Pivovar Dalešice

Pivovar Dalešice (Dalešice Brewery) is a Czech brewery located in the village of Dalešice in the Třebíč District of the Vysočina Region. Its origins reach back to the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, with the first surviving written record dating from 1609 in the Moravian Land Tables. The oldest surviving buildings date from the 17th century and are in the early Baroque style. Brewing reached its peak during the 19th century, particularly after the estate and brewery were bought in 1882 by Anton Dreher, a major figure in the brewing industry, who modernized the operation. Equipment from that era remained in use until brewing ceased in 1977. After the last batch was brewed on 19 August 1977, the brewery fell into disrepair. In 1991 it was pledged to a bank and nearly demolished, overgrown with volunteer trees and targeted by vandalism. In 1999 it was purchased by its current owners, who restored brewing and saved the brewery complex as a whole. Brewing resumed at the beginning of the 21st century and the site was reconstructed. Today the brewery is a popular tourist destination and includes a museum of Austro-Hungarian brewing. The brewery became widely known thanks to the film Postřižiny (Cutting It Short), directed by Jiří Menzel in 1980 from the novella by Bohumil Hrabal. The brewery chimney was the setting for one of the film's main scenes, in which the brewer's wife Maryška, played by Magda Vašáryová, climbs it with her brother-in-law Pepin, played by Jaromír Hanzlík. In reality stunt performers climbed the chimney and the scene was shot on mock-ups in a nearby courtyard. The chimney, partly demolished and rebuilt, now stands 21 metres tall. The brewery produces Dalešická 11° light beer (both unfiltered and filtered), Májový ležák, a light 13° special (unfiltered), and Fledermaus, a dark 13° special (unfiltered). The site also operates a hotel, a restaurant and hosts corporate and private events, weddings and family celebrations. The company presents itself as "Pivovar filmových postřižin" (the brewery of the film Postřižiny) and exports beer to several pubs.

The brewery in Dalešice was probably founded at the end of the 16th century; the first surviving mention of it comes from 1609 in the Moravian Land Tables. The oldest buildings date from the 17th century, from the early Baroque period. In 1882 the estate and brewery were bought by Anton Dreher, a major entrepreneur in the brewing field. Under him the entire operation was modernized. The equipment was used until the brewery's demise in 1977. In 1921, as part of land reform, the brewery together with the whole Hrotovice estate was bought for the purposes of parcelization for 18 million Kč by the Moravian Agrarian and Industrial Bank. During parcelization the Dalešice brewery was acquired by the Zemědělská jednota Československá with its branch office in Hrotovice (Zemědělská jednota v Hrotovicích, z. sp. s r. o.); most of the 12 distilleries fell to residual estates, the others to cooperatives. The brewery operated as a cooperative brewery and soda factory. Under socialism it was nationalized and incorporated into the enterprise PIVOVARY A SLADOVNY Praha. On 19 August 1977 the last batch of beer was brewed. In the following years the brewery decayed, and in 1991 it was pledged to a bank and nearly demolished, overgrown with volunteer trees, and became a target of vandalism. In 1999 it was bought by its current owners, who restored brewing production and saved the brewery as a whole. At present the brewery complex contains a hotel and a restaurant. The brewery exports beer to several pubs. The brewery became known mainly thanks to the film Postřižiny, which director Jiří Menzel shot here in 1980 based on the novella of the same name by Bohumil Hrabal. The local chimney became the setting of one of the film's main scenes. The brewer's wife Maryška, played by actress Magda Vašáryová, climbed it with her brother-in-law Pepin, played by Jaromír Hanzlík. In reality, however, stuntmen climbed the chimney and the whole scene was shot on mock-ups in a nearby courtyard. The chimney, which was partly demolished and rebuilt, now stands 21 metres tall.

• 1999

  Brewery bought by current owners, who restored brewing.

• 1991

  Brewery pledged to a bank and nearly demolished.

• 1980

  Jiří Menzel filmed Postřižiny at the brewery.

• 1977

  Last batch of beer brewed on 19 August; brewing ceased.

• 1921

  Brewery and Hrotovice estate bought by the Moravian Agrarian and Industrial Bank for parcelization.

• 1882

  Estate and brewery bought by Anton Dreher, leading to modernization.

• 1609

  First surviving written mention of the brewery in the Moravian Land Tables.

Historic Czech brewery and tourist destination known as the brewery of the film Postřižiny, offering traditional beer, a hotel, restaurant and museum.

• Dalešická 11°

  Light beer, both unfiltered and filtered.

• Májový ležák

  Light 13° special, unfiltered.

• Fledermaus

  Dark 13° special, unfiltered.

1. 1AKCIOVÝ PIVOVAR DALEŠICE, a.s.pivovar-dalesice.cz
2. 2Pivovar Dalešicewikidata.org
3. 3Pivovar Dalešicecs.wikipedia.org