Murau Brewery
Austrian cooperative brewery founded in 1495 in Styria.
The Murau Brewery (Brauerei Murau) sits in the Styrian town of Murau, Austria. Founded in 1495, it is one of the country’s five largest breweries, with an annual output of roughly 300,000 hectolitres. Since 1910, it has been run as a cooperative.
Of the three breweries operating in Murau during the mid-15th century, only this one remains. Jörg Kurz established it in 1495 at Raffaltplatz. Valentin Bauer, Murau’s first elected mayor, owned the brewery from 1823 to 1856 and expanded it to its current size. Anton Kindler then carried out costly modernization between 1873 and 1874, buying new machinery and switching to steam power. Gustav Balzer took over in 1896, investing heavily but falling into financial trouble, which forced the brewery to become a cooperative by 1910.
The brewery struggled through the 1920s and 1930s and nearly collapsed during the Second World War, only beginning a slow recovery in 1946. In the 1980s and 1990s, successful market strategies drove a major increase in brewing volume, from 65,000 hectolitres in 1980 to 304,000 hectolitres in 2011. In 2021, the brewery co-founded the “Association of Independent Private Breweries” in Austria, alongside nine other founding members.
Quick Facts
- Location Place
- Raffaltplatz 19-23
- Location City
- Murau (Murau District)
- Location Country
- Austria
- Key People
- Josef Rieberer (Managing Director)
- Production
- 300,000 hectolitres
- Owner
- Obermurtal Brewery Cooperative
- Num Employees
- 180
- Revenue
- €34.3 million
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the mid 15th century, Murau had three breweries. The Murau Brewery, established in 1495 by Jörg Kurz at Raffaltplatz, is the only one that survived. Valentin Bauer, the first elected mayor of Murau, owned the brewery from 1823 to 1856 and expanded it to its current size. Anton Kindler undertook costly modernisation from 1873 to 1873, buying new machinery and switching to steam power. Gustav Balzer took over in 1896, investing heavily but falling into financial trouble, which forced the brewery to transform into a cooperative by 1910.
The brewery struggled through the 1920s and 1930s and nearly collapsed during the Second World War, only beginning a slow recovery in 1946. During the 1980s and 1990s, brewing volume increased significantly through successful market strategies, rising from 65,000 hectolitres in 1980 to 304,000 hectolitres in 2011. In 2021, the brewery co-founded the 'Association of Independent Private Breweries' in Austria along with nine other founding members.
Reader's Guide
The Murau Brewery's significance lies in its long history as a survivor among the three breweries that operated in Murau in the mid 15th century. Its transformation into a cooperative in 1910, following financial difficulties under Gustav Balzer, established a structure that allowed it to endure through the difficult decades of the 1920s, 1930s, and the Second World War. The brewery's recovery after 1946 and its substantial growth from 65,000 hectolitres in 1980 to 304,000 hectolitres in 2011 demonstrate its successful market strategies. As one of Austria's five biggest breweries, producing around 300,000 hectolitres annually, it holds a notable position in the country's beer industry. Its role as a founding member of the 'Association of Independent Private Breweries' in 2021 further underscores its commitment to maintaining independent brewing traditions within Austria. The brewery's legacy is tied to its continuous operation since 1495, its cooperative ownership model, and its ability to modernise and expand while remaining rooted in its Styrian location.
Did You Know?
- The brewery was founded in 1495 by Jörg Kurz at Raffaltplatz.
- It became a cooperative in 1910 after owner Gustav Balzer got into financial trouble.
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