Staropramen Brewery

One of the largest breweries in the country, whose history dates back to 1871. The brewery is now part of a multinational group.

The Staropramen Brewery is based in the Smíchov district of Prague, where the first batch of beer was brewed in 1871. To this day it is one of the largest breweries in the Czech Republic and the last functional industrial brewery in Prague.

In 1871 some 10,000 hectolitres of beer was produced and Emperor Franz Joseph I himself visited (he liked the Smíchov beer). Since its inception the brewery has focused on advanced technology, which it rapidly developed. For example, one of the first bottling plants in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, artificial cooling in the cellars and fermenting room or use of steam in the brewhouse. Even in the 19th century the company began to brew the semi-dark beer Granát, which is brewed to this day.

The brewery prospered during the interwar period when thanks to its modernisation it ranked among the three largest European breweries. The boom time ended only with the crisis in the 1930s. During socialism it became a public undertaking and in 1992 formed the joint-stock company Pražské pivovary, a.s. Since 2003, the company is called Pivovary Staropramen a.s. and also includes the Ostravar brewery.

Staropramen brand beers are widely distributed in the Czech Republic, but are also exported abroad. Sale of beer is helped by strong marketing, which includes its own concept of a network of branded restaurants based on franchising – Staropramen Potrefená husa.

The brewery has been known for innovation even in modern times. Staropramen was the first to sell multi-packs of 10 beers in Czech shops, in 2003 used a fully chilled draught stand for the first time in Europe, and in the same year became a partner of the Sazka Arena in the field of gastronomy. In 2007 it was the first to introduce the unique self-cooling Staropramen Coolkeg. And its Staropramen Cool Lemon was the first to address the niche market of beer-based flavoured drinks (Radler).

Since 2011 there is a new visitors's centre in the area of the Staropramen Brewery, where you can learn about the history of the brewery and the beer brewing process in an interactive exhibition. You can also enjoy great beer and food at the Na Verandách restaurant or visit the Beer Emergency.

Today, the brewery is part of the multinational brewing group Molson Coors Brewing Company and bears the name Pivovary Staropramen s.r.o.