Weihenstephan, the State Brewery of Bavaria that is considered the world’s oldest brewery, has recently launched its beers in India in partnership with Cerana, India’s Leading Craft Beer Company. The iconic and legendary brewery holds an exalted status in the world of beer-making, which more than a thousand years ago was the monastery brewery of Benedictine monks and then the Royal Bavarian State brewery. 

Combining revered and sacrosanct German beer-making traditions with the science of a modern brewery, the enterprise produces some of the world’s most well respected beers that form the global benchmarks for the wheat beer category. To tap the Indian market, the brewery has partnered with Cerana, India’s Leading Craft Beer Company with a multi-year, exclusive agreement.

Speaking of the launch in India, Marcus Englet, Global Export Director, State Brewery of Bavaria said, “We are extremely pleased to finally come to the fast changing Indian market with Cerana. We have always believed that India has a great respect and openness for traditions. Our historic roots, respect for beer making culture, and most importantly our world-benchmark products will find root in the great culinary traditions of this country.”

Ankur Jain, Managing Director, Cerana said “Weihenstephan is a sacred name in the world of beer. We are extremely pleased with this comprehensive partnership between Cerana and the State Brewery of Bavaria. The Indian consumer is quickly up-trading to the best beers in the world and in the world of beer, there is no breweries with the tradition, status, history and quality of Weihenstephan. Starting this summer, consumers across India will get a ‘Taste of Tradition’ with the Weihenstephan beers."

Weihenstephan (pronounced “Y-HEN-STEPHAN”) brews more than ten beers, more than half of which are wheat beers. As part of the launch in India, the brewery will bring its entire range starting with its flagship hefe-weiss a light, refreshing wheat beer with yeast. The beer with aromas of banana and clove and almost no bitterness in the finish, is a typical Bavarian wheat beer which has been consistently rated in the top of its category.

Also part of the selection for India will be seasonal and special brews including the Hefeweiss Dunkel (Dark wheat beers), the Weihenstephan Dunkel (Dark beer) and the Weihenstephaner Vitus, a weizenbock beer which was recently awarded the “World’s Best Beer” by the World Beer Association in 2012. The products will be launched this summer in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Calcutta, Goa, Bangalore and Chennai.