Last month; Airport Industry-News was invited to take a tour of the brand new expansion of Munich Airport’s Terminal 1 building.
The tour itself offered a glimpse into the future of the airport, showcasing a new, glistening vista that will, once open to the public next Spring, offer non-Schengen travellers an improved handling experience, ushering in a whole-new era for one of Germany’s best connected airports.
Some time later, however, there’s one thing about my afternoon at Munich Airport that I find myself thinking back to on an almost-daily basis: Airbräu.
More than just a clever name or marketing trick; Airbräu, the world’s first (and only!) airport brewery, was opened at Munich Airport in 1999. It was developed as a key location that would both entice and attract passengers, airport employees and local visitors alike.
Situated in the public plaza of the airport between Terminals 1 and 2; Airbraü was conceived by management duo Dr. Joost and Mr. Halamoda with the aim to brew beer in strict accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516 and offer a convenient, cost-effective hub for food and drink.
By 2020, the brewery had brewed approximately 10 million litres of beer, with breaks forced by the COVID-19 pandemic giving birth to a new range of beer-infused brandies, Mountain Hub Distillers, which used leftover beer during the distillation process in an effort to reduce waste.
Now, in 2025, the brewery is managed by hostess Barbara Deimel and offers award-winning Bavarian cuisine alongside its wholly-unique choice of beers, including Fliegerquell, Kumulus, 1918, and a number of seasonal specials including Aviator (available between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday), Mayday (tapped on 01 May) and Gaudium (available during Bavaria’s ‘fifth season’).
The brewery itself also offers tours for those interested in learning more about the process, with experiences available to book between 14:00 & 17:00 between Tuesday & Thursday and 10:00 & 16:00 on Sundays.
Each tour runs for around 45 minutes, includes a short film screening within the brewery itself, beer tasting straight from the tank and the chance to meet graduate brewmaster René Jacobson.
The site also boasts a fully covered, 600 seat beer garden (Europe’s largest!), which offers protection from the elements with views of the airport, as well as function rooms catering for families, company celebrations and more.
So if you’re looking to visit Munich, make sure to visit Airbräu – though I’d be surprised if you manage to pass by without stopping for a drink!
