As of: February 3, 2024, 6:00 p.m
By: Tobias Gmach
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“O'zapft is,” shouted master brewer Manuel Rößle (middle) on Friday afternoon in the Bräustüberl, where he was with operations manager Alexander Reiss (l.) and Abbot Dr.
Johannes Eckert served a non-alcoholic light beer for the first time in the history of the Andechs monastery brewery.
A wheat beer without alcohol has been available since 2016. We wanted to produce a beer with the typical Andechs house taste.
Alexander Reiss, operations and sales manager of the monastery brewery © Andrea Jaksch
The Andechs monastery brewery, known for its bock beers, now also offers a non-alcoholic light beer - a response to guest requests and a trend that will probably never end.
In order to be able to produce the new drink in large quantities, several hundred thousand euros were invested.
Andechs – The monks have tried a lot, they have personally approved it, there is talk of “valuable suggestions and tips” on the Holy Mountain.
It's about the new beer from the Andechs monastery brewery, a non-alcoholic light beer.
Abbot Dr.
Johannes Eckert even reports on a blind tasting with other brands.
“We clearly tasted ours.” On Friday morning, he and operations and sales manager Alexander Reiss presented what is now the eleventh Andechs variety in the Bräustüberl.
It is the first non-alcoholic light beer in the brewery's history, which dates back to 1455.
A comparable wheat beer has been around since 2016. You can buy the new product locally in 0.5 bottles and it should be available in stores from March.
The drink is marketed as “real, robust, delicately bitter”.
The advertising text serves its purpose, it is pure enthusiasm: “A magnificent, fine-pored foam crowns the crystal-clear beer.
Its aroma is characterized by soft malt notes and biscuit, harmoniously paired with floral hop aromas.
The initial drink is sparkling and refreshing.
An astonishing malt body develops, framed by a finely bitter hop bitterness, which encourages you to keep drinking.” But what does it really taste like?
An attempt that is as neutral as possible: Yes, there is something watery that no non-alcoholic beer can deny and that probably cannot be prevented.
Alcohol is also a flavor carrier.
But there is nothing alien to beer, even soapy, like with many other creations.
The aromas of a typical Hellen come through clearly, the illusion of real beer has been achieved by the men who invented it.
Non-alcoholic light: 0.3 percent residual alcohol is included
In addition to Alexander Reiss, the brewmaster team around Manuel Rößle, Andreas Stürzer and Jürgen Scholz contributed to the development.
Eight months passed from the idea to the first serving on Friday, when Rößle tapped the premiere barrel with two shots in front of the press and guests of honor.
“We wanted to produce a beer with the typical Andechs house taste,” explained operations manager Reiss.
A challenge because only around 0.3 percent residual alcohol is contained in a bottle.
Like Abbot Johannes, Reiss also reported that many guests wanted a non-alcoholic light beer in addition to the non-alcoholic wheat beer.
Drivers, athletes, people who pay attention to a healthy diet: they all want beer, but don't want to be drunk right away.
Reiss is clear that this is a long-term trend.
“It won’t stop,” he said when asked.
Non-alcoholic wheat beer accounts for five percent of sales
According to the Federal Statistical Office, sales of (alcoholic) beer in Germany fell by 4.5 percent or 394.2 million liters in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The Andechsers are also recording a decline, although not as sharply, says Reiss.
The monastery brewery sells ten million liters a year, slightly more wheat beer than light beer, followed by bock beers.
The non-alcoholic wheat beer currently accounts for five percent, or around 50,000 liters.
“We are happy with that,” says Reiss.
And it would be the same if the non-alcoholic light beer reached these dimensions.
To make this possible, the brewery invested several hundred thousand euros.
The dealcoholization system has been modified and expanded.
The principle of so-called reverse osmosis: The alcohol-containing light runs across a membrane at zero degrees and a pressure of 15 bar.
Water and alcohol, around 40 percent of the total amount, are separated.
The substance that remains (60 percent) is then added again with degassed brewing water.
According to Reiss, the complete alcoholic fermentation beforehand is important because it also creates flavor carriers as by-products.
This is not the case with other processes – heating or stopping fermentation.
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