Weltenburger, the world’s oldest monastic brewery, located at the Weltenburg Abbey on the banks of the Danube, will be sold to Munich-based Schneider Weisse, according to The Guardian. The transfer is part of an industry adjustment in response to sharply falling beer sales in the country.
Beer has been brewed at the abbey for nearly a thousand years, and the facility remains an active production site within one of Bavaria’s most impressive still-functioning monasteries. Although the building will remain the property of the Catholic Church, the production of the award-winning lager and the well-known dark beers was handed over to employees of the Bischofshof brewery around fifty years ago. Bischofshof will also be acquired by Schneider.
The Diocese of Regensburg and Schneider Weisse reached an agreement after several years of losses at Weltenburger, which forced the Church to inject its own funds to sustain the business, local media reported. The sale is therefore seen as a solution to ensure the continuity of production without further straining the diocese’s finances.
Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed. Schneider Weisse, founded in 1872, is a relatively young company within the context of Bavarian brewing tradition, but the acquisition is expected to be completed by January 2027. The purchase is set to retain Weltenburger’s 21 employees.
