Brauerei Schnaitl

Brauerei Schnaitl, also known as Privatbrauerei Schnaitl, is a family-owned Austrian brewery based in Gundertshausen in the municipality of Eggelsberg, Braunau District, in the southern Innviertel region of Upper Austria. It has been brewing beer since 1842 and remains in the hands of the Schnaitl family. The brewery is located at the historically significant crossroads between the Salzburg–Braunau and Burghausen–Mattighofen routes. The brewery traces its origins to a guesthouse that had existed since 1492 and burned down in 1841. During its reconstruction, the owners decided to add a brewery. Franz Schnaitl was the first brewmaster and brewed his first beer in 1843, having learned the craft from Kasper Moser in Henndorf and at the Augustinerbräu in Munich. By 1852 the young brewery was already supplying 13 innkeepers. Under Franz's son and successor Matthias, beer output doubled from 6,500 to 13,000 hectoliters between 1896 and 1910. The 1930s were economically difficult, with output falling to 5,000 hectoliters, recovering to 10,000 hectoliters only in 1956. Under Ing. Matthias Schnaitl III, who took over in 1959, the brewery acquired several other breweries. Today the brewery is run by Matthias Schnaitl IV, who has modernized the family business while emphasizing regionality, natural ingredients, and sustainability. The product range includes Original (Helles), Pils de Luxe, Radler, Florian (draught beer), Festbock, Maibock, Naturtrüb, Dunkel, Bayern Weiße (wheat beer), Bayern Weiße dunkel, Stille Nacht Festbier, and Schnaitl Meisterbräu. The brewery has won multiple gold medals at the Monde Selection and, according to its website, received four awards at the Falstaff Bier Trophy 2026. It is a member of the Innviertel beer region and participates in the annual Innviertler Biermärz festival. Schnaitl positions itself as a down-to-earth private brewery that values nature, regional agriculture, and sociability. Its labels are printed on natural paper with environmentally friendly inks. The brewery serves both the retail trade and the hospitality sector, and offers online sales and a "Flaschenpost" newsletter.

The history of Brauerei Schnaitl begins with a guesthouse that had existed since 1492 at the crossroads of the Salzburg–Braunau and Burghausen–Mattighofen routes in Gundertshausen. In 1841 the guesthouse burned down. During its reconstruction, the owners decided to establish a brewery alongside it. Franz Schnaitl, who had learned brewing from Kasper Moser in Henndorf and at the Augustinerbräu in Munich, became the first brewmaster and brewed his first beer in 1843. By 1852 the brewery was already supplying 13 innkeepers. Under Franz's son and successor Matthias, the brewery expanded significantly: between 1896 and 1910, beer output doubled from 6,500 to 13,000 hectoliters. The 1930s brought economic hardship, with output dropping to 5,000 hectoliters. It recovered to 10,000 hectoliters only in 1956. In 1959, Ing. Matthias Schnaitl III took over the brewery and initiated the acquisition of several other breweries. A notable historical episode occurred on 4 May 1945, when US soldiers under the command of Austro-American Ernst Florian Winter were quartered in the brewery. Sixty-three years later, Winter visited the brewery again. The brewery has won multiple gold medals at the Monde Selection. Today it remains family-owned, with Matthias Schnaitl IV as brewmaster. He has modernized the business, emphasizing regional sourcing, natural ingredients, and environmental responsibility. The brewery uses labels made from natural paper printed with environmentally friendly methods. It is an active member of the Innviertel beer region and participates in the Innviertler Biermärz. In 2026, the brewery received four awards at the Falstaff Bier Trophy.

• 2026

  Receives four awards at Falstaff Bier Trophy.

• 1959

  Ing. Matthias Schnaitl III takes over and acquires other breweries.

• 1956

  Output recovers to 10,000 hectoliters.

• 1945

  US soldiers quartered in the brewery on 4 May.

• 1930

  Economic hardship; output falls to 5,000 hectoliters.

• 1910

  Beer output doubles to 13,000 hectoliters.

• 1896

  Beer output reaches 6,500 hectoliters under Matthias Schnaitl.

• 1852

  Brewery supplies 13 innkeepers.

• 1843

  Franz Schnaitl brews his first beer.

• 1842

  Brewery founded by Franz Schnaitl.

• 1841

  Guesthouse burns down; reconstruction includes decision to build a brewery.

• 1492

  Guesthouse established at the crossroads in Gundertshausen.

Down-to-earth private brewery emphasizing nature, regionality, craftsmanship, and sociability.

• Original (Helles)

• Pils de Luxe (Pils)

• Radler

• Florian (Fassbier)

• Festbock (Bockbier)

• Maibock (Bockbier)

• Naturtrüb

• Dunkel

• Bayern Weiße (Weißbier)

• Bayern Weiße dunkel (Weißbier)

• Stille Nacht Festbier

• Schnaitl Meisterbräu

1. 1Schnaitl official websiteschnaitl.at
2. 2Mehr als Bierschnaitl.at
3. 3Privatbrauerei Schnaitl - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Brauerei Schnaitl - Wikidatawikidata.org