Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb

What Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb does

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb GmbH is an independent, family-owned Austrian brewery headquartered in Micheldorf, Carinthia, operating continuously since 1270 and under the current owner family since 1846 (now led in the fifth and sixth generation by Dr. Klaus Möller and Nikolaus Riegler). The company brews 15 beer specialties — including Pils, Märzen, Weizen, Zwickl, dark, Bock, organic, hemp, seasonal, and a 3.8% ABV session beer — plus Hirter Crush lemonades and a small range of brandies, wines and vinegars, using water from 24 own mountain springs, regional Carinthian barley, and Mühlviertler/Hallertau hops. Production runs on a Slow Brewing-certified process (only 32 breweries in Europe hold this) with a two-tank fermentation and double-filtration approach, supported by a modern bottling line rated at 30,000 bottles/hour and an energy infrastructure that covers ~80% of electricity from on-site solar (~950,000 kWh/year), two hydropower plants, geothermal and groundwater heat, plus >80% CO2 recovery from fermentation. The brewery invested approximately €22 million in 2023–2025 across a sustainable storage and logistics hall and the new bottling/packaging facility.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: B2B field sales with dedicated representatives for gastronomy, hotels and food retail across Austria (supported by a B2B portal and weekend order hotline), complemented by direct-to-consumer channels including the 300 sqm Hirter Bierathek brewery shop, the Klagenfurt Hirter Genusstheke, the shop.hirterbier.at online store, and the on-site Hirter Braukeller restaurant. Premium experience offerings (brewery tours, a Beer Sommelier certification course accredited by the Austrian Brewers Association, and full-day Brewing Day experiences) and a curated wine partnership (Weinagentur Jordan) extend the proposition beyond core beer. The company is a co-founder of the Association of Independent Private Breweries of Austria and a member of the CulturBrauer alliance, and has accumulated 6 Gold, 5 Silver and 5 Bronze European Beer Star awards alongside a 2026 CCA Venus Award for brand relaunch.

Revenue is generated across transaction-based streams: core B2B beer distribution, B2B wholesale to food retail, D2C e-commerce, owned retail (Bierathek, Genusstheke), and hospitality (Hirter Braukeller restaurant, brewery tours, Sommelier course fees). B2B pricing is not publicly disclosed; disclosed consumer prices include brewery tours at €14.90/person, Brewing Day experiences at €160/person, and the certified Beer Sommelier course at €1,650 per participant. The company employs 51–100 staff across brewing, sales, logistics, retail, marketing, sustainability and administration.

Name

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb

Legal name

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb GmbH

Website

https://hirterbier.at

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb is an independent family-owned Austrian brewery (since 1270) in Micheldorf, Carinthia, producing 15 beer specialties and non-alcoholic drinks for Austrian gastronomy, food retail, and direct consumers through B2B field sales, owned retail, e-commerce, and on-site hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Craft Beer Retail & Bottle Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAC)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Beer distribution
• Brewery hospitality
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Specialty beer varieties

Headquarters

HQ city

Micheldorf

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Beer and Beverage Production and Sales: Core revenue from brewing and selling 15 beer varieties including Pils, Märzen, Weizen, dark beers, seasonal specials, and non-alcoholic beers. Also includes Hirter Crush lemonades.
2. Hospitality - Hirter Braukeller Restaurant: On-site restaurant operations offering regional Austrian cuisine with Alpe Adria influences, including event hosting and catering.
3. Retail - Bierathek and Genusstheke: Direct retail sales through brewery shop (Bierathek) in Hirt and Genusstheke in Klagenfurt, selling beers, regional delicacies, wines, and merchandise.
4. E-commerce Online Shop: Direct-to-consumer online sales of full product range delivered to customers.
5. B2B Sales to Gastronomy and Retail: Wholesale and distribution of beer products to restaurants, hotels, and food retail stores across Austria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb brews and distributes a portfolio of approximately 15 traditional Austrian craft beers (Pils, Märzen, Weizen, dark, Bock, Zwickl, non-alcoholic, seasonal) using water from 24 private mountain springs and regionally sourced barley and hops. The company sells through a B2B sales force to Austrian gastronomy, hotels and food retail, and through direct-to-consumer channels including the Hirter Braukeller restaurant, Bierathek brewery shop, Genusstheke retail location in Klagenfurt, and an online shop. Complementary offerings include Hirter Crush lemonades, fine brandies and wines, plus educational experiences such as brewery tours, Brewing Days, and a certified Beer Sommelier course.

Product overview

Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb is a family-owned brewery dating to 1270, offering a portfolio of 15 beer specialties across multiple styles (Pils, Märzen, Amber lager, Dark beer, Wheat beer, Bock, Zwickl, Session beer, Radler, Non-alcoholic, Specialty beers). The core beer range includes Hirter Privat Pils (flagship), Hirter Märzen (with Carinthian barley), Hirter 1270 (amber), Hirter Kellermeister (organic cloudy), Hirter Morchl (dark), Hirter Hello (session beer), Hirter Biohanfbier (hemp), Hirter Rubin Bock (strong aged 6 months), Hirter Zwickl (Bohemian cloudy), Hirter Kräuterradler (herb Radler), Hirter Freigeist (non-alcoholic), Hirter Weizen (wheat), and Hirter Herbstkult (seasonal). Beyond beers, the portfolio includes Hirter Crush lemonades (apple-rose blossom) and fine specialties (brandies, wines, vinegars). Experience offerings comprise the Hirter Braukeller restaurant, Hirter Bierathek brewery shop, Hirter Genusstheke retail location in Klagenfurt, plus brewery tours, Brewing Days experiences, and Beer Sommelier certification courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hirter Privat Pils Flagship Pilsner brewed following traditional Bohemian recipes with a long maturation period; sparkling golden color, fragrant hop notes and a refreshingly crisp, slightly bitter finish. Aimed at gastronomy, retail and direct consumers seeking a premium Austrian pilsner.
• Hirter Märzen Vienna-style Märzen lager brewed with Carinthian malting barley from the Krappfeld region and the brewery's own mountain spring water; brilliant golden color with stable white foam and a smooth, full-bodied taste.
• Hirter 1270 Amber-colored specialty beer paying homage to the 1270 founding year; color derived from gently roasted caramelized brewing malt, sparkling amber appearance with cream-colored foam.
• Hirter Kellermeister Organic, naturally cloudy specialty beer brewed with the finest organic ingredients from regional organic farmers; yeasty character with pure malt notes, gently sweet and fruity. Slow Brewing certified.
• Hirter Morchl International award-winning dark beer with rich aromatic complexity featuring notes of chocolate and coffee; dark brown with fine-pored dark foam.
• Hirter Hello Session beer (Feines Helles / Feines Helles) launched in 2025 with 3.8% alcohol content; bright golden color, smooth and full-bodied character, brewed with pure mountain spring water. Positioned as a lighter, easy-drinking option.
• Hirter Biohanfbier Craft beer with perfectly integrated organic hemp seeds from Southern Carinthia and selected organic ingredients; rich golden color, fruity and easy to drink. Certified organic.
• Hirter Rubin Bock Strong Bock beer aged for six months; distinctive red color from a blend of fine malt varieties, elegant aroma of dried fruit, full-bodied with aromatic hop notes.
• Hirter Zwickl Naturally cloudy beer brewed according to traditional Bohemian recipes; medium golden yellow with natural cloudiness, fruity notes of white peach and a subtle yeasty character.
• Hirter Kräuterradler

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% less energy consumption in new bottling line
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Weinagentur JordancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership through which the brewery broadened its world of enjoyment to include carefully curated wine expertise, offering fine wines alongside beer products at the Genusstheke location and through combined offerings.
• Verein der Unabhängigen Privatbrauereien ÖsterreichscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of Independent Private Breweries of Austria, founded in 2021 by 10 private breweries including Hirter, representing a commitment to independence and vibrant beer diversity in Austria.
• CulturBrauercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of seven family-run independent breweries established in 2008, committed to independent brewing craft, true regional roots, and uncompromising quality.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Schneider Weisse (G. Schneider & Sohn): Independently-owned Bavarian wheat-beer brewery with strong craft credentials, on-site brewery hospitality, and export across German-speaking Europe. Comparable to Hirter on family-owned independence, premium craft positioning, and experiential offerings.
• Augustiner-Bräu Wagner: Independently-owned Munich brewery renowned for traditional Bavarian brewing and on-site Hofbräuhaus-style hospitality. Closely comparable to Hirter on independence, heritage brewing, multi-channel experience model (brewery + restaurant + retail), and mid-sized regional positioning.
• Weihenstephan Brewery: Often cited as the world's oldest brewery, Bavaria-based, with a strong craft/traditional portfolio sold across German-speaking Europe. Highly relevant heritage and craft-credentials peer to Hirter, though larger and with broader international distribution.
• Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg: Independently-owned Austrian regional brewery headquartered in Salzburg with a broad beer portfolio, Brauerei-owned restaurant, brewery shop, and strong gastronomy/hotel distribution. Closely matches Hirter's multi-channel go-to-market and regional Austrian family-brewery identity.
• Hofbräu München (Staatliches Hofbräuhaus): State-owned Munich brewery operating a flagship brewery-restaurant plus broad distribution. Comparable to Hirter on the brewery-as-experience model and on heritage-led brand positioning in the DACH region.
• Gösser Brauerei (Brau Union / Heineken): Major Austrian brewery now owned by Heineken, distributing a national brand across Austrian gastronomy and food retail. Direct competitor in the same channels, though operating at materially larger scale and backed by multinational marketing muscle.
• Ottakringer Brauerei: Vienna-based Austrian regional brewery producing a broad portfolio of beers for the domestic gastronomy and retail market. Most direct comparable in terms of scale, geography, channel mix (gastronomy + retail + DTC) and Austrian craft positioning, though publicly listed.
• Trumer Pils (Brauerei Trumer): Austrian craft pilsner specialist with strong gastronomy presence and a similar focus on premium positioning. Direct competitor in Austrian on-trade channels, comparable in scale and product focus.

Broad incumbents

• Birra Moretti (Heineken Italy): Italian heritage lager brand now under Heineken, distributed across European gastronomy and retail. Relevant comparator for how a regional heritage brand scales (and is constrained) within a multinational's portfolio structure.

Regional players

• Budweiser Budvar (Budějovický Budvar): Czech state-owned brewery producing traditional lagers under a heritage brand with strong export presence in German-speaking Europe. Comparable as a state-protected heritage craft producer expanding internationally — relevant benchmark for Hirter's potential export trajectory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hirterbiercroatia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/privatbrauerei-hirt-vertrieb-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Privatbrauerei Hirt Vertrieb