
1589
Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria
James Clay
Munich, Germany



Hofbräu has a lot of history. A big, Bavarian bucket of the stuff, accumulated over the last 400 years (and counting). Originally founded by Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria in 1589, the brewery’s original home is now one of Munich’s oldest beer halls.
Hofbräu began life as the brewery to the nearby royal residence, and Wilhelm’s son, Duke Maximilian I, gave Hofbräu a helping hand by granting them a monopoly on the production of wheat beer, a style he himself favoured over darker brews. A couple of decades later, the invading army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden were all set to burn the place down, but for the gift of some 600,000 barrels of Hofbräuhaus beer and a few hostages. And that only takes us to 1632.
Cut to the mid 20th century, when American GIs returning from service in Munich brought with them iconic mugs emblazoned with the brewery’s ‘HB’ initials, quickly making the Hofbräuhaus Munich’s top tourist attraction, and fuelling demand for beers, bars, and paraphernalia all over Europe.
These days, Hofbräu is part owned by the Bavarian government, making them one of only two breweries in Munich to escape global brewery ownership. A passionate declaration of loyalty by the enterprise most responsible for exporting Bavarian culture the world over.
Hofbrau Beer - Available Now
Dunkel | Dunkel Lager | 20x50cl Btls NRB | Listed | 5.5% |
Hofbrau Lager | Unfiltered Helles Lager | 50Ltr Keg s | Listed | 3.3% |
Hofbrau Winter Zwickel | Unfiltered Dark Zwickelbier | 30Ltr Keg s | Limited Release | 5.5% |
Oktoberfest | Marzen | 50Ltr Keg s | Seasonal | 6.3% |
Original | Helles Lager | 20x50cl Btls NRB | Listed | 5.1% |
Weisse | Hefeweizen | 50Ltr Keg s | Listed | 5.1% |
Our Hofbrau Range

Dunkel
Style: | Dunkel Lager |
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ABV: | 5.5% |
Dark beer existed in Bavaria long before light beer and was the first type of beer to be brewed at Hofbrauhaus. Hofbrau Dunkel - the archetypal Bavarian beer - is still as popular as ever. With its spicy taste, it's a refreshing beer that suits all kinds of occasion.
bottles | |
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Size: | 20x50cl Btls NRB |
draught | |
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Size: | 30Ltr Keg s |
Hofbrau Lager
Style: | Unfiltered Helles Lager |
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ABV: | 3.3% |
draught | |
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Size: | 50Ltr Keg s |


Original
Style: | Helles Lager |
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ABV: | 5.1% |
More than any other, Hofbrau Original embodies the special atmosphere of the beer-making capital of Munich. Exported to the four corners of the globe, its refreshing, bitter flavour has become famous worldwide. A Munich beer with character.
bottles | |
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Size: | 20x50cl Btls NRB |
draught | |
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Size: | 50Ltr Keg s |
Weisse
Style: | Hefeweizen |
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ABV: | 5.1% |
The origin of Hofbrau MunchenerWeisse dates back to 1589 and since then the beer has a distinctive place in the history of Hofbrau Munchen. Hofbrau Munchener Weisse is characterised by its sparkling, by its rich foam, and naturally by its unforgettable refreshing taste.
draught | |
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Size: | 50Ltr Keg s |

Articles

Hofbrau Lager
Occasionally the stars align…. Bavarian Beer continues its meteoric rise in the UK, new duty laws create a margin generating mid strength beer category and Munich brewing giants Hofbrau have made their full flavoured, lower ABV Hofbrau Lager available in the UK for the first time exclusively via James Clay.
Read More