Founded in 1708, the Zwettl brewery has been run by the Karl Schwarz family for five generations. The company from Zwettl, in the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria, is one of the leading companies in the region and one of the most famous and most successful breweries in Austria.
Privatbrauerei Zwettl History
The Zwettl brewery is based on the tradition of the Cistercian monastery brewery of Zwettl, which was founded in the early 16th century. The brewery was first mentioned in the documents of "Preuer on the stairs" in Siernau in 1708.
In 1890, the Schwarz family purchased the brewery, which is now run by the fifth generation. Already in 1897, the company was one of the first in the region to be electrified and equipped with cooling machines in 1918. The re-cultivation of hops in the Waldviertel, which no longer existed in this period, dates back to the existence of the brewery.
The company encountered great difficulties in the 1930s, when the economic situation caused beer production to drop below 3000 hectoliters. . After the Second World War, production was mainly characterized by the lack of raw materials such as hops or malt. Production only increased steadily after the occupation. Karl Schwarz took over the company in the fourth generation. The bottling plant, which started operating in 1960, had a production of 500 bottles per hour.
Zwickl has been produced since 1984 and Zwettler Original has been produced since 1989 on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. This type of beer is produced exclusively with Waldviertel raw materials. In 1990, the brewery opened the Hotel Restaurant Schwarz Alm.