Beer and Vienna - an inseparable pair. The golden, sparkling hop drink has been enjoyed here for centuries. At the same time, Vienna is one of the cities where beer is not only drunk, but also brewed. So there is plenty to discover and even more to taste when it comes to beer in Vienna. In this blog article, you can find out which Viennese beers you absolutely must try, what the Viennese call their beers colloquially and why Viennese beers are more than just a mixture of hops and malt.
The most popular Viennese beers
Ottakringer and Siebensternbräu are certainly among the best-known Viennese beers.
The Ottakringer Brewery is the oldest brewery in Vienna and was opened in 1837 under the name Plank Brewery. It is located in Vienna's 16th district (Ottakring) and employs around 180 people.
Around 427,000 hectoliters of Viennese beer are brewed every year and there are over 15 types of Viennese beer. In addition to the Viennese beer classics such as: Dark/light beer, Pilsner and Zwickel, you will also find some exotic beers on the drinks menu from the range of the brewery's own creative brewery. Sunbeam, Hellberry and Native Tongue are just three of them, to name a few.
The Siebensternbräu was founded in 1994. It takes its name from the Siebenstern district in which it is centrally located. There is a manageable but very delicious selection of fresh Viennese beers. For the brewing process only Water from Vienna and all Viennese beers are natural. In addition to the Viennese beer classics, you will also find a selection of rarities such as chili beer and hemp beer.
Insider tip: The beautiful guest garden is a real highlight. Here you can sample all the different types of Viennese beer in a traditional atmosphere. If you have less time, you can also get your Viennese beer to go at the Vending machines directly at the entrance and can enjoy it on the go.
Viennese beers brewed in microbreweries
In addition to the big names mentioned above, small home breweries are also making a name for themselves. We would now like to introduce you to two noteworthy Viennese beer producers.
The Rodauner Biermanufaktur has been a home brewer since the mid-1990s and is located in Liesing (23rd district). In the beginning, the Viennese beers were brewed in large boiling pots a few times a year for about 20 liters.
After brewing in the cellar in Rodaun and developing further very personal recipes, the owner launched the Rodauner beer manufactory in 2016. In addition to the excellent taste, the Viennese beers on the drinks menu have particularly creative names. The Vienna lager, for example, is called "Strizzi"the smoked ale "Gselchter" and the Viennese Special Beer "Gigerl".
The Viennese beers are available in various Restaurants/Bars or at the Naschmarkt.
Let's move on to the second microbrewery worth mentioning.
The Belgian is real Belgian beer brewed in Vienna - for us a real "Vienna with a difference" beer. The story of Viennese beer began in 2009 when a Belgian fell in love with the city of Vienna. His initial hobby quickly developed into an expansive passion. Many experiments were carried out until the final product - "the Belgian" - was created.
These Viennese beers can also be sampled both in the online store and in various restaurants and bars.
Insider tip: For all those who want something more or are looking for a special gift - with our experience Beer tasting - from the "Strizzi to the Belgian" you will learn all about Viennese beers and their differences during a tasting led by a local beer expert.
Viennese beers in dialect
The 16 mm sheet At the Viennese sausage stand, you often hear orders in Viennese like: "A Eitrige, an Bugl und a 16er-Blech". Which means: "A Käsekrainer, a piece of bread (colloquially also called Scherzel) and a can of Ottakringer beer". 16 stands for the 16th district of Vienna (Ottakring) and Blech for the can material.
Fun fact: From 2007, the Ottakringer company had a canned beer brand called "16er Blech" in its range for several years.
Hüsn Hüsn means something like beer can. This term is often used in the sentence - "Heast Oida, reib ma a hüsn uma." for "My friend, can you please pass me a beer can."
Hansl The last sip in the beer glass is called "Hansl" in Viennese. The Hansl is usually already warm, stale and not particularly popular.
Other colloquial terms for beers in Vienna:
- Whistle - An eighth of beer
- Seidl - 0.3 liter beer
- Krügerl - 0.5 liter beer
Conclusion: Whether light, dark, with chili or with cherry Viennese, from the vending machine, in the restaurant or at a tasting - Viennese beers have a lot to offer and can be a real "Vienna with a difference" experience.
