Weltenburg Abbey, the world's oldest monastic brewery, is to be sold to Munich-based Schneider Weisse as part of consolidation in the German beer industry amid falling sales. The abbey, located on the Danube in Bavaria, has been brewing beer for nearly 1,000 years.
The sale, agreed between the diocese of Regensburg and Schneider Weisse, follows several years of financial losses at Weltenburger, which required church funds to stay afloat. The brewery is still owned by the Catholic church, but production has been handled by staff from Bischofshof brewery for the past 50 years.
Schneider Weisse will also acquire Bischofshof, which will cease production at the end of the year, with its brand moving to Schneider. Weltenburger will continue to be brewed at the abbey. The diocese is seeking placements for Bischofshof's 56 employees, while Weltenburger's 21 staff will be retained.
Financial details of the sale have not been disclosed, but the purchase is expected to be completed by January 2027. Till Hedrich, managing director of both breweries, said the deal could prevent complete closure or break-up by an investor with no regional ties, preserving an 'important piece of Bavarian brewing tradition'.
German beer sales have declined by a quarter over the past 15 years, with a 5m hectolitre drop in 2025, the largest in 75 years. The country still has the most monastic breweries, nine run by monks or employees and one by nuns, but faces challenges from falling alcohol consumption and the Reinheitsgebot purity law limiting innovation.
