Weihenstephan collaborates with Sierra Nevada

It may be the world’s oldest brewery and owned by the Bavarian state government, but this does not mean that its people are retrogressive codgers. Weihenstephan Brewery, located outside Munich since monks began brewing there in 1040, has a new hefeweissbier. It’s a collaboration between the state-owned brewer and California’s major craft brewer Sierra Nevada.

Brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law, the hefeweissbier, called “Braupakt,” or “Brew Pact”, uses the German Hallertauer hop and the US West Coast Amarillo and Chinook varieties. It will be available in Germany and in the US as a special release in April.

Later this year, Weihenstephan will partner with Sierra Nevada again, this time at Sierra Nevada’s brewery in Asheville on the US east coast, to jointly produce an Oktoberfest beer. Sierra Nevada has a tradition of brewing an Oktoberfest beer with a different German brewer every year.

Weihenstephan has collaborated with a US craft brewer before. Eight years ago, its brewers travelled to Boston to brew Infinium sparkling ale with colleagues from Boston Beer.

But Braupakt marks the first time the Weihenstephan team has collaborated on its own turf.