Austria's largest private brewery has been operating in Salzburg since 1492. The Brauwelt, opened in 1995, is the visitor experience built around the working Stiegl brewery in the Maxglan district: a 5,000 m² complex with a 270-degree brew cinema, guided tours through the production facilities, included tastings, and a Bräugasthof restaurant. It sits near Salzburg Airport, away from the Altstadt tourist circuit.
The Story
Stiegl moved from the old town to Maxglan in the 1860s when the railway came and the cramped medieval site could no longer handle the demand. The Maxglan plant was built for scale: steam-driven mash tuns, modern fermentation tanks, direct rail access. A new brewhouse opened in 2005 and is considered one of the most advanced in the region. The brewery has remained in private hands throughout, currently under the Kiener family, and has resisted acquisition by the major Austrian brewing groups.
The Brauwelt opened in 1995 as a purpose-built visitor centre alongside the working plant. The centrepiece is the brew cinema, a 270-degree projection that wraps the film "The Nature of Beer" around the viewer. Beyond it, glass panels along 300 metres of walkway give direct sightlines into the brewhouse: copper kettles, fermentation tanks, and a bottling line running at 90,000 bottles per hour. The tour ends with tastings included in the admission price.
The Bräugasthof restaurant serves Austrian classics and seasonal Stiegl beers, with a terrace that overlooks the city.
Visiting
- Hours: Daily 10am-7pm. Closed Jan 1, Dec 25-26, Dec 31. Dec 24 closes at 3pm. Last admission one hour before closing.
- Cost: EUR 13.90 museum, EUR 19.90 with production tour
- Getting there: Bus 1 from the Altstadt to Brauhausstrasse. Not walkable from the centre.
- Book ahead: Recommended for the brewery tour. English-language production tour daily at 1pm.
- Tips: Museum admission includes tastings. Salzburg Card covers entry. Barrier-free access to museum and restaurant; production walkways are stairs-only.
- Combine with: Augustiner Braustuebl Muelln