Bavaria Bräu, Royal Connections, and Legendary Brewing Figures

When I joined Bavaria Bräu in 1994, the brewery’s letterhead alone was enough to make a lasting impression. Two names stood out and instantly commanded respect: Guido Georg Sandler and Luitpold Prinz von Bayern. Both these men carried significant weight in the beer and business world, and their stories are woven into the fabric of Germany’s brewing history.

Guido Georg Sandler was a force in the brewing industry, hailing from an old Kulmbach brewing family. His journey through the industry was remarkable. He joined the Bayerische Actienbrauerei in Aschaffenburg in 1957, which was part of the Oetker Group at the time. By 1959, Sandler had moved to the Oetker headquarters in Bielefeld, where he rose to become the chairman of the management board by 1963. When Rudolf-August Oetker stepped down from the company in 1981, Sandler became CEO at Dr. August Oetker KG. Now, for those who don’t know, the Oetker Group is massive. It’s one of Germany’s largest family-owned conglomerates, with interests ranging from food products (like their famous baking goods) to breweries, shipping, and even banking. Having someone with Sandler’s stature involved with Bavaria Bräu certainly added a serious sense of gravitas.

And then there was Luitpold Prinz von Bayern. Royalty and beer? It doesn’t get much more Bavarian than that. Luitpold is a member of the House of Wittelsbach, one of Europe’s oldest noble families, and second in line to lead the family. The Wittelsbachs reigned as kings of Bavaria until 1918, but their legacy, especially in the world of beer, lives on through König Ludwig Schlossbrauerei, which Luitpold oversees. We brewed Kaltenberg under licence at Bavaria Bräu for a number of years, and the connection to such a prestigious brewery made our work all the more exciting.

In the late 1990s, I had the pleasure of visiting König Ludwig Schlossbrauerei. It was a pilgrimage of sorts for any beer lover, especially with the history tied to that brewery. I remember the sheer thrill of stepping onto the grounds of this iconic place and soaking in the heritage. And, of course, I picked up a 1-litre König Ludwig Maß as a memento – I think it’s still somewhere in my collection of beer keepsakes!

But the royal connection goes much deeper. The House of Wittelsbach is closely tied to the history of German beer, particularly through Oktoberfest. It was Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later King Ludwig I) who, in 1810, held a massive public festival to celebrate his marriage. That festival eventually became Oktoberfest, now the world’s largest beer festival. On top of that, the Wittelsbachs played a crucial role in upholding the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian beer purity law established in 1516. This law, which limited beer ingredients to just water, barley, and hops (yeast was added later), is still regarded as a cornerstone of brewing today. The Wittelsbachs’ influence helped ensure that Bavarian beer remained pure and of high quality, a legacy that continues to resonate in the beer world.

Fast forward to 2017, and I found myself speaking at a craft beer symposium during Drinktec in Munich. It was here that I had the incredible opportunity to meet HRH Luitpold Prinz von Bayern in person at his stand. We chatted briefly, and he kindly agreed to do a podcast interview the next time he visited Cape Town. True to his word, we met at the V&A Waterfront a few months later, and it was one of those unforgettable moments. We sat down, reminisced about times with the Funk Family and the brewery, and talked beer history – from the Kaltenberg days to the broader story of Bavaria’s brewing tradition.

Having that connection with someone who carries such a rich heritage, not just in royalty but in brewing, was one of those full-circle moments in my beer journey. It’s not every day you get to sit with a prince and talk shop about brewing, history, and beer’s role in culture.

So, for me, the names Guido Georg Sandler and Luitpold Prinz von Bayern are more than just impressive figures on a letterhead – they represent the incredible history and tradition of beer that not just shaped my time at Bavaria Bräu but the world of beer at large. Cheers to the legacy!