Löwenbrau Poster – Vintage German Beer Poster – Vintage Alcohol Wall Art
This reproduction vintage Lowenbrau Poster features the distinctive golden lion against a rich blue background which is a hallmark of one of the world’s oldest breweries. The history of the famous Löwenbrau brand is rumoured to date back over 650 years. According to Löwenbrau legend the beer was first produced by the proprietor of Munich’s Zum Löwen, or Lion’s Inn, in 1383, giving the alcoholic beverage its “Lion’s Brew” name. This is however, disputed, by the Octoberfest Guide website which offers the insight that the 1383 date may not be strictly accurate. The article leads with the enlightening paragraph “Since 1383” do the labels on the bottles of Löwenbräu’s Weißbier say. It was Herman Dihm, who inferred this date from old tax books in 1922. Since 1981, however, it has been known, that in 1383, no brewery existed at the spot, where the brewery was to be founded years later. The fact, that Dihm wasn’t very keen on precise research in order to find a pleasantly early founding year may have been linked to the circumstance, that his father-in-law was the director of the brewery.
The Löwenbrau Lion
The founding date is often coupled with another epic tale that a lion was chained to the beer barrels to discourage pilfering. A story the beer manufacturing company were keen to support during US television adverts in the 1980s. You’d think this fabulous lion fable would have been the influence behind the company’s Lowenbrau lion logo. However, the iconic lion emblem is said to have been inspired by a 17th-century fresco that featured on a wall in the original brewing house at 17 Löwengrube, Munich. The world-famous rampant lion stands proudly. It is reminiscent of the heraldic lion associated with coat of arms of Bohemia. The lion with a twisted double tail also hints back to the Legend of Prince Bruncvik, his men plagued with thirst and the Bohemian Lion. An interesting article on the Mary W Craig website tells the story of The legend of Prince Bruncvík. and explains why the lion has two tails. The thirsty lion is flicking out its long tongue in search of a drink and its golden colouring reflects the colour of the popular German beer.
The early days of Löwenbrau company
The first documented mention of brewing at the Löwengrub or Lion’s Den dates back to 1524 where a Munich tax record identifies a pierprew, or beer brewer named Jörg Schnaitter is identified as running a brewpub at 17 Löwengrube, Munich. The pub and brewery was named The Lion’s Den on the street of the same name at 17 Löwengrube, Munich. It is more than 200 years later when the name of Löwenbräu first appears in documented form where it appears in a Munich brewer registry of 1746. In 1818, the public house and brewery was purchased by Georg Brey. The new prorietor, Brey, grew the business significantly. He acquired additional brew sites and added Bockbier to his products. By 1864, Löwenbräu supplied about one-quarter of the entire Munich beer market, making it the city’s largest brewery.
The Lowenbrau family business passed to Ludwig Brey who saw the company formally incorporated in 1872 under the name Aktienbrauerei zum Löwenbräu. As brewer and owner, Ludwig Brey expanded the business once again acquiring even more properties and taking over competitor companies. 14 June 1883 saw the grand opening the all-new, purpose built Löwenbräukellar. Three years later, the lion trademark was registered in Germany and in the United States in 1897. By the turn of the century Lowenbrau had become the largest brewery in Germany.
Is Lowenbrau beer still available?
Brewed since 1524, Löwenbräu is still produced in Munich according to the German Reinheitsgebot (purity law) that dates back to 1516. Over the centuries the company has changed ownership many times. According to Wikipedia in 2021, the only remaining buildings of the original brewery are the brewhouse and the fermenting cellar in the Karlstrasse/Nymphenburger/Sandstrasse area and the listed Löwenbräukeller on the corner of Dachauer/Nymphenburger Strasse. The buildings are no longer owned by the brewery, Lowenbrau is only a tenant in them. Today, Löwenbräu AG is just a local brewery within the InBev family. As part of the Spaten-Löwenbräu Group, all of the group’s beers Spaten, Franziskaner, Löwenbräu and Becks are produced in the remaining brewhouse.
Löwenbräu beer has been served at every Oktoberfest in Munich since 1810. Only beers brewed in Munich are permitted to be sold at Oktoberfest which means that currently just six breweries take part. These are Augustinerbräu, Hofbräuhaus, Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, and Spaten.
Is Löwenbräu a lager or ale?
Lowenbrau is a great German beer. It’s golden in colour and delivers a spicy, yet subtly malty taste. It is known for being a smooth, subtle, and pleasant beverage with a slightly sour aftertaste. Löwenbräu translates to “lion’s brew”, and the robust flavour of their drinks definitely lives up to its name. It is a favorite amongst German beer drinks and even drinkers who prefer ales find the drink more than acceptable. The signature brew is an invigorating and refreshing Helles lager made from premium ingredients throughout the brewing process of the classic Bavarian beverage.
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