Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
A historic Munich brewery company associated with the Spaten lager and Franziskaner wheat-beer brands.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu is a Munich brewery company whose principal beer identities are Spaten and Franziskaner. Its history reaches back to a Munich brewery referred to as the Welser Prew in 1397, although the modern corporate and production history developed through a series of ownership changes, relocations, combinations and acquisitions rather than from a single uninterrupted company founded in that year. The brewery moved to the site it still uses in Munich in 1854 and had become the city’s largest brewery by 1867. The company’s historic portfolio combines two distinct Munich brewing traditions. Spaten is associated particularly with pale lager, Märzen, Pils and Oktoberfest beer; its name means “spade” in German and its visual identity uses a malt shovel. Franziskaner is associated with wheat beer and uses the image of a Franciscan friar on its label. The Franziskaner Leist brewery first served beer at Oktoberfest in 1872, while Spaten’s Oktoberfestbier became one of the company’s defining seasonal products. The two businesses were united in 1922 as a joint-stock company. Both had been controlled by the Sedlmayr family, a brewing family connected with Gabriel Sedlmayr, a former royal court beer brewer. Brand-building became more systematic during the twentieth century. The advertising line “Lass Dir raten, trinke Spaten,” introduced in 1924, became a long-running expression of the Spaten identity. The modern Franziskaner beer was created in 1935, with its monk label designed by Ludwig Hohlwein. Spaten produced its first wheat beer in 1964, and by 1974 all Franziskaner beer brewed by the company was wheat-based. National distribution began in 1984, helping the Munich brewery move beyond its regional base. The company expanded its production and corporate scale in the late twentieth century. It produced one million hectolitres in 1992, combined with Löwenbräu AG in 1997 to create the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe, and was among Germany’s ten largest breweries by 1998. The group was sold to Interbrew in 2003 for €530 million. Interbrew later became part of the international brewing group now known as Anheuser-Busch InBev, placing Spaten and Franziskaner within a global beer portfolio. The brewery has remained closely linked to Munich’s beer culture. Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu is one of the six Munich brewers permitted to brew beer for Oktoberfest. In 2010, the operation was reported to employ approximately 500 people and produce about 2.4 million hectolitres annually. The Marsstraße brewhouse was closed in 2006 because of insufficient workload and subsequently became a company museum. Product development has included Franziskaner Royal wheat beer in 2011 and alcohol-free Franziskaner distribution in the United Kingdom from 2017. The company’s present significance is therefore both local and international: it represents a historic Munich brewing site and Oktoberfest participant while its core brands are distributed through AB InBev’s international network. In 2021, AB InBev considered selling the Spaten and Franziskaner brands as part of a possible reduction of German beer assets; the supplied reference does not establish that a sale was completed. The brand family remains associated with traditional German beer styles, wheat beer, seasonal Oktoberfest production and Munich brewing heritage.
History
The historical roots of Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu lie in Munich’s medieval brewing tradition. A brewery known as the Welser Prew was mentioned in 1397. Ownership changed repeatedly over the following centuries, so the 1397 reference is best understood as the earliest documented predecessor rather than the date of incorporation of the present company. In 1854, the brewery moved to the Munich location that remained its principal site, and by 1867 it was described as the largest brewery in the city. The Franziskaner side of the business became visible in Munich’s festival culture during the nineteenth century. Franziskaner Leist first served beer at Oktoberfest in 1872. Spaten also developed a strong seasonal association with the festival through its Oktoberfestbier Ur-Märzen, brewed under Josef Sedlmayr. The company began shipping beer to North America in 1909, an early step toward international distribution. In 1922, Spaten-Brauerei and Franziskaner-Leist-Bräu were combined into a joint-stock company. The two breweries were controlled by the Sedlmayr family, whose brewing history included Gabriel Sedlmayr, a former royal court beer brewer. A major branding milestone followed in 1924, when the slogan “Lass Dir raten, trinke Spaten” was created. The phrase remained associated with Spaten for decades. Franziskaner beer in its modern form dates from 1935. Its label featured a Franciscan monk designed by Ludwig Hohlwein, establishing a visual identity that distinguished Franziskaner from the Spaten lager range. The company brewed its first wheat beer in 1964; ten years later, all Franziskaner produced by the brewery was wheat-based. National distribution began in 1984, broadening the company’s presence across Germany. The brewery reached one million hectolitres of production in 1992. In 1997, it combined with Löwenbräu AG to form the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe. The group was sold to Interbrew in 2003 for €530 million. Through later industry consolidation, the business became part of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s portfolio. Operational rationalization followed. The Marsstraße brewhouse was closed in 2006 because it no longer had sufficient workload, and the premises became a company museum. The brand family continued to develop products, including Franziskaner Royal in 2011 and alcohol-free Franziskaner distribution in the United Kingdom in 2017. In 2021, AB InBev considered selling Spaten and Franziskaner in connection with a possible divestment of German beer assets, but the available reference does not establish that the contemplated sale occurred. Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu remains one of the six Munich brewers that brew for Oktoberfest. Its portfolio covers Münchner Hell, Pils, Märzen, Oktoberfestbier, wheat beer, alcohol-free beer and Doppelbock. The company’s historical importance comes from the combination of a long Munich brewing lineage, a prominent Oktoberfest role, recognizable brand symbols and integration into a global brewing group.
- 2021
Potential brand divestment considered
[1]AB InBev considered selling the Spaten and Franziskaner brands as part of a possible disposal of German beer assets.
- 2017
UK alcohol-free distribution
[1]AB InBev launched distribution of alcohol-free Franziskaner in the United Kingdom.
- 2011
Franziskaner Royal launched
[1]The brewery launched Franziskaner Royal, a wheat-beer product.
- 2006
Marsstraße brewhouse closes
[1]The Marsstraße brewhouse was closed because of insufficient workload and later became a company museum.
- 2003
Acquisition by Interbrew
[1]Interbrew acquired the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe for €530 million.
- 1997
Combination with Löwenbräu
[1]The brewery combined with Löwenbräu AG to form the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe.
- 1992
Production reaches one million hectolitres
[1]Annual production reached one million hectolitres.
- 1984
National German distribution begins
[1]The brewery began national distribution of its beers in Germany.
- 1974
Franziskaner becomes wheat-based
[1]All Franziskaner beer brewed by the company became wheat-based.
- 1964
First company wheat beer
[1]The brewery produced its first wheat beer.
Products and positioning
Traditional Munich brewing heritage combined with widely distributed German lager, Oktoberfest and wheat-beer brands.
Pale lager · 1894
Spaten Münchner Hell
A Munich-style pale lager in the Spaten range. The reference describes it as having wort above 11.7 degrees Plato and an alcohol content of 5.2% by volume. It represents the brewery’s core connection to traditional Munich lager brewing.
Pilsner
Spaten Pils
A Pilsner associated with the Spaten portfolio and described in the reference as the first Pils produced in Munich by the company. It has wort above 11.7 degrees Plato and an alcohol content of 5.0% by volume.
Oktoberfest lager
Spaten Oktoberfestbier
A seasonal beer brewed in spring for sale during the autumn Oktoberfest period. The reference gives wort above 13.7 degrees Plato and an alcohol content of 5.9% by volume. It connects the Spaten identity with Munich’s major beer festival.
Märzen · 1841
Spaten Märzenbier
A traditional stronger lager style associated with the brewery’s historical range. The company introduced Märzenbier in 1841, making it one of the older documented product traditions in the portfolio.
Reduced-calorie Pilsner
Spaten Diät-Pils
A lighter Pils product described in the reference as suitable for consumption by diabetics. It has an alcohol content of 4.9% by volume and was listed at approximately 32 kilocalories per 100 millilitres.
Alcohol-free beer
Spaten Non-Alcoholic Beer
An alcohol-free beer in the Spaten product family. The reference identifies it by wort above 7.3 degrees Plato but does not provide a launch date or further current-market detail.
Wheat beer · 1935
Franziskaner Weissbier
The principal Franziskaner wheat beer. The reference gives wort of 11.8 degrees Plato and alcohol of 5.0% by volume. Its label features a Franciscan friar, and the brewery presents the beer as being brewed according to the tradition of Germany’s 1516 Purity Law.
Wheat beer · 2011
Franziskaner Royal
A Franziskaner wheat-beer extension launched in 2011. It broadened the Franziskaner range while retaining the brand’s core association with wheat beer and the Franciscan monk visual identity.
Alcohol-free wheat beer · 2017
Franziskaner Alcohol-Free
An alcohol-free Franziskaner product distributed in the United Kingdom from 2017. Its introduction extended the wheat-beer brand into the non-alcoholic segment and supported broader international distribution.
Doppelbock
Spaten Optimator
A Doppelbock in the Spaten portfolio. The reference lists it at 7.6% alcohol by volume, positioning it as a substantially stronger beer than the company’s standard lager and wheat-beer offerings.
Marketing campaigns
- 1924Lass Dir raten, trinke Spaten
Germany
Spaten introduced the advertising slogan “Lass Dir raten, trinke Spaten,” an advisory-style line that became a durable part of the brand’s German-language identity.
Outcome. The slogan remained in use as a recognizable Spaten brand expression.
Brand decisions
2021
Consider possible sale of Spaten and FranziskanerM&ABackground
AB InBev considered reducing parts of its German beer asset portfolio.
Action taken
The company considered selling the Spaten and Franziskaner brands.
Aftermath
The supplied reference does not confirm that a transaction was completed.
2017
Expand Franziskaner into alcohol-free beerProduct launchBackground
The brand extended its international portfolio beyond conventional alcoholic wheat beer.
Action taken
AB InBev began distributing alcohol-free Franziskaner in the United Kingdom.
Aftermath
Franziskaner gained a non-alcoholic offering in the UK market.
2011
Launch Franziskaner RoyalProduct launchBackground
The Franziskaner portfolio was expanded within the wheat-beer category.
Action taken
The brewery launched Franziskaner Royal.
Aftermath
The product became an additional Franziskaner wheat-beer offering.
2006
Close the Marsstraße brewhouseStrategyBackground
The Marsstraße brewhouse had insufficient workload.
Action taken
The company closed the brewhouse and later used the site as a company museum.
Aftermath
Brewing operations were rationalized while the historic site was retained for museum use.
2003
Sell Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe to InterbrewM&ABackground
Following the formation of the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe, the group was sold during a period of consolidation in the international brewing industry.
Action taken
Interbrew acquired the group.
Aftermath
The business entered the corporate lineage that later became Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Acquisition price. €530 million (2003)
1997
Combine with Löwenbräu AGM&ABackground
The brewery sought greater corporate scale through combination with another major Munich beer company.
Action taken
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu combined with Löwenbräu AG to form the Spaten-Löwenbräu-Gruppe.
Aftermath
The combined group was later sold to Interbrew in 2003.
Sources1 sources
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