Ancient brewing territory

Many people only know Lower Austria as wine-growing country. In reality, it has a strong brewing tradition. The region known as the “Weinviertel”—or wine quarter—is Austrian’s biggest source of brewing barley. Moreover, in 1321, King Frederick the Fair granted the small city of Weitra in the “Waldviertel” region brewing and mile rights. These rights meant that only the beer brewed by the city’s citizens could be served in the surrounding area. This made Weitra Austria’s oldest brewing city, and there are still two breweries there today. Weitra’s brewing right was an expression of the fact that brewing and drinking beer had very patriotic foundations in that the brewing right created a source of income that made it possible for the city’s citizens to maintain its fortifications. However, while this kind of “self-taxation” was important in a contested frontier area, it developed over the centuries into the extremely unpopular beer tax, which is still levied today.

A proud brewing tradition

What also remains is the pride of Lower Austria’s brewers. As the statistics show, this federal state is home to three of the nation’s largest breweries, and including microbreweries, there are over 70 in all. One finds breweries in astonishing places. Brewers have set up house in old railway stations and in state-of-the-art industrial premises, in remote farmsteads and in old city cellars. Many of their brewhouses are highly innovative, but Lower Austrian brewers also owe some of their success as much to solid craftsmanship. Among other things, that success has earned them a raft of international awards.