Bond is better known for martinis, but Ian Fleming also gave him a beer, and he named it. Löwenbräu Original is a pale Bavarian lager of 5.2% alcohol by volume, and Fleming’s Bond drinks “pale Löwenbräu” in Germany without naming the variety, so the Original is the closest match. It is the right choice for a warm afternoon when a martini would be too much.
In the books
In Goldfinger, chapter 14, Bond washes down an Enzian with pale Löwenbräu. In the short story The Living Daylights he drinks a stein of draught Löwenbräu as a chaser to Molle mit Korn in a Berlin café. One count finds Bond drinking beer on seven occasions across six Fleming stories.
Drinking it now
Serve it cold, in a stein or a plain straight glass, and let it follow something stronger, as Bond does. The brewer describes the Original as slightly malty, fresh and spicy, with a mild hop bitterness. Untappd notes that Löwenbräu has been brewed since 1383 and follows the Bavarian purity law of 1516. The retailer we link to is a German drinks merchant, so check that it delivers to you; it listed a case of 20 half-litre bottles at €20.29, plus a €3.69 returnable deposit, at the time of writing, October 2026.
Specifications
| Style | Helles, pale lager |
|---|---|
| Strength | 5.2% ABV |
| Brewery | Löwenbräu, Munich |
| Brewed since | 1383 |
| Case size | 20 × 0.5 litre bottles (German retailer listing) |
The brewer’s own range is on the AB InBev brands page.
More drinks and food are in Food & Drink; the screen Bonds are on the Bonds page, and every title is listed under Films.
