Beer History Storyline
Wheat Beer
Follow wheat beer from ancient brewing and aristocratic privilege to Bavarian Weizen, Belgian witbier, and modern international interpretations.
Chronological milestones
Sources and further references are available on each individual event page.
3600s BC
Large-Scale Brewing Develops at Hierakonpolis
1397
Gose Is Documented in Goslar
April 23, 1516
The Bavarian Beer Regulation of 1516 Is Issued
August 3, 1548
Wilhelm IV Grants the Degenberg Wheat-Beer Privilege
March 23, 1601
Jan Ostroróg Grants New Statutes to Grodzisk’s Maltsters and Brewers
June 10, 1602
The Last Male Degenberger Dies
1607
Maximilian I Establishes the White Brewery in Kelheim
1680
Berliner Weisse Emerges as a Distinct Berlin Beer Tradition
August 6, 1798
Bavaria Abolishes the Wheat-Beer Monopoly
1872
Bavarian Wheat Beer Falls Out of Fashion
1872
Georg Schneider Founds G. Schneider & Sohn in Munich
1945
Georg Schneider IV Preserves Schneider Weisse Through the Second World War
1957
Traditional Witbier Brewing Disappears from Hoegaarden
1965
Bavarian Weissbier Begins Its Postwar Revival
1966
Pierre Celis Revives Hoegaarden Witbier
1986
Widmer Brothers Introduces Its American Hefeweizen
1996
Tripel Karmeliet Is Launched by Bosteels
2001
Erdinger Repositions Alkoholfrei as an Isotonic Sports Drink
2004
American Wheat Beer Becomes a Recognized Modern Style
2007
Schneider Weisse and Brooklyn Brewery Create Hopfenweisse
2020
87 Million Hectoliters Sold In Germany