Brewing Pact 2024: Weihenstephan and St. Bernardus - when Belgium and Bavaria come together

Weihenstephan launched the first Braupakt in 2018 with the Californian craft beer pioneers from Sierra Nevada. Now, almost six years later, this alliance is being continued: with a Blonde Ale brewed in Weihenstephan.

What do the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan and St. Bernardus have in common? The faces of both breweries are clergymen - and what could be more obvious than to have the two historical figures Korbinian and Bernardus clink glasses? Not only symbolically through the creation of the brewing pact, but also literally on the label. The two monks are already savouring the first sip of the Blonde Ale. The two breweries have been friends for a long time - after all, St. Bernardus is the official importer of Weihenstephan speciality beers in Belgium.

The idea behind this unique collaboration was to brew a filtered, strong, top-fermented beer. This marvellous beer is the combination of two brewing philosophies - this becomes clear when you take a look at the raw materials: Hops from Belgium, from the immediate area around St Bernardus, Weihenstephan yeast, Bavarian malt - and water from Freising. The beer is naturally brewed in accordance with the Purity Law of 1516. Spicy, with a characteristic yeast note, fruity and strong with 6.5 per cent alcohol: Braupakt 2024 flatters the palate with these characteristics.

The matching glass gives the Collab a further Belgian touch: the bulbous shape allows the diverse flavours of the Braupakt to fully unfold. The beer makes a particularly elegant and stylish impression in this glass with its strong deep golden colour.

Marcus Englet, Head of Export and authorised signatory at the Weihenstephan brewery, is delighted: "We have found the perfect partner for the second edition of Braupakt in St. Bernardus. A brewery that, like us, prioritises the quality of its beers above all else and has thrown itself into this project with great attention to detail. With Braupakt 2024, we have succeeded in creating a collaboration in a class of its own: a beer based on a Belgian style that was created not only with ingredients from both countries, but also with the great expertise of two brewing philosophies."

Marco Passarella, Sales Manager at St. Bernardus, echoes this sentiment: "We were very careful to prioritise quality over quantity. We only wanted to settle for a beer that would convince Weihenstephan and us 110 per cent - and we managed to do that. This project was completely new territory for us, it's our first collaboration. And next year, in 2025, we will turn the tables: we will then brew a beer that we will create together with Weihenstephan."

Braupakt 2024 will be available in several countries from March. The blonde ale will be bottled in 0.33-litre longneck bottles and sold in six-packs, 24 x 0.33-litre crates and 30-litre and 50-litre kegs.