Franziskaner

Germany

Franziskaner is a Munich wheat beer brand with a history traceable to 1363, when a commercial secular brewery next to a Franciscan monastery in Bavaria established itself under the name "Braustätt bey den Franziskanern", lending the modern brand both its name and its monastic imagery. The brewery is counted among the world's oldest.

The label has featured a Franciscan monk drinking from a stein since 1909, with the illustration taking its current form in 1935 as the work of Ludwig Hohlwein. Franziskaner chose to focus almost entirely on Weissbier in 1964, though sales had remained confined to Bavaria until the mid-1980s. By the 2002-2003 brewing year, annual output had reached one million hectolitres. The wheat beers are brewed using a top-fermenting yeast and undergo bottle conditioning.

The brewery merged with Spatenbrau in 1922 and is now operated by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu GmbH, part of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which acquired the group in 2003. In 2021, AB InBev began considering options for the Franziskaner and Spaten brands.

The alcohol-free range launched in 2015, bringing wheat beers, including fruit-flavoured variants, to drinkers seeking an alcohol-free option. Distribution of the alcohol-free line in the United Kingdom began in 2017. Two of the brand's drinks have picked up awards. The range is positioned for Dry January drinkers.

At a Glance