Family Brewery Bernard

Lore & Background

Brewing in Humpolec began in 1597, when the brewery belonged to the owner of the Herálec estate. In the 1930s, it employed 40 people and produced 20,000 hectolitres a year, selling beer in the Humpolec, Německý Brod (now Havlíčkův Brod), Ledečko and Pelhřimov regions. After World War II, the brewery was integrated into state enterprises, first Horácké pivovary Jihlava and later Jihočeské pivovary České Budějovice. By 1989, the conglomerate's leadership did not plan to develop the brewery further, and pressure grew to liquidate it. Up until privatization, the brewery made a 10° pale beer, 11° pale Orlík beer, and briefly before 1991, a pale 12° called Zálesák (Woodsman).

On 26 October 1991, Stanislav Bernard, Josef Vávra and Rudolf Šmejkal bought the bankrupt brewery at auction for five times the initial asking price, beginning a new era. Burdened with large debt initially, the brewery later exported to more than 20 countries, with about 20% of production destined for export. In 2000, the brewery became a joint stock company and attracted investment from Belgian brewery Duvel Moortgat. The brewery has never shipped beer in plastic bottles or cans, and is a member of Zálohujme.cz, an organization advocating deposit bottles. Most beer (63%) is sold in barrels, the reverse of the Czech market overall.

Reader's Guide

Family Brewery Bernard occupies a distinctive position in the Czech beer market, producing about 2% of the country's beer while emphasizing quality over maximum output. Its highest production was 400,000 hectolitres in 2019, but the owners have focused on brewing the very best beer. To this end, in 2000 the brewery bought a humno malt house in Rajhrad u Brna, producing labour-intensive malt suitable for traditional Czech beer.

The brewery introduced several innovations that brought attention to the brand. Starting in 2002, it used patented retro bottles that became characteristic of the brewery. In 2007, it was the first to release non-alcoholic semi-dark beer. In 2009, the non-alcoholic beverage Švestka opened a new segment on the Czech market. In 2014, the brewery began brewing top-fermented Bernard Bohemian Ale.

During the COVID-19 crisis from 2020 to 2022, when draught beer sales were restricted, the brewery introduced new products including chocolates with malt and hops, a Bernard beer brandy brewed from fresh beer at the Zámecké sady Chrámce biodistillery, and pralines with beer brandy. Bernard whisky also matures at the same distillery. In honour of its 30th anniversary, the brewery opened the Bernard Visitor Centre on 1 June 2022, connected directly to the brewery, along with a lookout tower built around the functional chimney offering views of the brewery, town, and surrounding castles.

Did You Know?

• The brewery was bought at auction on 26 October 1991 for five times the initial asking price.
• It was the first in the Czech market to release non-alcoholic semi-dark beer in 2007.
• A lookout tower has been built around the brewery's functional chimney, with a walkway 33 metres in the air.