Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu
Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu is the historic beer brand and brewery identity of a Czech brewery founded in České Budějovice in 1795, later known as Samson.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu is the historic beer identity associated with a brewery founded in 1795 by mostly German-speaking burghers of České Budějovice, the South Bohemian city historically known as Budweis in German. The brewery was originally known as Bürgerliches Brauhaus Budweis, or the Citizens’ Brewery of Budweis. Its beers were being marketed under the Budweiser Bier or Budweiser Bürgerbräu name by 1802, while the brand was formally protected as a trademark in 1899. The brewery developed within a city whose name became central to the international identity of its beer. Beer from Budějovice was exported to the United States by 1875, and in 1876 Anheuser-Busch began selling a separate beer called Budweiser, taking inspiration from the established Budweis brewing tradition. This created the foundation for one of the longest-running naming conflicts in the beer industry. The dispute later involved the Bürgerbräu brewery, Budějovický Budvar, and Anheuser-Busch, with market-by-market arrangements determining which parties could use Budweiser-related names. In the 1890s, the brewery operated under the formal name Die Budweiser Bräuberechtigten – Bürgerliches Bräuhaus – Gegründet 1795 – Budweis. In 1895, after the brewery became an official court supplier to the King of Württemberg, Czech residents of České Budějovice established a competing joint-stock brewery. That enterprise became Budějovický Budvar, creating a direct local competitor whose history also became closely connected with the Budweiser trademark dispute. The brewery’s development was severely disrupted by the two world wars and the political changes that followed. During the Second World War, its ownership reflected the city’s divided German- and Czech-speaking population. Brewing stopped in January 1945, and the site was damaged during the American bombing of České Budějovice in March of that year. After the war, many German residents were expelled, and both of the city’s major breweries were nationalized by the Communist government in 1948. German-associated corporate and product names were replaced by names such as Crystal and Samson. The company was subsequently known as První budějovický pivovar Samson, or First Budweiser Brewery Samson, during much of the socialist period. Following the fall of communism, the brewery recovered several naming rights. In 1991 it reacquired national rights and international protected geographical indication rights connected with Budějovický měšťanský pivovar and Budweiser Bürgerbräu. In 1993 it also regained rights associated with Budějovické pivo, Budweiser Bier, Biere de Budweis, and Budweis Beer. In July 2001, the company adopted the name Budějovický měšťanský pivovar a.s., a Czech rendering corresponding to its historic Burghers’ Brewery identity. Trademark restrictions continued to shape the brand’s international presentation. Since 2005, beer sold in the United States was marketed as B.B. Bürgerbräu and described as Budweis City Bier rather than Budweiser beer. In 2014, Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired the brewery and renamed it Samson. The Samson portfolio has included pale and dark lagers, stronger specialty beers, wheat beer, alcohol-free beer, and a beer marketed for people with diabetes. In the 2020s, the brewery was reported to have recorded annual losses of tens of millions of Czech koruna for approximately three decades, underscoring the difficult commercial position of the historic operation despite its substantial brewing heritage.
History
The brewery behind Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu was established in 1795 in České Budějovice, a city called Budweis in German and historically associated with brewing in South Bohemia. It was founded by mostly German-speaking burghers and became known as Bürgerliches Brauhaus Budweis. The brewery’s beer was identified as Budweiser Bier or Budweiser Bürgerbräu from 1802, and the Budweiser name was formally registered as a trademark in 1899. The city’s geographic name gave the beer a distinctive identity as exports expanded. Beer from Budějovice was reaching the United States by 1875. In 1876, Anheuser-Busch introduced a separate Budweiser beer inspired by the established Budweis brewing tradition. A second major brewery was founded in České Budějovice in 1895 by the city’s growing Czech population after the Bürgerbräu brewery became an official court supplier to the King of Württemberg. This competitor eventually became Budějovický Budvar. The two Budweis breweries and Anheuser-Busch became participants in a prolonged international trademark conflict. Rights to Budweiser-related names were divided by territory, and European breweries gave up the right to use Budweiser in North America. The Bürgerbräu operation nevertheless retained or recovered several related names in later periods, including Budweiser Bürgerbräu, Budweiser Bier, Budweis Beer, and geographical designations connected with České Budějovice. The brewery suffered major disruption during the Second World War. Brewing stopped in January 1945, and the premises were damaged in an American bombing raid in March of that year. After the war, the expulsion of much of the German population changed the social context in which the brewery had been founded. In 1948, the Communist government nationalized both of České Budějovice’s breweries. German-sounding corporate and product names were replaced with Crystal or Samson, and the company operated for decades as První budějovický pivovar Samson. After the end of Communist rule, the brewery began restoring parts of its historical naming portfolio. It recovered national and international rights relating to Budějovický měšťanský pivovar and Budweiser Bürgerbräu in 1991, followed by rights connected with Budějovické pivo, Budweiser Bier, Biere de Budweis, and Budweis Beer in 1993. In 2001, the company formally adopted the name Budějovický měšťanský pivovar a.s., reflecting the historical Burghers’ Brewery identity in Czech. Trademark limitations continued to affect the beer’s international branding. In the United States, the brewery used B.B. Bürgerbräu and the description Budweis City Bier from 2005 rather than the Budweiser name. Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired the brewery in 2014 and renamed it Samson. The resulting portfolio included several Samson lagers, dark lager, bock, wheat beer, alcohol-free beer, and a diabetic beer. Although the operation continued to draw on its historic Budweis origin, the brewery was reported in 2023 to have suffered annual losses of tens of millions of Czech koruna for roughly thirty years.
- 2014
Acquisition and renaming as Samson
[1]Anheuser-Busch InBev acquires the brewery and renames it Samson.
- 2005
U.S. packaging uses B.B. Bürgerbräu
[1]Because of the trademark situation, the brewery markets its beer in the United States as B.B. Bürgerbräu and Budweis City Bier.
- 2001
Company adopts the Budějovický měšťanský pivovar name
[1]The company changes its formal name to Budějovický měšťanský pivovar a.s., corresponding to the historic Burghers’ Brewery identity.
- 1993
Additional geographical beer names are restored
[1]Rights associated with Budějovické pivo, Budweiser Bier, Biere de Budweis, and Budweis Beer are reacquired.
- 1991
Historical naming rights are reacquired
[1]The company reacquires rights connected with Budějovický měšťanský pivovar and Budweiser Bürgerbräu.
- 1948
The brewery is nationalized
[1]The Communist government nationalizes both of České Budějovice’s breweries and replaces German-associated names.
- 1945
Brewing stops and the site is damaged
[1]Brewing stops in January, and the brewery is damaged during the March bombing of České Budějovice.
- 1899
Budweiser becomes an official trademark
[1]The Budweiser name is formally registered as a trademark for the brewery’s beer.
- 1895
Czech joint-stock competitor is founded
[1]Czech residents of České Budějovice establish a competing joint-stock brewery that later becomes Budějovický Budvar.
- 1876
Anheuser-Busch introduces a Budweiser beer
[1]Anheuser-Busch begins selling a beer named Budweiser, contributing to the later international trademark conflict.
Products and positioning
A historic České Budějovice brewing identity built around local origin, the Budweis name, traditional lager production, and protected geographical and trademark rights. In later years the brewery’s commercial portfolio has primarily been presented under the Samson name.
Pale lager
Samson 10°
A Samson lager identified by the brewery’s 10° designation, reflecting the traditional degree-based naming convention used for Czech beers.
Pale lager
Samson 11°
A stronger pale-lager expression in the Samson range, identified by an 11° degree designation.
Pale lager
Samson 12° Pale Lager
A 12° pale lager presented as one of the brewery’s traditional Czech-style lager offerings.
Dark lager
Samson 12° Dark Lager
A dark counterpart to the Samson 12° pale lager, representing the brewery’s darker lager style within its core range.
Premium lager
Samson 1795 Premium Lager
A premium lager whose name references the brewery’s 1795 founding date and emphasizes its long brewing history.
Bock beer
Samson Bock
A stronger specialty beer in the bock style, distinct from the brewery’s standard pale-lager offerings.
Wheat beer
Samson HefeWeizen
A hefeweizen-style wheat beer included in the Samson portfolio, expanding the range beyond Czech lager styles.
Alcohol-free beer
Pito Budweiser Bier
An alcohol-free beer marketed under the Budweiser Bier identity and intended for consumption without alcohol.
Diabetic beer
Samson Dianello
A beer marketed as a diabetic beer and positioned as a specialized product within the brewery’s broader portfolio.
Brand decisions
2014
Acquisition by Anheuser-Busch InBevM&ABackground
The historically independent brewery operated amid persistent trademark constraints and long-term financial pressure.
Action taken
Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired the brewery and renamed it Samson.
Aftermath
The Samson name became the principal contemporary operating identity, while the Budweiser Bürgerbräu history remained part of the brewery’s heritage.
2005
Alternative U.S. brand presentationStrategyBackground
Trademark restrictions prevented the brewery from using Budweiser beer as its U.S. product name.
Action taken
The beer was offered in the United States as B.B. Bürgerbräu and described as Budweis City Bier.
Aftermath
The brewery maintained a presence in the U.S. market through an alternative identity rather than the Budweiser name.
1993
Further restoration of Budweis beer designationsStrategyBackground
The post-Communist company continued rebuilding its portfolio of historical and geographical product names.
Action taken
It reacquired rights related to Budějovické pivo, Budweiser Bier, Biere de Budweis, and Budweis Beer.
Aftermath
These rights supported the brewery’s return to historic Budweis-associated branding in selected markets.
1991
Reacquisition of historical naming rightsStrategyBackground
Following the end of Communist rule, the brewery sought to restore its historical identity and associated geographical names.
Action taken
It reacquired national naming rights and international protected geographical indication rights connected with Budějovický měšťanský pivovar and Budweiser Bürgerbräu.
Aftermath
The brewery was able to revive historical Budweis-related branding, although international trademark restrictions remained.
1895
A local Czech competitor is establishedStrategyBackground
The brewery’s court-supplier status and the changing linguistic and political balance in České Budějovice coincided with the creation of a Czech joint-stock competitor.
Action taken
Czech residents founded a separate brewery that later became Budějovický Budvar.
Aftermath
The two České Budějovice breweries became long-term local competitors and both later featured in Budweiser trademark conflicts.
Recent events
- 2023
The brewery reports prolonged annual losses[1]
Other
The brewery was reported to have been losing tens of millions of Czech koruna annually for approximately thirty consecutive years.
- 2014
Anheuser-Busch InBev acquires the brewery and renames it Samson[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired the brewery associated with Budweiser Bier Bürgerbräu and changed its operating name to Samson.
Sources2 sources
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