The Ultimate Guide to Craft Beer in Munich!
It is undeniable that the host city of Oktoberfest is a place of tradition. Walking around Marienplatz you will notice a lot of old-fashioned beer taverns. But when a massive brewery like Paulaner starts to produce Weissbier hopped with Citra on a large scale and is selling pale ales in their restaurant, you can tell there is something going on here. As the city has evolved, so has the craft beer scene. 
Munich is the third biggest city in Germany, after Hamburg and Berlin. Its alternative scene is not that hyped like these two, but it’s definitely getting there for sure! Alte Utting, Werksviertel Mitte, Bahnwärter Thiel, Call Soul, and neighbourhoods like the Freiheit and Glockenbach, are examples of places offering alternative experiences for people. When it comes to beer, the Sendling area is becoming the craftiest part of town. In a radius of less than a kilometre, you can walk from Hop Dog to True Brew and Frisches Bier, to taste the best local stuff, as well as great imported beers. The region has been called the “Bermuda Triangle” of craft beer and there is more outside Sendling too!
Here are the places to visit in Munich:
Crew Taproom
In a place where the breweries have to live under the - limiting - purity law, which states that beer can only be made using Water, Malt, Hops, and Yeast, there’s nothing better than having a motto like Crew’s: Craft beer is not a crime! Crew Republic is one of the craft beer pioneers in Bavaria and are perhaps the biggest and most successful one, with a great presence in bars, restaurants, and supermarkets throughout the country. It all started in 2011 when founders Mario and Timm set up their first homebrewing equipment in a backyard. Initially, the Foundation 11, a “German Pale Ale” was quite a hit. Following a sequence of successful recipes, by 2015 they decided to build a factory to be able to supply the increasing demand. Two years later, their Taproom and Biergarten opened to the public, serving extremely fresh IPAs on tap, not to mention the experimental recipes. There you can also buy souvenirs of all sorts, as well as bottles to go. Sitting on the bar, you’ll have a panoramic view of the fermenters. Aromas of malt and hops are all over the place. The Biergarten is surrounded by a beautiful hop garden, in a quiet and leafy neighbourhood - just by the side of the Unterschleissheim Lake. It’s open on Fridays and Saturdays and is slightly further afield from the city centre, but definitely worth going.
Giesinger Bräustüberl
We all know that it’s very difficult for one to jump from Helles to the brand new world of Imperial Stouts. Craft beer pioneer Pete Slosberg highlights the importance of having transitional beers and that’s exactly what Giesinger seems to be doing. They play an important role in the market, forming new craft drinkers, by gradually opening people’s palates to new horizons, while selling tons of Helles - which is their flagship beer. They also offer beers like a Pilsen, a Red Ale, a Tripel, and a Baltic Rye Porter. If you like heavy stuff, their 30% abv Eisbock, distilled in real-time on your table, could be the perfect pick to finish your visit here. Not to mention the food menu, which consists of traditional Bavarian dishes, all with a modern twist. 
In addition to the Bräustüberl, which is located in the same place of the original brewery, they recently built a new factory, and opened a small bar in the city centre, the Giesinger Stehausschank at the Viktualienmarkt. There are rumours going on that they will be the next ones participating in the Oktoberfest, so stay tuned for the next festival in the years to come!
Taphouse
When it comes to numbers and variety, it’s difficult to beat the Taphouse. Offering around 200 beers, distributed amongst 42 taps and many fridges, this is definitely the number 1 must-see place for every craft beer lover in town. Here you can find a wide selection of Camba Bavaria - a local craft beer brand, as they partnered up with the owners to run the place.The variety of breweries and styles are undeniable. Offerings go from classics like Belgian Lindemans and German Weihenstephan, to the newest local craft brands like FrauGruber, Brewheart, Munich Brew Mafia, and more. With a high and rounded ceiling, and many wooden decor details, you can feel the atmosphere here, which is comparable to a classic pub or tavern. There aren’t many options to eat, but you definitely should go for a Flammkuchen, a sort of Bavarian version of the pizza. And don’t forget to get there early, it’s always crowded!
Hopfenhäcker
Every Friday, in a very discreet entrance near the Rosenheimer Platz, people line up to get some fresh Hopfenhäcker beers. This amazing microbrewery is located relatively close to the city centre and stands out for its quality and variety of labels. Some of the loyal customers come on a weekly basis for, not only one bottle, but crates full of different styles. The brewery only opens in short spaces of time, on Fridays and Saturdays. If you are lucky enough, you can even find the famous brewmaster and owner, Werner Schuegraf, serving some beers. Werner began building the brewery in his backyard, but in 2016 moved to the current address in the Haidhausen district. Production capacity is minimal compared to the big breweries of Munich. Their bestseller and flagship beer is the "Hadgehopfter", based on the classic Munich Helles, but dry-hopped with Simcoe, Centennial and Perle. You can taste some styles fresh from the tap onsite, or just grab a six-pack to go.
Frisches Bier
Hop on, because here is where to start your tour through the craft beer “Bermuda Triangle” of Munich. But what is that? Three awesome places, within a 5-minute walk from each other, in the same neighbourhood. Frisches Bier, True Brew and Hop Dog.
Frisches Bier means “Fresh Beer”. This is the taproom of Tilmans brewery, another successful local craft beer brand. Their flagship beer is the dry-hopped Pils, insanely refreshing. So, you can expect to find plenty of their beers on tap here, as well as some from their friends Yankee & Kraut, with its great New England IPAs. The ambience reminds us somehow of the classic English pub atmosphere, especially during the winter, when the external tables are taken away. They constantly hold tap takeovers, with some high-end breweries, like Omnipollo, Cloudwater, and more. The kitchen is quite simple, but with very tasty food.
True Brew
With a low profile start in 2019, selling mostly Pilsners and IPAs, these guys are now participating in the local events and festivals, navigating towards the high-end market, launching from Imperial Stouts to a variety of New England IPAs. To pair with the beer, they offer a special pizza called “Pinsa”, a pizza dough that dates back to the Roman Empire! 
The wall behind the taps is definitely instagramable, with some shining old-fashion golden fermenters. But they are there just for decoration, the beer is not tapped directly from the tank as some might think, because it’s outsourced in another facility. The overall impression is of a cosy and youthful atmosphere, with a lot of reference to some radical sports. Oh, and you can also sit outside and buy some nicely designed cans to go!
Hop Dog
How crazy would it be to open a hot dog and beer bar in the heart of sausage & beer land? But yes, somebody did it. This is the newest craft beer place in town and they just opened their doors, in the middle of a pandemic! 
As craft beer is (thankfully) no longer a brand new concept in town, Hop Dog needed to present something different. And they did it. Under the slogan “Not your grandma’s hot dogs, Not your grandpa’s beer”, they came with the proposal to make artisanal sausages, without chemicals, to deliver awesome fresh and unique hot dogs. On tap, 12 exclusive beers, some craft, some more traditional, but always offering something that is not available anywhere else in town. Beers from Bamberg, for example!
Broy
Broy is how you say the German word for brew - Bräu. They have been brewing beer in a backyard in the Westend neighbourhood for a while, and there one could drink directly from the tank. Now, in 2020, they (finally) opened their doors at two different locations, one in Glockenbach and another around the Freiheit area, calling them both a “Tankstelle” or Tank Station. The main focus is on the beers - on tap and to go. There are only a few options for drinks and appetizers, mostly because you basically have to stand on the street. The flagship here is the Pale Ale, incredibly fresh and very well hopped. 
Higgins Ale Works
Higgins Ale Works regularly hold a very discreet yard sale at their brewing location, this happens to be in front of the massive factory of Spaten-Löwenbräu, near to the Stiglmaierplatz. This nano-brewery, firstly famous for their unique stainless steel crowlers and growlers, is slowly growing and getting attention from the people because of their extremely fresh IPAs and Pale Ales. If you can’t go there, you’ll be able to find some Higgins on tap by Frisches Bier and Hop Dog. 
Extras:
Restaurants and pubs with a variety of the greatest local craft beers:Meisterstück - Meat and BeersThe Keg - Pub culture and BeersAmbar - Bistro food and BeersSaluki - Pizza and Beers
Bottle Shops:
BiervanaGetränke OaseDie Bierothek
Craft Beer Festivals:
BrauKunst- January / FebruaryCraftbier Fest - March / AprilCraftbier Oktoberfest - October
