How we Brew
Pure spring water - and the Beer Purity Law of 1516. Centuries of tradition guarantee for the quality of Weißenoher Klosterbier.
Weißenohe is a word from the Old German language that translates as „settlement on the white brook“. This means the Kalkach creek, which features chalky water that sometimes appears milky. The same goes for all watercourses and springs in our Karst region with its limestone bedrock. Another scenic brook just a few kilometres away, the Lillach valley, is even a tourist attraction for its terraces, a natural build-up of calc-sinter precipitated from the water.
Our brewing water, on the other hand, springs from high up, from the Jura Hills in our „Franconian Switzerland“ sub-region of Franconia. The well-protected springs are still located where they used to be when they were the water supply for the cloister, and they still provide us with premium brewing water. Proof of that is the taste of the water – and the yearly strict controls by public authorities.
The hard chalky water lends its characteristics to the beer brewed from it. It is particularly suitable for the low to medium-hopped, fairly dark beers that are the typical beers of Franconia. Which is why all of the Weißenohe beer specialities are typical treasures of our region.
The cloister's tradition of brewing …
... binds us to quality and nothing else, ideally.
We are located somewhere in the backwoods, okay. This is exactly where we want to be, as the backwoods is where the local farmers grow the hops for our beers! Right in the next villages, in Lilling and Herpersdorf, hop farmers still know how to cultivate the special „Hersbrucker“ aroma hops that are essential in lending that elegant touch of bitterness to the Weißenohe beer specialities.
Most of the barley for our malts is also grown in the Jura Hills of our region. People grew malting barley in these hills even in ancient cloister days, as the poor soils cannot but produce low-protein barley – premium quality for brewing! Small malting plants in the area make the barley into malt for us.
A decent beer does not need any more ingredients than just water, hops, and malt.
That's what the Bavarian Purity Law stated even in 1516.
The fourth ingredient permitted by today's purity law – yeast – is a living organism we continually tend and maintain right here on the premises.
We take pride in what we do and are going to go on doing just that: brew good beer.
(Did you know that Franconian people are reputed to be masters of understatement?)
What you will experience when you visit us is one thing in particular: face-to-face contact. In our brewery, and of course in our country tavern. Our premium quality beers and the rustic countryhouse-and-cloister atmosphere here will make your personal field trip into the Franconian backwoods an unforgettable experience! And at the end of the day, take the most tasty and aromatic part of the day home with you, selecting your favourites from our unique range of genuine cloister-brewed Franconian delicacies.