Germany
Ownership: Edith-Haberland-Wagner Foundation (Munich) — independent, never advertises
Known for: Munich locals' favourite. The only major Oktoberfest brewery that has never run a national advertising campaign. If you ask a Bavarian which beer they actually prefer, most will say Augustiner.
History: Founded by Augustinian monks in Munich in 1328 — the city's oldest brewery still operating. Passed through monastic, royal and private hands before landing with a charitable foundation. Augustiner has never needed to advertise because its reputation in Bavaria is unassailable. Its Helles, served in stone tankards at the Augustiner-Keller beer garden, is the living definition of what Munich brewing is supposed to taste like.
