G. Schneider & Sohn

G. Schneider & Sohn is a family-owned Bavarian brewing company whose business is centered on traditional top-fermented wheat beers. The brewery traces its origins to 1872, when Georg Schneider I and his son, Georg Schneider II, acquired Munich's Weisses Brauhaus, described in reference material as the city's oldest wheat-beer brewery. The Schneider family has retained ownership across successive generations, making continuity of family control one of the defining characteristics of the business. The company's historical development was closely tied to the survival and relocation of Munich's brewing operations. In 1927, under Georg Schneider IV, the owners expanded their brewing activities to Kelheim and Straubing. The Munich breweries were destroyed by Allied aerial bombardment in 1944 during the Second World War, after which production was transferred entirely to Kelheim. In the immediate postwar period, the United States Third Army authorized the brewery to resume production and deliver wheat beer to Munich, although production was initially restricted to lower-alcohol beer and sales were limited to military personnel. G. Schneider & Sohn's portfolio consists entirely of wheat beers. Its beers use wheat from the Upper Altmühltal, Lower Bavaria, and Upper Palatinate, malting barley associated with the Kelheim and Riedenburg areas, and Hallertau hops for bitterness and aroma. The brewery's core beer is TAP 7 Mein Original, formerly known as Schneider Weisse Original. It follows the brewery's 1872 origin recipe and represents the central expression of the brand's traditional wheat-beer positioning. The wider TAP numbering system was introduced to make clear that the business produces several beers beyond TAP 7; Georg Schneider VI renamed the Schneider Weisse range in 2009. The portfolio also includes TAP 6 Mein Aventinus, a dark and strong wheat doppelbock first introduced in 1907 by Mathilde Schneider. Named after the Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus, it is described as the first Bavarian weizenbock. Another specialist product is Aventinus Eisbock, first brewed by Schneider in 2002 using a freezing-concentration method associated with the eisbock style. The process removes part of the beer's water as ice, leaving a stronger and more concentrated beer. In addition to brewing, the company operates three guesthouses. These are located at the former Munich headquarters on Tal, in Munich's Berg am Laim district, and at the brewery site in Kelheim. In early 2016, the establishments were renamed from Weisses Bräuhaus to Schneider Bräuhaus. This hospitality activity extends the brand beyond packaged beer and connects it with Bavarian beer-house culture. The brewery employs approximately 100 people and produces about 300,000 hectolitres annually. Roughly one quarter of production is distributed outside Germany, while the remainder serves the domestic market. Its current identity is therefore that of a specialized, independently controlled wheat-beer brewer rather than a diversified beverage conglomerate: the company emphasizes family continuity, Bavarian provenance, traditional recipes, specialist wheat-beer styles, and international distribution from its Kelheim base.

G. Schneider & Sohn was established in 1872 when Georg Schneider I and his son, Georg Schneider II, acquired the Weisses Brauhaus in Munich. The brewery became associated with Bavarian wheat beer and remained under Schneider family ownership. Its business was built around top-fermented beers made with substantial wheat content, a tradition that later informed the TAP product system and the company's modern identity. A major expansion took place in 1927 under Georg Schneider IV, when the owners extended their brewing operations to Kelheim and Straubing. The move gave the family additional brewing capacity outside Munich. During the Second World War, the Munich breweries were destroyed by Allied aerial bombardment in 1944. Production was subsequently relocated entirely to Kelheim, which became the company's principal brewing base. The brewery resumed activity soon after the end of the war. In occupied Germany, the United States Third Army granted G. Schneider & Sohn permission to produce its wheat beers and deliver them to Munich. The authorization came with restrictions: the brewery could initially make only lower-alcohol beer, and the beer could be sold only to military personnel. The episode illustrates both the disruption of the brewing industry after the war and the importance of wheat beer to the company's identity. The Schneider family continued to control the brewery through later generations. Mathilde Schneider was associated with the creation of Aventinus, a strong dark wheat doppelbock introduced in 1907 and named for Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus. The beer is described as the first Bavarian weizenbock. In 2002, the brewery began producing Aventinus Eisbock, applying a freezing-concentration technique that intensifies the beer's flavor and alcohol strength by removing water as ice. In 2009, Georg Schneider VI renamed the Schneider Weisse range using TAP designations. The change was intended to emphasize that the brewery's offering extended from TAP 1 through TAP 7 and was not limited to its original wheat beer. TAP 7 Mein Original remained the core product and continued to be brewed according to the brewery's 1872 origin recipe. TAP 6 Mein Aventinus remained a key strong-beer expression, while Aventinus Eisbock represented a more concentrated interpretation of the same broad family of styles. The business also operates three guesthouses: one at the former Munich headquarters on Tal, one in Munich's Berg am Laim district, and one at the Kelheim brewery. In early 2016, these venues were renamed Schneider Bräuhaus, replacing the previous Weisses Bräuhaus name and reinforcing the connection between the hospitality venues and the Schneider brewing brand. The company remains a relatively focused specialist brewery. Reference material describes a workforce of approximately 100 people and annual production of about 300,000 hectolitres. Around 25 percent of output is distributed outside Germany, with products reaching 27 additional countries. Its raw-material profile remains regionally grounded: wheat is sourced from areas including the Upper Altmühltal, Lower Bavaria, and the Upper Palatinate; malting barley is associated with Kelheim and Riedenburg; and Hallertau hops provide bitterness and aroma. The brewery's continuity rests on family ownership, Bavarian location, historic recipes, and a concentrated portfolio of wheat beers.

1. 2016Guesthouses renamed Schneider Bräuhaus

   The three company guesthouses in Munich and Kelheim adopted the Schneider Bräuhaus name.

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2. 2009Schneider Weisse range renamed

   The product range was reorganized under TAP numbers, including TAP 7 Mein Original, to show the breadth of the portfolio.

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3. 2002Aventinus Eisbock first brewed

   The brewery began producing Aventinus Eisbock using the freezing-concentration method associated with the eisbock style.

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4. 1945Postwar production authorized

   The United States Third Army permitted the brewery to resume wheat-beer production and deliver beer to Munich, initially subject to alcohol and sales restrictions.

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5. 1944Munich breweries destroyed

   Allied aerial bombardment destroyed the company's Munich breweries, leading to the relocation of all production to Kelheim.

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6. 1927Operations expanded to Kelheim and Straubing

   Under Georg Schneider IV, the owners expanded brewing operations beyond Munich to Kelheim and Straubing.

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7. 1907Aventinus introduced

   Mathilde Schneider introduced Aventinus, a dark wheat doppelbock described as the first Bavarian weizenbock.

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8. 1872Brewery founded

   Georg Schneider I and Georg Schneider II acquired Munich's Weisses Brauhaus and established the Schneider family brewing business.

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A traditional, family-owned Bavarian specialist focused exclusively on top-fermented wheat beers, with an emphasis on historic recipes, regional ingredients, and distinctive strong wheat-beer styles.

• TAP 7 Mein OriginalWheat beer1872

  TAP 7 Mein Original is the brewery's core wheat beer and was formerly marketed as Schneider Weisse Original. It is brewed according to the brewery's 1872 origin recipe and represents the central expression of G. Schneider & Sohn's traditional Bavarian wheat-beer identity. The beer is bottle conditioned and is positioned as the foundational product within the TAP-numbered range.

• TAP 6 Mein AventinusWeizenbock1907

  TAP 6 Mein Aventinus is a strong, dark wheat doppelbock first introduced in 1907 by Mathilde Schneider. Named after Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus, it is described as the first Bavarian weizenbock. The beer is bottle conditioned and is one of the brewery's best-known strong wheat-beer products. It received gold at the 2014 World Beer Cup and silver in the same category in 2018.

• Aventinus EisbockEisbock2002

  Aventinus Eisbock is a concentrated wheat beer made using a freezing process that removes part of the water as ice. The resulting beer has more pronounced aromas and flavors and a higher alcohol strength than the base beer. G. Schneider & Sohn first brewed its version in 2002. It won gold in the wheat beers category at the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival in 2017.

• TAP product rangeWheat beer portfolio2009

  The TAP range is the brewery's numbered family of wheat beers. The numbering was adopted in the 2009 renaming of the Schneider Weisse range to draw attention to products from TAP 1 through TAP 7 rather than allowing the original wheat beer to represent the entire portfolio. The range includes traditional wheat beers and stronger specialty styles.

• 2016Rename company guesthouses Schneider BräuhausStrategy

  The company operated three beer-house and hospitality venues in Munich and Kelheim under the Weisses Bräuhaus name.

  What changed. The venues were renamed Schneider Bräuhaus in early 2016.

  Aftermath. The new name more directly connected the hospitality business with the Schneider brewing brand.

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• 2009Adopt TAP numbering for the Schneider Weisse rangeStrategy

  The Schneider Weisse name did not by itself communicate the breadth of the brewery's broader product portfolio.

  What changed. Georg Schneider VI renamed the range using TAP designations, including TAP 1 through TAP 7.

  Aftermath. TAP 7 Mein Original became the principal designation for the beer formerly known as Schneider Weisse Original, while the numbered system framed the portfolio as a family of distinct wheat beers.

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• 1944Relocate all production to KelheimStrategy

  The company's Munich breweries were destroyed by Allied aerial bombardment during the Second World War.

  What changed. G. Schneider & Sohn transferred its entire brewing operation to Kelheim.

  Aftermath. Kelheim became the company's principal production base and remains associated with the brewery's modern operations.

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• 1927Expand brewing operations beyond MunichStrategy

  The family-owned brewery sought to broaden its production footprint after operating from Munich since its founding.

  What changed. Under Georg Schneider IV, the owners expanded operations to Kelheim and Straubing.

  Aftermath. The Kelheim operation later became especially important after the Munich breweries were destroyed in 1944 and production was moved there entirely.

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• 2018Mein Aventinus receives World Beer Cup silver

  Mein Aventinus received a silver medal in the South German-Style Weizenbock category at the World Beer Cup.

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• 2017Aventinus Eisbock wins Stockholm festival gold

  Aventinus Eisbock won gold in the wheat beers category at the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival.

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• 2016Schneider Bräuhaus name introduced for three guesthouses

  The company's three hospitality venues in Munich and Kelheim were renamed from Weisses Bräuhaus to Schneider Bräuhaus in early 2016.

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• 2014Aventinus wins World Beer Cup gold

  Mein Aventinus received a gold medal in the South German-Style Weizenbock category at the US Brewers Association's World Beer Cup.

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• 2009Schneider Weisse range renamed under TAP numbering

  Georg Schneider VI renamed the Schneider Weisse product range using TAP numbers to highlight the breadth of the brewery's portfolio beyond its best-known original wheat beer.

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1. G. Schneider & Sohn