One of the Czech Republic’s oldest breweries, Velké Březno, will cease production after nearly 273 years of operation amid falling demand for beer and rising costs. At the same time, the Březňák brand will be preserved, while its production will be transferred to other Heineken group breweries. Bild reports, UNN writes.
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One of the Czech Republic’s oldest breweries, Velké Březno, located in the town of the same name in the north of the country, is ceasing production. Beer has been brewed at the company’s current site since 1753, while the history of brewing here dates back to 1606. As Robert Kičina, a representative of Heineken Czech Republic, told Ústecký deník, production was gradually reduced throughout 2026, and the remaining capacity will now be permanently shut down.
At the same time, the Březňák beer brand produced by the brewery will not disappear. Its production will be transferred to other Heineken group breweries, to which the Czech brewery has belonged since 2008. The logistics and sales divisions will remain at the former site. The reasons for the production shutdown include declining beer consumption in the Czech Republic, as well as rising energy and raw material prices.
Breweries in Germany are experiencing similar problems. In 2025, beer consumption in the country fell by almost 6%, and sales continued to decline in 2026. Amid falling demand and price competition, companies with decades-long histories are closing. For example, the Eichbaum brewery in Mannheim stopped production on September 30 after nearly 350 years of operation, while the 165-year-old Rupp brewery in Lower Saxony faced bankruptcy.
In Germany, the number of breweries is declining amid a drop in beer consumption04.08.26, 14:08