Klosterbräu Irsee

Klosterbräu Irsee (Irseer Klosterbräu) is a brewery based in Irsee in the Bavarian Allgäu region of Germany. Its origins are tied to the Benedictine abbey of Irsee, founded in the 12th century, where monks brewed beer for their own use. After the abbey was dissolved in 1803 during secularisation, the brewery passed into private ownership. The monastery buildings later served as a care institution for people with mental disabilities from 1849 until the hospital closed in 1972. A revival concept launched in 1970 led to the restoration of the church and monastery buildings, including the vaulted cellars, and the brewery was expanded with a brewery museum, a brewery restaurant and a hotel. The complex was ready in time for the 800th anniversary of the Benedictine abbey in 1982. Today the brewery produces a range of traditional, unfiltered beers using regional raw materials and a slow, cool brewing process. Its core brands include Kloster-Urtrunk (hell), Kloster-Helles, Kloster-Radler, Kloster-Weisse, Kloster-Urdunkel and Kloster-Starkbier. The brewery also operates the Klosterbräuhotel, offering rooms in historic monastery architecture with a historic sauna vault featuring a herbal-beer bath, and the Klosterbraugasthof restaurant, which focuses on Bavarian-Allgäu cuisine with an emphasis on quality and regional sourcing, including some house-made products. A brewery museum lets visitors learn about the history of beer and brewing, observe the brewery through large windows and visit the fermentation cellar where beer matures for 80 to 180 days depending on the style. In 1981, the special edition Abts Trunk was brewed for the 800th anniversary of the monastery's founding and was long considered the most expensive German beer. The brewery also produces a beer brandy and a monastery liqueur.

The history of Klosterbräu Irsee is closely linked to the Benedictine abbey of Irsee, founded in the 12th century. The first brewery was established primarily for the personal use of the Benedictine monks. After the destructions of the German Peasants' War and the Thirty Years' War, the monastery — an imperial abbey since the 15th century — was rebuilt. When the abbey was definitively closed in 1803 during secularisation, the brewery became private property. From 1849, the other monastery buildings served as a medical and nursing home for people with mental disabilities. It was only in 1970 that a concept to revive the monastery tradition was launched and implemented. In the years that followed, up to the 800th anniversary of the former Benedictine abbey in 1982, the hospital closed in 1972, and the church and monastery buildings — including the vaulted cellars, some decorated with frescoes, with their thick masonry — were restored. The brewery was to be expanded with a brewery museum, a brewery restaurant and a hotel. During restoration work in the former dining hall, fragments of an old chimney were found. It is thought that the first guest rooms of the Irsee monks were located around this area. The chimney was rebuilt based on original models. Beer was again produced at the Klosterbräu using the purely traditional brewing process of the old monastery. The beer brands are "Kloster Urtrunk" and "Kloster Urdunkel". In the brewery museum, visitors can watch the brewing and visit the fermentation cellar, where the beer matures for 80 to 180 days, depending on the style. In 1981, the product Abts Trunk was brewed as a special edition for the 800th anniversary of the monastery's founding; it was long considered the most expensive German beer. In addition to the Helles Kloster Urtrunk, Irseer Klosterbräu brews the following varieties: Kloster Ur-Dunkel, Kloster Starkbier and Kloster Urweiße. A beer brandy and a monastery liqueur are also produced. Today the site includes the Klosterbräuhotel, offering relaxation in historic monastery architecture with comfortable rooms and a historic sauna vault with a herbal-beer bath, and the Klosterbraugasthof restaurant, which focuses on Bavarian-Allgäu dishes with an emphasis on quality and regionality, including some house-made products and many sourced from nearby farmers.

• 1982

  800th anniversary of the former Benedictine abbey; restoration and expansion with brewery museum, restaurant and hotel completed.

• 1981

  Abts Trunk brewed as a special edition for the 800th anniversary of the monastery's founding; long considered the most expensive German beer.

• 1972

  Hospital closes; restoration of church and monastery buildings proceeds.

• 1970

  Concept to revive the monastery tradition launched and implemented.

• 1849

  Other monastery buildings begin serving as a medical and nursing home for people with mental disabilities.

• 1803

  Abbey definitively closed during secularisation; brewery becomes private property.

• Benedictine abbey of Irsee founded in the 12th century; monks begin brewing beer for their own use.

Traditional Bavarian monastery brewery offering unfiltered, handcrafted beers with a regional focus, complemented by a brewery museum, restaurant and hotel experience.

• Kloster-Urtrunk hell

  Unfiltered, original, mild light beer.

• Kloster-Helles

  Sparkling, refreshing, mild light beer.

• Kloster-Radler

  Beer mixed with lemonade.

• Kloster-Weisse

  White, original, mild wheat beer.

• Kloster-Urdunkel

  Dark, original, strong beer.

• Kloster-Starkbier

  Strong, original, strong beer.

• Abts Trunk

  Special edition brewed in 1981 for the 800th anniversary of the monastery's founding; long considered the most expensive German beer.

• Beer brandy

  Spirit distilled from beer.

• Monastery liqueur

  Liqueur produced by the brewery.

1. 1Home - Irseer Klosterbräuirsee.com
2. 2Klosterbräu Irsee - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Irseer Klosterbräu - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org