Brewery Puntigam

Lore & Background

The brewery traces its origins to 1478, when a small brewery was established in the southern region of Graz near Feldkirchen bei Graz. The name Puntigam was originally a family name, not a location name. A mansion with an attached inn, small brewery, and beer garden was built on the former Kommerzialstraße (current Triesterstraße) in 1772, as indicated by an inscription on an archway. The brewery was officially founded in 1838 by Franz Knabl on the grounds of Puntigamhof. Entrepreneur Franz Hold acquired it in 1840 and began systematic expansion and modernization, transforming it into a large industrial brewery. By 1872, production reached around 100,000 hectoliters. In 1889, the Schreiner family took over, and the company was renamed 'Erste Grazer Actienbrauerei vormals Schreiner & Söhne.' By 1913, annual production hit a record 380,000 hectoliters, with about 400 workers employed ten years earlier. The brewery exported throughout the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and acquired several other breweries, including the Graz Brewery Japl and breweries in Fürstenfeld, Mürzzuschlag, and Feldbach, as well as interests in the Laibach Brewery Corporation 'Union' and the 'United Carinthian Breweries A.G.' in Villach. After World War I, production shrank to one-tenth of the pre-war record due to the loss of sales areas. In 1935, after an economic crisis, a closer relationship formed with the Reininghaus Brewery. In 1943, a merger occurred with the second major Graz brewery owned by the Reininghaus brothers; the Eggenberg facility was shut down in 1947, and all beer production moved to Puntigam, with both brands preserved.

Reader's Guide

Brewery Puntigam holds a significant place in Austrian brewing as one of the oldest breweries in Styria and a major producer of Puntigamer, one of the best-selling beers in Austria. Its history reflects the consolidation of the Austrian brewing industry, from its founding in 1838 by Franz Knabl to its expansion under Franz Hold and later the Schreiner family, who transformed it into a large industrial brewery. The brewery's peak pre-World War I production of 380,000 hectoliters and its exports across the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy illustrate its former regional dominance. The post-war decline and subsequent merger with the Reininghaus Brewery in 1943 highlight the challenges faced by Austrian breweries after the empire's dissolution. Today, with an annual production of approximately one million hectoliters, Puntigamer remains a staple in the Austrian market. The brewery's sponsorship of SK Sturm Graz since 1996, along with support for other sports clubs, underscores its cultural integration in Austrian sports. A notable recent event is the 2022 trial of 24 defendants accused of organizing the theft of beer valued at 1.7 million euros through simulated damaged goods between 2009 and 2017, accompanied by beer tax evasion.

Did You Know?

• By 1913, annual beer production had reached a record 380,000 hectoliters.
• Since 1996, Puntigamer has been the main sponsor of the Graz football club SK Sturm.