Beer tasting at the Bierkulturhaus in Obertrum | © Tourismus Salzburg GmbH

Salzburg's beer culture: 10 surprising facts to amuse and amaze you

Beer coachmen, beer guides, beer bells and its own beer academy – the world of beer in Salzburg is surprisingly diverse – and has been for 600 years. Eleven breweries and a wealth of (historical) anecdotes make the City of Mozart the beer capital of Austria. We have collected facts, figures and data that will impress even locals. Read them, remember them and get to sampling!

So much more than "just" beer

When you hear beer, you will think of the refreshing, sparkling drink made from hops, water and malt. The people of Salzburg take it a step further and celebrate the beverage in all its facets. From the rustic beer garden to the trendy gastro pub, from the beer tour to training as a beer sommelier – a whole range of possibilities is open to anyone who is interested.

Did you know that…

… in the course of the 14th century, a beer bell rang in the curfew for the population of Salzburg? The bell on today's town hall would ring – and after that, no one was supposed to be out and about anymore.
… Salzburgers do not necessarily associate the year 1492 with the discovery of America? It was in this year, at the "Stieglein an der Gstättn", that the Stiegl brewery was founded. This staircase no longer exists today, but you can get a good idea of it if you look from Anton-Neumayr-Platz towards the Haus der Natur. In the 1860s, the brewery moved to the Maxglan district.
... the Stiegl beer wagon still brings the beer to selected local businesses? The Noriker stallions Joker and Rubin are a popular motif for photographs – and probably the nicest cause of minor traffic delays along the route.
... Austria's largest beer restaurant is the Augustiner Bräu in the Mülln district of Salzburg? It seats 1,400 in its shady garden with its 36 chestnut trees. For comparison: the beer garden of the famous Hofbräuhaus in Munich seats 400.
... Austria's oldest wheat beer brewery is located in Salzburg? Die Weisse in the Schallmoos district has been around since 1901 and the bottle-fermented, naturally cloudy wheat beer is still brewed according to the original recipe. The swing-top bottles make an unmistakable "plop" sound when opened. Be sure to try it out!

... among the eleven breweries in the city and the surrounding area there are many that are run purely as pub breweries? They produce only as much beer as is needed in their own establishments. Fresh, sustainable and truly unique.
... the Rupertikirtag is one of the most traditional folk festivals in Austria? It is celebrated around 24 September, the name day of Rupert, the country's patron saint, and attracts more than 100,000 visitors every year. It is also considered the leading event for local beer brewers, since all of Salzburg's beers are united there.
... beer consists of more than 90 % water? The crystal-clear spring water for Salzburg's beers comes either from the Untersberg in the south of Salzburg or from the city's own wells and springs – in any case, the raw material water is considered to be of high quality; especially since the hardness of the local water is ideal for brewing some styles of beer.
... Salzburg is where the training to become a qualified beer sommelier originated? Axel Kiesbye, who was born in Dortmund, has built up a beer culture house in Obertrum near Salzburg, where top-class training is offered as well as brewing courses for interested amateurs. He also brews the so-called "forest beer" in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Forestry department - in a different flavour each year.
... Salzburg has its own "beer guide"? Martina Gyuroka combines history and pub culture in a humorous way on her beer walks.

Intrigued? You can find even more interesting and surprising facts and details on a brewery tour or on the individual themed walk "City Walk: Salzburg Beer Culture".