It is said that the Czech Republic consumes more beer per capita than any other nation in the world. On average, a Czech citizen will put away a whopping 181.7 litres of beer a year. This roughly translates to almost a pint per day. Compare this to other countries with a strong beer-drinking culture such as Austria (96.9 litres), Poland (96 litres), and Germany (92.6 litres) and it is easy to see how the nation’s love of lager has spawned some of the world’s most popular breweries in Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budweiser Budvar.
Brno has its own famous brewery, and Moravia’s largest, in Starobrno – a brand that dominates the taps in many of the city’s pubs, bars, and clubs – as well as a rich brewing history that spans the centuries. One of Czechia’s most important brewmasters, František Ondřej Poupě, spent much of his career in Brno’s old city brewery that once stood at the corner of Starobrněnská and Šilingrovo náměstí square. He is credited with elevating beer making from an unregulated, haphazard craft to a fully credible industry and science.
Czech brewing has come on leaps and bounds since Poupě first honed his craft, and all over the city of Brno you will find inventive new microbreweries and entrepreneurial home brewers appearing all the time. Whether you want to sample classic Czech pilsners alongside some hearty Moravian cuisine or test your palate with something a little more experimental from one of the city’s craft breweries, Brno has a beer for you.
Breweries in Brno
Although Starobrno is ubiquitous in many of Brno’s pubs and bars, it is far from the only brewery that the city has to offer. There are a good number of small-scale microbreweries that have appeared in and around Brno in recent years, from traditional brewpubs giving their own take on classic Czech pilsners, to modern craft breweries producing unusual, experimental brews.
Axiom Brewery
In my opinion, Axiom is the finest purveyor of modern craft beer in Brno. Their brewery is located in one of the buildings of the industrial zone near Prostejov main station but you will find their taproom next to Pivovar Harry on Poštovská Street where they have 23 taps serving mostly their own produce alongside some favourites from local microbreweries. Make sure to pick up a few cans from their bottle shop while you are there.
Pegas
Formed in 1992, Pegas is considered one of the first microbreweries to appear in the Czech Republic (at the time Czechoslovakia) following the fall of the iron curtain. This traditional-style brewery and restaurant went on to become one of Brno’s iconic Moravian eateries. Sitting amongst the copper kettles in dingy and atmospheric beer hall, it gives the impression of a bar that has existed much longer than a mere 30 years and it is the perfect place to enjoy a taste of traditional Czech cuisine while sipping one of their four variations of Pegas beer: lager, stout, top-fermented wheat beer, and 16° semi-dark special beer.
Pivovar Harry
A relatively new addition to Brno’s craft beer scene, Pivovar Harry occupies a spacious, modern, and industrial-style venue on Poštovská Street where their horseshoe-shaped bar is in full view of the 1500hl brew kit and fermentation tanks.
Petr Hauskrecht Steam Brewery
Brewmaster Petr Hauskrecht has a long and storied history in the Czech beer scene, previously working at Starobrno, Velke Brezno, and Krusovice. Recently, he decided to go out on his own, setting up a brewery in a former Brno slaughterhouse with the aim of creating brews that align more clearly with his own concept and ideas of how beer should be produced. Tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday and last two hours.
Lucky Bastard Brewhouse
Located away from the city centre in the northern, Brno-Medlánky district of Brno, Lucky Bastard takes its cues from UK and US breweries rather than Czech ones, brewing a wide range of top-fermented beers. Tours of their 3,000-hectolitre brewery cost 500 CZK and last an hour. Pre-booking is essential and there is a 10-person minimum for the tour to take place.
Efi
Located in a beautifully renovated historical building in the centre of Brno, Efi comprises of a luxury hotel, wellness spa, and traditional Czech restaurant. Their onsite microbrewery is small in size – it’s a three-vessel brewhouse that occupies a few tiny rooms behind their pub – but the beer that they produce isn’t lacking in stature – In 2022, their Efi Twelve won a silver medal at the International Beer Festival held in České Budějovice.
The brewery conducts tours (350 CZK/person) every weekday at 4 pm and 5.30 pm. These take around 1 hour to be shown around the small brewery and each tour is followed by a tasting session.
Traditional Pubs in Brno
Brno’s city centre is packed with beautiful, historic pubs. As expected, most of them specialise in lovingly poured pints of local pilsner alongside extensive menus of Czech delicacies. Here are some of the best for beer lovers and fans of Bohemian cuisine:
Stopkova Plzenska Pivnice
Pilsner Urquell pubs are easily identified by their curved copper bars topped with the shimmering dome of a brewing kettle and the tap area at Stopkova Plzenska Pivnice is no different. As expected, this is one of the best places in Brno to get your Pilsner direct from the tank alongside some traditional Moravian cuisine and the fact that the neo-renaissance building is steeped in history (the house dates back to the gothic period and a pub has been on the site since the late 19th century) only adds to its appeal.
Zelená Kočka Pivárium
There is no greater claim to fame for a Czech pub than being named ‘best beer pub’ in the Czech Bar Awards and for this reason alone, Zelená Kočka is a must-visit when in Brno. They have 9 taps serving a mix of both local and international brews and even organise monthly tasting events, often guided by the brewmasters of the featured breweries.
Pivovarský dům Poupě
An expansive traditional Czech gastropub close to Špilberk Castle serving great local cuisine and a range of beers from Dalešické including pilsners, west coast and New England IPAs, and a fantastic bitter.
Pivnice U Čápa
There has been a pub on the site where Pivnica U Čápa now sits for over 100 years. Its position opposite the city’s maternity hospital on the Obilní Trhu meant that it was traditionally the spot where new and expectant fathers would gather to wet their newborn’s head. Hence the name, ‘At the Stork’.
The pub’s current iteration dates back to the 1960s and underwent an extensive renovation in 2018. They are known for their excellent Pilsner Urquell served direct from the tank, traditional Moravian and Czech cuisine from chef Martin Horníček, and for having their own meat smokehouse.
U Alberta
Away from the bustling city centre in the shadow of the city’s iconic Špilberk Castle, you will find the atmospheric U Alberta. While the majority of the beers that occupy their 5 taps are local, this is the place to drink their house beers, cuckoo brewed using the brew kits of breweries in Hustopeče and Chotěboř. Make sure to try their 11° brew named Šalina after Brno’s famous trams.
Craft Beer Bars in Brno
Although Pilsners are unsurprisingly the dominant beer style on offer in Brno, there are a growing number of specialist beer bars around the city offering a variety of craft beers either from one single microbrewery or from the hundreds of small-scale producers that can be found throughout Czechia.
The Malt Worm
Possibly the best craft beer bar in the city, the Malt Worm has 16 rotating taps, mostly pouring Czech microbrews alongside a good range of independent, international beers. The interior is stripped back and basic but they more than make up for it with their friendly, knowledgeable staff.
JBM Brew Lab
A short walk from the city centre, this tiny bar has a nice selection of modern craft beers served from 10 rotating taps and, setting it apart from the majority of craft beer bars in Brno, it features as many beers from UK, Belgian and Polish microbreweries as it does local Czech craft beer.
Výčep Na Stojáka
It is standing room only in Výčep Na Stojáka, not just because of the number of beer-lovers that flock to this venue on Běhounská Street, but because there are no seats or chairs inside. Instead, people spill onto the street outside, particularly in the summer months when you will find most of the patrons perched on a nearby kerb. While their focus is on small Czech breweries, they also serve their own house brew known as Stojácke Poupe.
Ochutnávková Pivnice
Ochutnávková Pivnice is one of Brno’s finest beer bars, aiming to serve up high-quality and rare beers that are not likely to be found in the city’s more traditional pubs. As well as offering two Primator beers (the 11° and 12° varieties) they have a further five taps of small Czech microbrewery beers and dozens of bottles. Make sure to sample a local pâté ‘rillettes’ alongside your drink.
For Something Different...
Beer Exchange 2.0
In Pivni Burza, also known as the Beer Exchange, buying a beer becomes a game of chance. This is a stick market of drinks where the price of each of their 8 beers fluctuates throughout the night based entirely on demand. You order through a tablet that displays the current price of all the beers on tap. While the prices can vary anywhere from 20 to 40 CZK, the record is a pint varying jumping from 5.86 CZK all the way up to 112.37 CZK.
Šalina Pub
Brno is famed for both its trams and its beer, so why not combine the two to create an experience that is unique to the city? Šalina Pub is a Brno tram that underwent reconstruction in 2013 in the workshops of the Brno City Transport Company to create the city’s very first moving pub. Because of this, you can enjoy the pints flowing from the onboard bar as you weave your way around the historic city centre.
Unfortunately, Šalina Pub can normally only be booked for private functions, but it does open its sliding doors for a hop-on hop-off service on special occasions such as the annual Starobrno open day and at the end of November/start of December for advent rides. During these events, you can buy a ticket from the driver and enjoy a tour by tram with the beer in your hand.
The Immigrant
You’re never far from an Irish pub wherever you are in the world and Brno is no exception. The difference with ‘The Immigrant’ is that this Irish pub is more likely to be filled with English-speaking locals and Irish ex-pats than tourists. Thankfully they serve a mean pint of Guinness alongside other stalwarts of Irish brewing.
Where to Stay in Brno
Being the Czech Republic’s second-largest city, there is no shortage of accommodation options. These range from luxurious spa hotels to snazzy boutiques and budget hotels. Below are two of my favourites.
Hotel
Hotel Passage
Initially constructed in 1928 as a metropolitan palace, designed by the famous architect Bohuslav Fuchs, Hotel Passage has recently undergone extensive renovations to create a beautifully modern hotel and conference space. It is just a few minutes’ walk from Brno’s historic town centre and after spending 4 nights there, I can certainly recommend it as one of the city’s best places to stay.
Quirky Hostel
10-Z Bunker
If you are seeking somewhere a little more unusual to stay during your time in Brno, then look no further than 10-Z Bunker. This hostel is situated within the confines of a Cold War-era nuclear fallout shelter dating back to the Communist era and very little has changed in the decades since
Centrally located, the Bunker is beneath Spilberk Castle and guests can enjoy a complimentary tour of the shelter’s history from Tuesday to Sunday at 7 pm.
How to Get to Brno
Brno is located in the South East of Czechia and is served by 3 major airports – Bratislava (140km / 1.5 hours), Vienna (145km / 1.5 hours) and Prague (200km / 2.5 hours). There are also regular flights to Brno Tuřany, the city’s own small airport, from London Stansted with Ryanair. From the airport, the E76 bus runs to the city centre approximately every 30 minutes.
Two of the Czech Republic’s main railway providers, České Dráhy and the Regiojet Company, serve the route between Prague and Brno. The journey takes around 2 and a half hours and tickets can be purchased in advance online. from the České Dráhy website.
It is possible to catch a train to Brno from the station at Vienna Airport, however, you may have to change trains at Wien Hauptbahnhof and possibly in Břeclav. Alternatively, Flixbus run services to Brno Grand Hotel bus station directly from the airport.
