World's oldest monastic brewery to be sold as German beer sales slide

"Beer has been brewed at Weltenburg Abbey, a stunning, still active monastery on the banks of the Danube in Bavaria, for nearly 1,000 years."

"Till Hedrich, the managing director of both Weltenburger and Bischofhof, said the planned Bavarian solution could head off the threat of complete closure or break-up of the breweries by an investor with no connection to the region, while preserving an important piece of Bavarian brewing tradition in the long run."

"The financial details of the sale of Weltenburger to Schneider, a comparatively young outfit launched in 1872, have not been released. But the purchase is scheduled to be completed by January 2027 and keep the 21 Weltenburger employees onboard."

Germany's Weltenburger monastery brewery is being sold to Munich brewer Schneider Weisse as part of industry consolidation driven by plunging sales. The Catholic church retains property ownership, but Benedictine monks handed production to hired Bischofshof staff about fifty years ago. Weltenburger ran losses for several years, forcing diocesan financial support and prompting the sale agreement with Schneider. The planned deal aims to prevent closure or break-up by outside investors, keep Weltenburger brewing at the historic abbey, preserve regional jobs, and transfer Bischofshof's brand and production timetable toward completion by January 2027.

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