follow the information and instructions given by the visitor guide. The visitors’ guides are aware of the special dangers that are not always apparent to other people.” Well if that isn’t the understatement of the year …
• “Persons with infectious diseases must not enter the brewery.” (There was no health questionnaire; they should really up their application process if they mean to enforce this.)
• “We thank you for your understanding and we wish you an interesting stay.” Informative? No. Interesting? Definitely.
• It also says that photography is prohibited so maybe just pretend you don’t see any of the pictures in this article. In my defense, our guide gave me permission. Actually, the conversation went like this:

Me: “Do you speak English?” Him: “Only a little.” Me: “Am I allowed to take pictures?” Him: “Yes, photography is allowed, it doesn’t matter if you use a flash or not. The only place photography is prohibited is in the bottling plant on account of the request of the manufacturer. But everywhere else it’s totally fine.” Me: “Umm, you speak way more than ‘a little’ English…”

In conclusion, he knew I didn’t speak German and failed to encourage me to jump ship so now I hate him. Even though he was really nice.

Not even pretending to care anymore. Ooh look, a doorknob. Well you’re more interesting than this Spaten brewery tour, now aren’t you?

Mistake #2: Believing the tour was only 1.5 hours

It also implies that my booking is a binding contract. 🚩

Now I know you’re not supposed to believe everything you read on the internet but sometimes… nope, there’s no excuse. This was one of those times. We were trapped on that Spaten brewery tour for over three hours .

Here are some other things I could have done in Munich with three extra hours:

• I could have zip-lined Olympic Stadium .
• We could have learned to surf on the Eisbach. From scratch.
• We could have test-driven a few BMWs on the autobahn.
• I could have finished one liter at the Hofbräuhaus. (I drink slow as hell, okay?)

Familiar torture

Much of my college career was spent in similar situations: three-hour blocks of staring blankly into space while someone spoke endlessly in a language I didn’t understand. Waiting for beer. So I should’ve been used to this.

Actually, most of the day bordered on this metaphor. There was a lot of eye-rolling and checking out the status of my fingernails every other minute. A lot of huffing, puffing, and whisper-yelling to my husband, “When. The hell. Is this. Gonna. Be. OVER!”

What began as a pretty hilarious screw-up quickly turned into two lost forms of medieval torture: boredom and time-wasting–my arch nemeses. (Doesn’t that make me sound like I’m just a stuffy Disney protagonist… with ADHD?)

So for three long hours we followed our guide (and about 20 other tour-takers) through the innards of the brewery from which we could not escape, without a clue of what our guide was saying. And he had a lot to say.

Where on Earth did they get the idea that this tour was only 90 minutes? Were we even on the right tour? We just literally put on a vest and joined in.

Mistake #3: Not leaving when we had the chance.

Not booking it the hell out of there when we had the chance may have been our biggest mistake. Had we known we’d be trapped on this tour for three long hours with no exit strategy, we would’ve just acted like we were going to the restroom and never returned. It’s kinda my move.

Regardless of the fact that the confirmation email directly states “do not remove yourself from the group,” 🚩 we were all over this brewery and wouldn’t have been able to find our way out anyway. We were in an underground beer cellar at some point with actual dirt floors, presumably the original dirt from 1397. There was probably something interesting said about this place. We’ll never know.

Our day on the Spaten brewery tour was… bad. No, Maroon 5’s Super Bowl performance was bad. This was a disaster .

I think what kept us there was “knowing” the tour was only 90 minutes, part of that being beer, and the fact that we had prepaid. 🚩 Plus, it had taken us almost nearly half a decade to get this far–there was no turning back now.

There were good parts to the Spaten brewery tour

As miserable of a day as we had wandering cluelessly around on our Spaten brewery tour, there were a couple of high points. It was like in college when mono was a credible threat but nobody really cared on account of the weight loss.

Spaten brewery tour: beer and food

Trapped as we were, there was at least a light lager at the end of the tunnel. So what if we’ve been here for three hours… maybe they’ll let us drink as much as we want.

“DAAAAAMN, they’re letting us drink as much as we want!”

Two and half hours after we’d found ourselves at a crossroads–any of which we should’ve taken–we finally arrived at the Spaten brewery penthouse for a “beer tasting.” Unlike any other beer tasting I’ve sat through, our tour guide told us (in English, the bastard) we could order as many of the 24 full-sized, half-liter beers from the catalog as we wanted.

All the beer we could drink? What, were we rushing a fraternity? Actually, we could have been and not even known–Beta Sigma Sigma Gamma (ΒΣΣΓ). Finally, something good had come of our wasted day ! Like when you’re stuck at home with the flu but there’s a Saved By The Bell marathon on. Man, I really rock at finding the upside to contracting debilitating viruses.

They also served pretzels and my new love, leberkäse, which my husband refers to as “hot dog steak.”

Also check out ─ If you don’t want to wait for your trip to Germany, check out my awesome recipe for Bavarian soft pretzels now and get to baking! They’re pretty easy to make and sooo delicious.

Amazing views from the top of the brewery

The tasting took place at the top of the Spaten brewery and you know I love an aerial view. Escaping to the balcony for fresh air and a chance to call out for help was greatly appreciated. Remind me to send the balcony a Christmas card this year.

And while we’re at it, I owe our waitress a flaming bag of poo as well for all the ways she made our day even more infuriating. Fatty, send me a reminder.

Spaten brewery tour: horses!

Because we’d been at the brewery all damn day, we were still there when they brought the horses back from Oktoberfest. We watched as they unharnessed the horses and just left them standing there–the most interesting thing we saw all day .

And, in accordance with the Spaten brewery tour confirmation email, I DID NOT TAKE ANY HORSES.

If anything good came out of this experience it’s this:

Almost a quarter of two decades after this journey began, I can finally cross this off my list and stop worrying about getting onto a Spaten Brewery tour. Whether they turn out the way you hope or not, it’s always good to accomplish your goals .

Also, because of my epic screw-up, I have single-handedly managed to get the Spaten brewery tour website changed again . Returning to the website for information to write this article, I noticed this:

Spaten brewery tour: 2020 update

So you wanna take a Spaten brewery tour? All of the proper dropdown options and German language warning are still there. Also, the booking site still lists the tour as being “about 90 minutes” so just beware that more than just beer facts got lost in translation. Consider yourself warned! 

Munich beer tours

So unless you speak German, I can’t imagine you’re planning a Spaten brewery tour of your own? But you still want to learn about and taste some local Munich beers in a tour kinda atmosphere? In that case, check out these other Munich beer tour options that all include an English-speaking guide!

Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour in Munich

This incredibly popular, 4.5-star tour is a great way to get acquainted with Munich’s food and beer scene. On this 3.5-hour tour you’ll get to visit:

• the world famous Hofbräuhaus and some other beer halls
• a traditional beer garden
• the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum (of course that’s a real thing!)

You’ll get to experience Munich’s nightlife with a local guide, learn about Munich’s brewing history, and get to sample local beers and delicious food items. This tour is quite reasonably priced and is marked “likely to sell out.” Click here for booking information .

Munich’s Beer Halls and Breweries: 3-Hour Guided Tour

On this tour you’ll get to visit Munich beer halls and one of Munich’s oldest breweries. You’ll sample greta beers and learn about all the differences and brewing processes. You’ll also get to sample some delicious Bavarian dishes.

This tour includes all food and drink, entrance fees, a knowledgeable guide, and transportation. Click here for booking information .

Small Group Munich’s Ultimate Beer & Street Food Tour

Reviewers really love this 3-hour, small group beer tour around Munich. This tour includes:

• all beer samples
• visits to some cool beer halls and taverns
• and some extra sightseeing thrown in.

This tour is great for beer-ginners and groups are always kept small. Click here for booking information .

More info on the Spaten brewery tour

Visiting Munich? Find great places to stay here . But where do I recommend? Definitely the H2 München Messe or the NH München Messe . What else have I covered in the area?  Check out these posts . What other breweries have I toured? Find out here . Like this post? Have questions? Hit me up on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Have you ever attempted a Spaten brewery tour? Let me know below!

But first, pin me ⇣⇣⇣

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About Ashley Smith

Ashley is a historian and Oktoberfest expert & tour guide. She has traveled to 33 countries and specializes in quick trips throughout Europe and the Americas that prioritize hiking adventures, museums of all kinds, cultural experiences, and jam-packed itineraries. She hails from Memphis, TN and currently lives in Boston with her husband and two feline sidekicks.

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The BEST Self-Guided Beer Tour of Munich!

Last time we went to Munich, we were there for Oktoberfest , which is something I’d highly recommend to any beer lover (or pretty much anyone, to be honest) to go to at least once. This time around though, we decided to skip the crowds and hefty price tags and went a little before the festival started – which meant we had to DIY our beer drinking experience. My father-in-law Merle mapped out six of the classic Munich brauhauses (beer halls) and we embarked on an aggressive plan to visit all six in one day!

Fortunately, due to eating a meal or snack at almost every stop, we all made it out very much alive and had the BEST time. I wanted to share our self-guided beer tour because I thought it was the most amazing way to sample all the various classic beers Munich has to offer in one day, and it was also an incredible way to see the city! Plus, as you’ll see below, each of the different brauhauses had such a different vibe and were all so unique and fun. Read on for all the details for the best self-guided beer tour of Munich (and check out my handy dandy map guide below)!

First things first: timing. If you’re attempting to do this whole tour, I’d recommend starting around 11am or 12pm, and it will probably take about 8 hours depending on how much you linger. We started out strong on the first three, drinking our beers and eating our food relatively quickly (a little under an hour at each place) and then lingered a little more over the last three. I can’t stress enough the importance of eating a big meal first and then snacking along the way, for, ya know, longevity’s sake.

• Hofbräuhaus

We started our day at probably the most well-known and biggest beer hall, Hofbräuhaus. This is definitely the most touristy of the bunch, but you can still get a fantastic classic German meal and (most importantly) a liter of excellent beer. It’s incredibly lively, with a big band playing every hour and hundreds of people milling about. This is a great place to start so you can check off a classic Munich experience and then move on to the more low-key places!

We next hit up the brauhaus that was closest to Hofbräuhaus, also right in downtown Munich: Spatenhaus. Spatenhaus was definitely way more formal and quiet than Hofbräuhaus and was a nice place to enjoy some peace and quiet before continuing with our DIY tour. It’s definitely still touristy due to its location, but the service was great and it wasn’t too crowded. We had a few “snacks” (pretzels, cheese spaetzle, etc.) even though we had just finished lunch, ha! It was all for responsibility’s sake, of course.

Hacker-Pschorr’s brauhaus was a quick 5-10 minute walk away so we went there next. This was one of the smaller ones, and we were able to sit outside right on the street for some good people watching. I would say this one had the least charming ambiance, but the beer was great and I was already loving seeing the different vibes of the beer halls so far.

Paulaner is my favorite German beer, so I was very excited to try this one! We had to take a pretty serious walk, but it was definitely necessary at that point to burn off some of those beer calories. When we turned the corner and saw Paulaner, we were shocked at how beautiful the building was. Inside, it was also gorgeous and very modern – it definitely felt more like the fancy craft breweries here in the U.S. than the other brauhauses we visited. Because it’s definitely off the beaten path, it was very low-key and not touristy, either. Overall, Paulaner would be my favorite brewery to go back to on a cozy cold night because it was so beautiful inside and so different than the other ones we visited!

• Augustiner-Keller

We next hopped on the train and went to Augustiner-Keller, which was AMAZING. There were hundreds of outdoor tables in a beautiful outdoor garden – it looked like it would be SUCH a party on a beautiful weekend day! By the time we got there, it was getting to be nighttime and was a little chilly out, but there was still a good crowd. We had some sausages here as another “snack” and relaxed for a little bit. This was overall my favorite brauhaus and would be the best one to post up at for a full day of beer drinking on a gorgeous day in Munich due to its enormous outdoor space.

Löwenbräukeller

We ended our tour at Löwenbräukeller right around dinnertime, and it was already a total party. We were able to get a table and ordered up some epic desserts (including my all-time fave, applestrudel!) and of course, more beer and wine. Lowenbrau was also a larger beer hall, with tons of tables and high ceilings, but felt a little cozier than Hofbräuhaus. It was the perfect way to end our epic beer tour!

I highly recommend following this tour if you’re visiting Munich and want a fun, unique way to see the city. Happy beer drinking!

Contact Info:

Hofbräuhaus München

Platzl 9, 80331 München, Germany +49 89 290136100 www.hofbraeuhaus.de

Spatenhaus an der Oper

Residenzstraße 12, 80333 München, Germany +49 89 2907060 www.kuffler.de

Sendlinger Str. 14, 80331 München, Germany +49 89 2605026 www.hackerhaus.de

Paulaner Bräuhaus

Kapuzinerpl. 5, 80337 München, Germany +49 89 5446110 www.paulaner-brauhaus.de

Augustinerkeller

Arnulfstraße 52, 80335 München, Germany +49 89 594393 www.augustinerkeller.de

Nymphenburger Str. 2, 80335 München, Germany +49 89 526021 www.loewenbraeukeller.com

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THE 10 BEST Munich Beer Tastings & Brewery Tours

Beer tastings & tours in munich.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Scenic Railroads
• Beer Tastings & Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers

• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Munich Oktoberfest Tour With Hofbräu Beertent Tickets, Beer, Food

2. Munich City Walk and Oktoberfest Tour With Beer Tent Reservation

3. Lunch Like a Local: Munich's ORIGINAL Viktualienmarkt Food Tour

4. Oktoberfest Munich Tour incl. Table Reservation, Food & Drinks

5. Munich Beer and Bavarian Bites Small-Group Tour

6. Munich Viktualienmarkt and Beyond Small-Group Food Tasting Tour

7. Private Munich Beer and Bavarian Bites Tour

8. Beer and Schnapps Day-Drinking Tour of Munich

9. Self-guided Beer-Tour of Munich: Main Sights, Beer & Breweries

10. Andechs Monastery Beer Hike Food Experience Private Tour (departs Munich)

11. Munich Oktoberfest Tour with Beer Hall Table Reservations

12. Private - Viktualienmarkt Food Tour and Beyond - best Munich tastings

13. Munich Oktoberfest Guided Experience with Beer and Food

14. Oktoberfest Experience in Munich: Fun, Food, Beer & Seats

15. Munich Oktoberfest All-Inclusive Camping Package

16. Munich Oktoberfest Guided Full-Day Experience

17. Oktoberfest Tour with table reservation and unlimited beer

18. Private Munich Beer Hall-Hopping with 3-Course-Menu, Free Beer and Beer-Tasting

19. The Perfect Start: Munich PRIVATE Tour with Bavarian Breakfast

20. Epic all-inclusive Oktoberfest Beer, Brewery and Fest Experience!

21. Beer Testing Segway Tour in Munich

22. Dragon Slayer Way Beer Hike Food Experience Private Tour (departs Munich)

23. PRIVATE - Best Munich Cocktail Tour - all inclusive

24. Munich Beer Tour with a Local Beer Expert

25. Munich 2 Hour Food Power Tour

26. Munich's Best Beer & History

27. PRIVATE Munich Perfect Night Out Dining and Cocktail Tour - Customizable

28. Brewing Through the Ages: A Tour of Munich's Beer Culture

29. Discover Munich in a retro Bulli

30. Neuschwanstein Castle and Brewery Tour

What travellers are saying.

Private Munich Food Tour

• Ultimate Munich Beer Tour and Bites

Private Salzburg History & Food Tour

More than viktualienmarkt food tour.

• Oktoberfest Tour – Bavarian Beer & Festive Bites
• Corporate, Group & Team Building
• Christmas Market Food Tour
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Testimonials

Munich Food Tours

Discover the hearty flavours of Bavarian cuisine and the delicious range of beloved beer on our intimate small-group experiences. Munich is the birthplace of authentic German and Bavarian cuisine, the home of Oktoberfest and the capital of German beer.

English & Deutsch

Ultimate Munich Beer Tour and Bites!

Private Oktoberfest Tour – Bavarian Beer & Festive Bites

English, & Deutsch

Munich’s Original Christmas Market Food Tour

A guide to our guides

An original Münchener and true Bavarian. Dan is a rich storyteller, a bible of in-depth knowledge and a converted obsessed foodie. He is an absolute character of his own and our beardy wonder.

The longtime Berliner born Australian. Dov has always held entrepreneurial foodie dreams mixed with a love and passion for the eclectic Berlin culture, developing cuisine and social life.

Our tall talented Irishman, speaks the speak and walks the walk. From being sous chef of the house from age 11, Kev has a deep passion for food, travel, people and Munich. This is an experience you won’t forget!

Worth every penny

Having the food-FRESH pretzels and obazda/onions was perfect with beer at G.Schneider & Son!! A flight of beers! Not just a beer. Then onto Glühwine at Hillegeist. Brought to us outside and lit for us to watch(sugar cubes soaked in Austrian rum). The perfect addition on a cold night! Then onto a Turkish restaurant for a donner sandwich and tegernseer hell beer. Last stop, preceeded by tour to a Michael Jackson memorial-yes that’s right, was a restaurant serving Kloster Andechs beer-produced by a monastery outside of Munich with minimal distribution-lucky us!! And honey schnapps also crafted by the monks. So much food so much to drink.

Would recommend this tour! It was great, fun and the tasting was perfect!

What a fabulous experience! I’ve never done a food tour before but a friend booked this for us! I would HIGHLY recommend a food tour with Fork & Walk! The foodie guide was very knowledgeable and her passion to share her love for food and culture is contagious! Time well spent!

Great experience in Salzburg

I had a great day on my tour to Salzburg. I wasn’t sure if this tour would be worth the money but it definitely was. Salzburg is a magical little city! Katrina from Fork and Walk tours was so fun and really made an effort for my husband and I to have a nice day. She helped us to buy a lock for the bridge and we made a special memory putting it on the bridge. Also the food was delicious. I would definitely recommend this tour!

A+ Food tour and Guide

Must do while visiting Munich! The tour was fantastic and the food was incredible. You will be full after. The tour guide was so knowledgeable and entertaining. Just book it already!

Tasted many flavors of Munich

Katrina & Percy were great at showing us the best of the best locations to taste a variety of culinary treasures. They did so well at explaining the background to every place we visited as well as whatever it was that we were eating or drinking. Katrina made it a point to make selections which you would possibly not ever know of & not hear about unless you lived in Munich. We enjoyed our tour along with the conversation.

Good beer, good times

This beer tour was a great combo of beer history and tasting. It was nice to stay away from the big touristy spots you might expect on a tour like this, and I got to experience quite a few local brews I would otherwise miss. The tour leader, Katrina, kept the conversation interesting with historical tidbits and in depth knowledge of everything we drank. Two thumbs up for this one!

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THE 10 BEST Munich Beer Tastings & Brewery Tours

Beer tastings & tours in munich.

• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Scenic Railroads
• Beer Tastings & Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers

• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Munich Oktoberfest Tour With Hofbräu Beertent Tickets, Beer, Food

2. Munich City Walk and Oktoberfest Tour With Beer Tent Reservation

3. Lunch Like a Local: Munich's ORIGINAL Viktualienmarkt Food Tour

4. Oktoberfest Munich Tour incl. Table Reservation, Food & Drinks

5. Munich Beer and Bavarian Bites Small-Group Tour

6. Munich Viktualienmarkt and Beyond Small-Group Food Tasting Tour

7. Private Munich Beer and Bavarian Bites Tour

8. Beer and Schnapps Day-Drinking Tour of Munich

9. Self-guided Beer-Tour of Munich: Main Sights, Beer & Breweries

10. Andechs Monastery Beer Hike Food Experience Private Tour (departs Munich)

11. Munich Oktoberfest Tour with Beer Hall Table Reservations

12. Private - Viktualienmarkt Food Tour and Beyond - best Munich tastings

13. Munich Oktoberfest Guided Experience with Beer and Food

14. Oktoberfest Experience in Munich: Fun, Food, Beer & Seats

15. Munich Oktoberfest All-Inclusive Camping Package

16. Munich Oktoberfest Guided Full-Day Experience

17. Oktoberfest Tour with table reservation and unlimited beer

18. Private Munich Beer Hall-Hopping with 3-Course-Menu, Free Beer and Beer-Tasting

19. The Perfect Start: Munich PRIVATE Tour with Bavarian Breakfast

20. Epic all-inclusive Oktoberfest Beer, Brewery and Fest Experience!

21. Beer Testing Segway Tour in Munich

22. Dragon Slayer Way Beer Hike Food Experience Private Tour (departs Munich)

23. PRIVATE - Best Munich Cocktail Tour - all inclusive

24. Munich Beer Tour with a Local Beer Expert

25. Munich 2 Hour Food Power Tour

26. Munich's Best Beer & History

27. PRIVATE Munich Perfect Night Out Dining and Cocktail Tour - Customizable

28. Brewing Through the Ages: A Tour of Munich's Beer Culture

29. Discover Munich in a retro Bulli

30. Neuschwanstein Castle and Brewery Tour

What travellers are saying.

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London’s luxury hotels unveil ‘gig-tripping packages’ with karaoke and glittery welcome drinks—ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

As it becomes clearer that Taylor Swift fans are more than happy to pay top dollar for their concert-going vacations, five-star hotels are starting to court the sequin set.

In London, the plush  Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane  has unveiled its own “gig-tripping package,” ahead of Swift’s series of eight Eras Tour shows at Wembley Stadium, which begins on June 21. Though it’s best known for its 10th floor spa with spectacular views of London and destination restaurant Pavyllon from star chef Yannick Alléno, it’s significantly turning up the volume this summer.

Among other perks, guests who book the package will find karaoke machines in their rooms—an invitation to belt their hearts out before or after the shows. Besides that, there are glittery welcome drinks, portable phone chargers for the show (also glittery) and friendship bracelet-making kits, an Eras Tour tradition. All this adds £200 ($319) to each booking on top of the standard room rates, which run around £1,000 a night in June—up to a 20% markup, depending on how long you stay. 

Given the strong data supporting the “Taylor Effect”—a rise in spending tied to Swift’s shows—all around the world since the tour start in March 2023, it was only a matter of time before the hotel industry attempted to cash in with add-ons. Last year, the first leg of her US tour contributed $4.3 billion to gross domestic product, according to  estimates  from Bloomberg Economics. And Four Seasons is not the only hotel brand trying to get in on the fun:  Marriott International Inc.  has used Swift’s popularity to  court new loyalty members with sweepstakes packages   and hotel events in such cities as Madrid and Stockholm.

Raquel Pirola, Park Lane’s marketing and sales director, says her team came up with the amenity as they saw more guests, particularly Gen Z and millennial travelers, working Four Seasons stays into itineraries that are driven primarily by concerts—not just in London but all around the world. The amenity comes ahead of the Swift tour dates, but it can be personalized around other concerts happening this summer, she says, citing excitement around the  British Summer Time festival  in neighboring Hyde Park. The lineup includes Kylie Minogue, Stevie Nicks and SZA. 

“In recent years, entertainment and cultural events have started to really drive luxury travel trends,” says Pirola, adding that she’s seen Americans booking the gig-tripping package. Luxury is the key word: A report from Skyscanner says 44% of US adults are willing to travel short-haul to see their favorite acts live, but only 18% are willing to fly long-haul for the same reason.

Still, the demand is significant enough to fill planes crossing the Atlantic. Data from  United Airlines Inc.  shows bookings for US flights to Milan during Swift’s tour dates in July are up 45% compared with the same period last year. Demand to Munich is similarly high, with bookings up 40% during the Eras shows.

The billionaire superstar is also outshining the Olympics, according to data from travel agency Embark Beyond shared exclusively with Bloomberg, which showed Swift being a  bigger driver of demand to Paris for luxury travelers  than the upcoming games in Paris. For example, the Shangri-La Paris saw a 120% increase in bookings over Swift’s travel dates in May, giving the palace hotel a revenue boost before peak summer season, according to data from the hotel shared with Bloomberg. The Shangri-La has launched a concert concierge in response; the hotel’s teams can arrange things like pre-show beauty services to help guests get bejeweled before the gigs. 

Pirola is confident that the story will play out similarly in London, where data from Barclays shows the Eras Tour is likely to provide a  £1 billion boost to the UK economy . “Guests will no doubt find a Swiftie or two to exchange friendship bracelets with here at the hotel,” she says.

But there may be signs that hotels are coming into the phenomenon too late. Even as Swift continues to smash records, demand for concerts is fading, with some mid-tier acts struggling to sell tickets. Bad Bunny and the Black Keys have canceled tour dates this summer, while Jennifer Lopez canceled her entire tour. 

For Swifties, getting a chance to sing  London Boy  inside a room at one of London’s top hotels could be a dream come true. But the hotel is aware that it’s not for everyone. Pirola says that the rooms are soundproofed well enough that guests blasting their hearts out to one of Swift’s chart-topping hits ahead of the Eras tour won’t keep any of their neighbors up at night . 

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