THE KNEITINGER BREWERY AND THE BOCKBIER TAPPING!

The Kneitinger brewery pub on Arnulfsplatz is an institution in Regensburg. Locals and tourists, young and old meet here and the annual Bock tapping with a festive parade in the old town in October is legendary. A brewery on the site of today’s Kneitinger on Arnulfsplatz was first mentioned in documents in 1590 – although the brewery is said to have been founded as early as 1530. Over the next 250 years, the owners changed again and again. The penultimate owner was the Islinger family, who bought a plot of land on Galgenberg in 1836 to build a summer beer cellar and run a pub. However, Joseph Franz Islinger died and his widow Maria Islinger continued to run the brewery alone until she married Johann Keitinger, a trained master brewer, in 1862. He took over the brewery and the associated summer cellar on Galgenberg. Today’s Kneitinger Keller was the first restaurant of the Kneitinger brewery.

Regensburg’s Kreuzgasse can look back on well over 400 years of brewing.

Over the next few years, he developed the Kneitinger Bockbier, which is still a specialty of the brewery today. After his death, his son Johann Kneitinger II took over the brewery and continued to refine the bock beer recipe very successfully. In October 1892, he opened the restaurant on Arnulfsplatz, which is still considered the Kneitinger’s flagship brewery today. Affectionately called “Mutterhaus” or “der Knei” by the people of Regensburg.

Beer enjoyment for a good cause!

After the death of his father, Johann Kneitinger III and his wife Sofie continued the family business in the third generation. When he died in 1975, Sofie was the sole heir to the company and took over the management. As the marriage had remained childless, the resolute brewery boss thought about how she could preserve the traditional brewery and do something good with it. This led to the establishment of the “Hans and Sofie Kneitinger Foundation” in 1985 and Sofie stipulated in her will that the brewery should be transferred to the foundation after her death.
When she died in 1991, the brewery and all its assets were transferred to the foundation. Throughout her life, social commitment was close to Sofie Kneitinger’s heart – she was awarded the Matthäus Runtinger Medal by the city of Regensburg.
And Sofie Kneitinger had also specified exactly what the foundation’s profits should be used for: to help the elderly and young people. In particular, the St. Leonhard children’s home and the municipal old people’s home “Bürgerheim Kumpfmühl” are supported.
There is also a traditional fundraising campaign for the annual bock beer season: the “Kneitinger Gmoa” (guests, landlords, brewery & foundation) has already made a big difference in recent years. The foundation has successfully expanded the company, acquired further pubs, invested in buildings and thus improved the value of the foundation’s assets. The “Mutterhaus” on Arnulfsplatz has always retained its original charm and is an absolutely traditional pub with tasty beer and excellent Bavarian cuisine. It has been lovingly run by the Reichinger family for many years and every year on the first Thursday in October it’s time for the Bock beer tapping.

 

On October 3, 2024 there will be a bock tapping at the Kneitinger Mutterhaus!

9.30 a.m.
Start of the traditional procession in the old town with a goat team. 10.00 a.m.
The first barrel of Kneitinger Bock is tapped by Mayor Maltz-Schwarzfischer in the courtyard of the brewery (Kreuzgasse 7) The Viehhausen brass band plays in the Mutterhaus for an extended morning pint until approx. 5.00 p.m. 17.00
The “Blechzipfl” play in the restaurant (old parlor) and “Die 6 lustigen Fünf” in the gallery. The music groups take it in turns to play in the restaurant.

 

If you don’t have time on October 3rd, you can experience this beautiful custom in one of the other Kneiting pubs, because the Bockanstich is also celebrated there. We have a list for you here.

All Kneitinger restaurants in and around Regensburg:

Brauereigaststätte Kneitinger Arnulfsplatz 3, 93047 Regensburg, 0941 52455 Bockanstich always on the first Thursday in October Goldener Ochs
Schwanenplatz 3, 93047 Regensburg, 0941 560518
Bockanstich 08.10.2024 at 19.00 Auer Bräu
Schwandorfer Str. 41, 93059 Regensburg (Steinweg), 0941 88597
Bockanstich 04.10.2024 at 17.00 Kneitinger unter den Linden
Dr.-Johann-Maier-Straße 1, 93049 Regensburg, 0941 2049900 or 0941 52455
Bockanstich 26.10.2024 at 6.00 pm Alter Schlachthof
Am Alten Schlachthof 9, 93055 Regensburg, 0941 463777-0
Bockanstich 11.10.2024 at 6.00 pm Kneitinger Keller
Galgenbergstr.

18, 93053 Regensburg, 0941 59302-0 Kneitinger’s Hubertushöhe
Wilhelm-Raabe-Straße 1, 93051 Regensburg (Ziegetsberg), 0941 90257
Bockanstich 11.10.2024 at 18.00 Goldener Hirsch
Großprüfening 21, 93049 Regensburg, 0941 307876-14
Bockanstich 11.10.2024 at 18.00 Altes Schloss
Schloßstraße 21, 93083 Niedertraubling, 09401 9135635
Bockanstich 08.11.2024 at 18.00 Gasthof Zur Post
Hauptstraße 1, 93096 Köfering, 09406 2934
Bockanstich 12.10.2024 at 7.00 pm Ramspauer Hof
Dorfstraße 5, 93128 Ramspau, 09402 4560
Bockanstich 11.10.2024 at 6.30 pm

You can also book guided tours of the brewery – with beer tasting (Zwickelbier) in the brewery cellar, tasting of other types of beer in the store and a beer diploma.

All information at www.kneitinger.de