Visiting The Andechs Monastery And Brewery Outside Of Munich

Looking for something the whole family can enjoy from the comfort of your Munich car rental that combines a healthy walk through the Bavarian woods, traditional German cuisine, a historic religious site and beer brewed by Benedictine monks according to the same recipe used for hundreds of years? Well, look no further than the Andechs Monastery and Brewery, just outside of Munich. Don’t worry, they also specialize in handmade sodas for the kids or anyone else who wishes to abstain from alcohol.

Below you will find further information about this beautiful historic site including their hours of operation, how to get there, the history, tour information, food and last, but certainly not least…the beer.

History of the Andechs Monastery and Brewery

The Monastery was founded in by Count Rasso in the 900’s after bringing back “holy artifacts” from his pilgrimage to the holy land that include fragments of the crown of thorns, segments of a whip, the scepter of mockery, the sudarium and the cross. Once these artifacts were placed within the monastery, people from far and wide began making a pilgrimage to the holy mountain, where the Andechs Monastery and Brewery now stand.

The site saw many ups and downs over the years until 1423, when the church was converted into its current state by the Duke Ernst and he bestowed the Andechs with the name of “holy mountain.” His son Duke Albrecht III established the monastery and the rest is history. To this day about 30,000 individuals make the pilgrimage each year, sometimes walking as many as 31 miles per day. The majority of these pilgrims are seen around the catholic celebration of the Ascension.

How to Get There From Munich

There are multiple ways to get to Andechs from Munich and each is as easy as the last. First you can simply enter in the address of the monastery into your navigation and take your Germany rental car for a spin. There is plenty of free parking on site.

Your second option is to take the S8 S-Bahn train line from Munich Hbh to the final stop of Herrsching. From there you have two options. 1: take the 951 bus from Herrsching to the Abbey, or 2, which I highly recommend, is to follow the trail head from the station for a nice leisurely walk through the Bavarian woods. The walk should be no more than 45 minutes, depending on the weather, but you will not be disappointed when you see the view from the top of the hill after a long climb.

Church and Brewery Tours in Munich

The monastery offers paid guided tours of both the pilgrimage church and the brewery. Please keep in mind that the church services come first, so if there is a service going on at the time you wish for a tour you will have to wait until the service is over, or come back on another day. Tours have a max occupancy of 12 people per group and costs 5.5 EUR per person, as well as those wanting the tour in a foreign language like English or Italian will be subject to an additional $30 EUR fee. Below you will be able to find the cost break out and meeting information for the guided tours.

Hospitality of the Biergarten

The Bräustüberl Biergarten is open year round from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and offers many seating locations that are first come first serve, so do not be surprised if they fill up rather quickly. From the Vaults that can seat 120, to the Taproom that seats 250, there are many places to find a comfortable table to sit and enjoy your beer, plus you will get the added opportunity to meet your fellow thirsty travelers along the way.

The Beers and Other Beverages

The brewery makes seasonal beers year round with only the freshest ingredients in line with the German Reinheitsgebot (Beer Purity Law), meaning the beers have only water, malt, hops and yeast. Whether you are in the mood for their flagship DoppelbockDunkel or one of the lighter Hell (light) beers, you are sure to be in for a treat.

For those who wish to abstain from alcohol for personal or religious reasons don’t need to miss out on the fun, as Andechs makes an alcohol-free weissbier that boasts the same taste and ingredients as the full alcohol version, as well as house made sodas and cordials. Please do keep in mind that it is not possible to have a beer with 0% alcohol, but this delicious alternative claims an abv of .5%., which is equivalent to a glass of kombucha. For a comparison, their Doppelbock Dunkel is 7.1% alcohol by volume.

Food Options To Go With Your Drinks

First, the brewery welcomes guests to bring their own foods to pair with their drinks, should they wish to save a bit of money or are on a diet for health and religious purposes. However, they do offer traditional Bavarian staples like roast pork knuckle, sausages, pretzels, sauerkraut, potatoes and more. For just 2.70 EUR you can purchase a kids special for the little ones in your party that includes 2 sausages, a pretzel, ketchup and a coloring book with pencils. Not to mention there is also a family friendly playground on site, so do not worry about your kids not being welcome, because they most certainly are.

Questions and Concerns About Your Munich Car Rental

During or leading up to your trip to Munich, if you have a question or concern about your rental vehicle, please do not hesitate to contact us at 888-223-5555, or if you need to make changes to your rental voucher, simply go to our my booking page. Our award winning customer support team is here to ensure that all of your driving needs are addressed properly, giving you peace of mind in the knowledge that you are renting a car from a company that provides the best rental experiences throughout Germany at the lowest rates on the in internet.