The Oldest Brewery in Every Country [MAP]

The global thirst for a cold one is not to be underestimated. Archaeological evidence suggests that beer has existed for roughly 13,000 years, with many of the world’s oldest breweries started by Europeans. Beer-making is a practice that harkens back to monks, monasteries, and the once-necessary need to find a safer alternative to water. From there, beer branched out to the rest of the world, largely through imperialism.

There are tens of thousands of breweries around the world right now, and while one can argue until the cows come home about which ones are the best, some have simply been around the longest, and their longevity is just plain impressive. That’s why we’ve put together a roundup of some of the oldest breweries in each country.

In compiling this list, some liberties were taken in terms of what constitutes the oldest brewery in each country, as some started as monasteries, abbeys, sake breweries, and beyond. That said, all the breweries listed are considered the oldest breweries still in operation in each country. While some have closed and reopened and others have gone through name changes and hands of ownership, all are still standing.

While this list by no means covers every beer-loving nation — Europe alone boasts hundreds of the world’s oldest breweries — it does capture a wider view of when and how brewing came to be across the globe. Some countries were excluded as they simply don’t have operating breweries. And then there’s Antarctica, which doesn’t have any