Hofbräu: the world-famous beer

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

"Hofbräu" is a beer whose history is calculated not in tens, but in hundreds of years. The German name Hofbräu translates as "court beer". Indeed, Hofbräu was the court brewery of the German dukes. It was founded in Munich in 1589 by Duke William V the Pious. Today, a foamy drink under this brand is made by a brewing company called Hofbräu München. Every self-respecting German considers it an honor to spend an evening with friends over a bottle of Hofbräu drink. Well, tourists who come to Germany, first of all, tend to purchase this product, treat themselves to it and buy a jar or two as a gift for their loved ones.

The history of the drink

"Hofbräu" is a beer whose abbreviated name sounds like HB from the German name Hofbräu. But not only intoxicated alcohol is called this way - it is also the abbreviated name of two Munich restaurants where the drink was once brewed - Hofbräukeller and Hofbräuhaus. Well, the opening of these establishments and the appearance of the alcohol itself was preceded by a beautiful story.

Before the Germans brewed Hofbräu (beer), they had to drink other people's drinksmanufacturers. And it was all like this: the courtiers of the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm V were distinguished by extraordinary requests and unsatisfied thirst. They did not like the beer that was brewed directly in Munich, so they were delivered a drink from the city of Einbeck, in Lower Saxony. But it was too expensive, and the duke tasked the courtiers with the problem of balancing pleasure and spending.

At the end of September 1589, the tempting idea of building their own brewery was put forward by four advisers to William V. The duke was extremely pleased with this idea, and on the same day he invited Khaimeran Pongratz, the head brewer from the Geisenfeld monastery. He offered the man the position of foreman, first master and designer of a new brewery. This was the beginning of a great cause, and the brewers began to brew the most delicious beer.

Wheat beer monopoly

Over time, the brewery of Duke William the Pious was inherited by his son Maximilian I, whose beer tastes differed from his father's. Maximilian did not like the dark heavy drink that was so popular then. Since he was a great gourmet and cunning in marketing and financial matters, he quickly made a fuss and introduced a monopoly on the production of wheat beer. Thus, all private breweries were forbidden to brew wheat foamy alcohol, and his ducal brewery was provided with a monopoly position. The young duke acquired an additional financial source by producing beerHofbrau.

New brewery

One fine day, Maximilian learned that his wheat beer was popular. And this popularity is so great that the production located in the old courtyard is no longer able to cope with all incoming orders. The ducal court brewery produced 1444 hectoliters of beer during 1605, which was extremely large in those days. Maximilian decides to build a new brewery on Munich's Marienplatz, where it still stands today.

Since 1610, Hofbräu beer has been allowed to be sold not only to noble people, but also to the general population. So the foamy drink under this brand begins to conquer the world. Such luxury became available due to the fact that Maximilian needed money to build a new enterprise. The Duke realized how much potential his product had, and decided to make what was secretly done and so, an official enterprise. That is, to sell beer to the general population not “under the counter”, but legally.

Modern beer selection from Munich

The most delicious HB beer today has the following assortment:

• Hofbräu Original is a very common drink both in Munich and beyond.
• Hofbräu Dunkel is the first beer produced by the Hofbräuhaus brewery.
• Münchner Weisse ("Hofbräu Münchner Weiss") is an unfiltered top-fermented wheat lager beer. It contains 5.1% alcohol. "Hofbräuhaus"For two centuries in Bavaria, he had the exclusive right to brew a wheat intoxicating drink. This variety has a delicate yeast aroma and a bubbly crema.
• Hofbräu Schwarze Weisse is a top fermented wheaten dark drink.
• Hofbräu Weisse leicht is a pale beer with a typical wheat taste.
• Hofbräu Maibock – there is one interesting tradition regarding this variety: it is customary to open the first barrel with such a drink in the last week of the second spring month in the Hofbräuhaus.
• Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier is a festive bottom-fermented pale beer with an alcohol content of 6.3%.

Hofbräu Original

Since the most famous drink from the HB line is Hofbrau Original beer, I would like to tell you a little more about it. This is Munich light hoppy bottom-fermented nectar. It has a creamy, slightly m alty flavor with a mild hop bitterness.

"Hofbräu Original" contains 5.1% alcohol, and its density reaches 11.75 degrees. The drink has a bright golden hue. Its fragrance has a hint of cloves with fruity-lemon notes.

Gift to the world

Hofbräu is the beer that gave the world the now extremely popular Oktoberfest. In 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, heir to the founder of the Hofbräuhaus, married Therese of Saxe-Hildburghaus. In honor of their wedding, horse racing was organized, which by this period is already a littleforgotten. The event took place on Theresienwiesen.

The races were accompanied by festivities, the distribution of snacks and beer. The people liked it so much that it was decided to organize such events every year. Later they were reborn into the famous Oktoberfest.