Andechs Monastery and Brewery

For many Munich beer lovers, the most memorable beer of a trip is not drunk in the city at all, but on a hill above the Ammersee, at the Benedictine monastery of Andechs. The Holy Mountain, as it is known, has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries: the site is first recorded in 1080, the church became a pilgrimage church in 1423 and a Benedictine abbey was founded here in 1455. Andechs is often called the oldest place of pilgrimage in Bavaria, and tens of thousands of organised pilgrims still come each year. The pilgrimage church, with its distinctive onion-domed tower visible from far across the countryside, was given its baroque form in the eighteenth century, and its bright rococo interior was largely designed by Johann Baptist Zimmermann, one of the great masters of Bavarian rococo. Next to it, the monastery brewery is the reason most visitors make the trip. The monks receive no church tax and fund their work largely through the brewery and the hospitality business, and Andechs beers, from the pale Helles and the Weissbier to the strong, dark Doppelbock, are among the most respected in Bavaria. The Braeustueberl, the monastery's big self-service beer hall, and its terrace overlooking the hills, serve beer by the litre with hearty Bavarian food such as roast pork knuckle, sausages and pretzels, in a happily boisterous atmosphere that is a world away from the city's tourist beer halls. Guided brewery tours, including versions with a beer tasting or a virtual-reality presentation of the brewing process, take you behind the scenes, though they are usually in German. The setting is lovely in every season, with views over the Kiental valley and the Ammersee, and the walk up from Herrsching through the wooded valley is the traditional way to earn your beer.

How to plan your visit: take the S8 from central Munich to Herrsching am Ammersee, the end of the line, then either catch a bus towards Andechs Kloster or walk up through the Kiental, a wooded valley path that takes around an hour and climbs steadily; it is the pilgrims' route, and the beer tastes better for it. Visit the church first, while you are still sober, then head to the Braeustueberl or the terrace. Afterwards, walk or take the bus back down to Herrsching and finish with a stroll along the Ammersee shore or, in summer, a boat trip on the lake. Allow half a day, or a full day with the lake.

When to go: the church is open daily, and the Braeustueberl serves all year. Weekends, especially sunny ones, and the pilgrimage weeks around Ascension are very busy, and the terrace fills quickly at lunchtime, so go on a weekday or arrive before noon. A crisp autumn day, with the hills turning gold and a Doppelbock in hand, is perfect, and in winter the warm, crowded hall is cosy.

Things to know: the Braeustueberl is self-service: queue for food at the counters, buy your beer at the tap, and find a seat at the long tables, sharing as Bavarians do. Andechs beers are strong, particularly the Doppelbock, so pace yourself, especially if you plan to walk back down. Brewery tours are bookable in advance and are mostly in German; the tasting version is the best value for beer lovers. If you only have time for one beer excursion outside the city, make it this one: it combines a genuine monastery, a great church, excellent beer and a beautiful landscape in a way no beer hall in Munich can.