Route 5: Where the beer is being brewed…

Duration: based on interest and consumption

The visitors often associate Moravia with wine or plum brandy… However, Haná – and also the Kroměříž region – are areas ideal for cereals growing and most importantly for barley, one of the fundamental ingredient (in the form of malt) needed for beer production. From Kroměříž it is not so far to get to the hop fields around Přerov. And so it is no wonder that beer was and still is produced in Kroměříž.

Beer – an alcoholic beverage, one of the most popular in the world, is prepared from barley, hop plants, water and yeast. Industrially produced beers usually lose important beneficial substances in the process of filtration and pasteurization. On the contrary, handcrafted beers are intended for quick consumption, they retain all the important substances, and therefore are more popular. The long-lost history of beer in Kroměříž was followed by three microbreweries that now brew beer in Kroměříž – Černý Orel Brewery, Maxmilian Brewery and the 1st Rural Brewery.

The brewing right – i.e. the right to brew beer – was granted to Kroměříž in 1290 by the Olomouc bishop Dětřich of Hradec together with other privileges. Beer could be brewed by the city people, but only in some houses. In the 16th century, burghers with brewing rights agreed that it would be more economical to brew beer on a large scale, and an association was established that had a burgher brewery built in the place of today’s Prusinovský Street.

THE MAIN SPOT OF THE ROUTE:

A – ČERNÝ OREL BREWERY

It is located on the Great Square 24/9 in a historic house from the 16th century. The Černý orel complex was created after the reconstruction of the building in 2009 and includes, in addition to the brewery itself, a restaurant, hotel, guest house, wellness with a beer spa and a chocolate factory. This brewery offers mainly beers of the PILS type, i.e. bottom-fermented lagers. The brewery uses only barley and wheat malts, Žatec hop plants, open fermentation room for the main fermentation and maturation in the refrigerated lager cellar. No accelerators, filtration, beet sugar or extracts are used here. The brewery has received a number of awards. The top quality beer is brewed only for its own restaurant, pub and bar, not for further distribution.

Excursions to the brewery for max. of 40 people take place at 10:15 am, but not every day. It is always necessary to book in advance – tel.: 725 426 707, more information is on http://www.cerny-orel.eu.

You can taste and buy:

RESTAURANT ČERNÝ OREL

Velké náměstí 24/9

 

BEER BAR NĚŽNÝ BARBAR

Velké náměstí 23

ZTRACENÝ BAR

Ztracená 65

THE MAIN SPOT OF THE ROUTE:

B – MAXMILIAN BREWERY

This brewery has been brewing beer since 2012. The name of the brewery and the Maxmilian beer brand were chosen in honour of the famous native of Kroměříž, Maxmilian (Max) Švabinský. The place offers bottom-fermented beers, light lagers, dark lagers and many specials. They use high-quality Žatec hop plants and selected malts from Kroměříž, which give the beer a light sweetness and color of caramel. Maxmilian beer is lively, unpasteurized, with a higher yeast content, fuller taste and with a higher, but balanced bitterness. It is available in some local pubs and restaurants, but you can savor it almost throughout the whole of Moravia and Slovakia, where it is exported. Those interested can take part in a tour of the brewery’s production premises with guided tasting of all beer samples. The excursion is possible after booking via tel.: 702 204 988, or directly in the company shop in the street Na Sádkách 2798/9, more information is on www.pivomaxmilian.cz.

You can taste and buy:

BEER BAR MAXMILIAN IN THE PREMISES OF THE BREWERY

Na Sádkách 2798/9

 

TOWN HALL RESTAURANT AND BEER BAR

Kovářská 20/2

 

PIZZERIA DAL CONTE

Riegrovo nám. 153

 

BEER BAR U STUDNY

Riegrovo nám. 122

 

KDOVÍKDE BAR

Komenského nám. 435

THE MAIN SPOT OF THE ROUTE:

C–1. SELSKÝ PIVOVÁREK (rural brewery)

In addition to its own products, this brewery also offers a pleasant sitting at the outskirts of the city with the possibility of visiting the premises and tasting all currently brewed beers. The beer is prepared here mostly from local ingredients – hop plants, mostly from the area of Prosenice and malt from Záhlinice. The brewery is called ´rural´ precisely because it is built within an agricultural farm. The owners try to please not only the taste buds of beer drinkers, but also the eye of those who personally visit the brewery. The recently built building of the 1st rustic brewery is a combination of beauty and purposefulness and tries to evoke the atmosphere of  traditional brewing environment. It is definitely worth a visit, not only because of the excellent products but also to catch sight of the magnificent view of the city Kroměříž. Beer in the brewery, at its original source, tastes the best by far.

The brewery is located in Havlíčkova Street 4252/160. Group tours for max. 15 people with tasting of about 90 minutes must be booked in advance via tel: 776 465 304, more information on www.selsky-pivovarek.cz.

You can taste and buy:

SHOP WITHIN THE BREWERY PREMISES

Havlíčkova 4252/160

 

TOWN HALL RESTAURANT AND BEER BAR

Kovářská 20/2

 

VELO CAFÉ

Velké nám. 46

TERRACE OF THE HOTEL U ZLATÉHO KOHOUTA

Velké nám. 21

REFRESHMENT PODZÁMECKÁ ZAHRADA

CURIOSITY ALONG THE WAY:

1 – THE BUILDING OF THE BURGHER BREWERY (TODAY THE OLD BREWERY/STARÝ PIVOVAR)

It was built during the Renaissance by burghers of Kroměříž who had brewing rights. No wonder that the street was called Pivovarská (Beer Street) until 1911. It received its current name Prusinovská in honour of the Olomouc bishop Vilém Prusinovský, who in the 16th century issued a rule regulating the brewing and serving of beer on tap in Kroměříž so that the brewery belonging to the burghers would not counter the bishop’s brewery, which was at that time located under the Mill Gate. After the Swedes conquered he town and after the subsequent fire in 1643, the brewery building (and the neighbouring town hall) were repaired and served its original purpose until the beginning of the 20th century. The current Old Brewery Club/Klub Starý Pivovar is the property of the city of Kroměříž and is managed by the Culture House in Kroměříž. An exhibition of Karel Kryl is available for the viewing in the basement of the building.

 

CURIOSITY ALONG THE WAY:

2 – ARCHBISHOP’S (BISHOP’S) BREWERY

It is located west of the chateau at the street Na Kopečku, just below the Mill Gate, and its history dates back to the 16th century. The bishop’s brewery served the needs of the bishop and supplied beer to all vassal villages in the area. The complex of buildings of various ages underwent a complex reconstruction development and was completely rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1950s, a soda factory was established here, which ceased its activity in 2003. There are several episcopal emblems located on the buildings in the complex that may be of interest to tourists.

CURIOSITY ALONG THE WAY:

3 – PUB ON THE STEPS/HOSPŮDKA NA SCHŮDKÁCH

The building in the Brussels Art Nouveau style was built in 1904–1905 for the innkeeper František Pečman. To this day, it has managed to keep not only the façade with many rich decorative elements, but also the original interior layout. Inside, the pub is decorated with a number of period photographs. The building located in Havlíčkova Street No. 1262 has served its purpose, i.e. catering, continuously since its establishment.