Brauerei Fohrenburg

What Brauerei Fohrenburg does

Brauerei Fohrenburg is a regional Austrian brewery founded in 1881 by Ferdinand Gassner in Bludenz, Vorarlberg, and currently operated as a Kommanditgesellschaft under Brauerei Fohrenburg KG with Brauerei Fohrenburg GmbH as general partner. The company is controlled by Brau Union Österreich AG (part of the Heineken group) and runs a portfolio of 13 beer specialties brewed under the Reinheitsgebot (1516 Beer Purity Law) using water from the Silvretta-Arlberg mountain massif. Flagship products include Fohrenburger Jubiläum (5.5% ABV, gold medal at European Beer Star 2023 and 2025), Oberländer, Stiftle/Stift, Saurer Radler, Weizen and its alcohol-free variant, Alkoholfrei, the Braumeister Hofbier (BIO Austria certified), and the classical Engelburg Bräu. The brewery operates a modern brewhouse built in 2011 with 145,000 liters/day capacity and 193,000 hectoliters annual output, supported by an in-house pure-culture yeast plant and a new filter cellar.

The business model is asset-intensive regional brewing with omnichannel distribution: 23 company-owned trucks deliver daily to retail (SPAR, Sutterlüty, Grissemann), HoReCa accounts (including mountain ski resorts served via the Bierkugel cellar tank system introduced in 1980), and direct-to-consumer channels via the Fohrenburger Lada physical store and relaunched webshop. The brewery employs approximately 110 people and serves as the only large-scale brewery in Vorarlberg, complemented by a wholly-owned Italian subsidiary (Fohrenburg Italia s.r.l., est. 1999) for export markets in Northern Italy, Liechtenstein, and Eastern Switzerland. Compliance with ISO 9001 (1999) and IFS food-safety standards, combined with multiple international beer awards, supports a premium positioning strategy anchored in regional identity and the "Fohrever - Brewed for Friendships" brand narrative.

Name

Brauerei Fohrenburg

Legal name

Brauerei Fohrenburg KG (Kommanditgesellschaft)

Website

https://fohrenburg.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brauerei Fohrenburg is a Vorarlberg-based Austrian regional brewery founded in 1881, producing 13 beer specialties under the Reinheitsgebot and serving Vorarlberg and Tyrol consumers through retail, gastronomy, and an owned 23-truck distribution fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer / Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Kombucha & Other Fermented Non-Alcoholic Beverages (AFAFABAK)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Regional brewery
• Beer specialties
• Wheat beer brewing
• Brewery distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Bludenz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales: Sale of 13 beer specialties (Jubiläum, Oberländer, Stiftle/Stift, Saurer Radler, Alkoholfrei, Weizen, Weizen Alkoholfrei, Engelburg Bräu) in various packaging formats (0.33L, 0.5L bottles, cans). Primary revenue stream.
2. E-commerce Merchandise: Web shop selling Fohrenburger branded merchandise, promotional items, and the label configurator for personalized beer labels.
3. Beverage Distribution: Distribution of additional beverages including Diezano lemonade and other products through the Fohrenburger Lada store and retail channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Brauerei Fohrenburg is a traditional Austrian regional brewery that produces and sells 13 beer specialties including specialty beers (Jubiläum, Oberländer), Märzenbier (Stiftle/Stift), beer mixed drinks (Saurer Radler), wheat beers (Weizen and alcohol-free variants), non-alcoholic beer, and a BIO-certified specialty (Braumeister Hofbier). All beers are brewed according to the 1516 Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) using spring water from the Silvretta-Arlberg massif, packaged in 0.33L and 0.5L bottles, cans, and Bierkugel cellar tanks, and distributed primarily to retail, gastronomy, and direct consumers in Vorarlberg and Tyrol.

Product overview

Brauerei Fohrenburg is a traditional Austrian brewery founded in 1881 in Bludenz, Vorarlberg, now owned by Brau Union Österreich AG. The company's product portfolio consists of 8 distinct beer specialties, including flagship specialty beers (Fohrenburger Jubiläum, Oberländer, Stiftle/Stift), mixed drinks (Saurer Radler), wheat beers (Weizen, including alcohol-free variants), a classic tap beer (Engelburg Bräu), and an organic specialty (BRAUMEISTER HOFBIER). All beers are brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516 using water from the Silvretta-Arlberg massif. The company complements its core beer products with digital services including an online webshop with merchandise sales, a beer label configurator tool for custom label orders, and brewery experience tours. The portfolio emphasizes regional identity, quality craftsmanship, and continuous innovation, as evidenced by recent launches of new bottle formats and crate systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fohrenburger Jubiläum: Specialty beer with 12.8° original gravity, 5.5% alcohol. Won Gold at European Beer Star 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
• Fohrenburger Oberländer
• Fohrenburger Stiftle/Stift
• Fohrenburger Saurer Radler
• Fohrenburger Alkoholfrei
• Fohrenburger Weizen
• Fohrenburger Weizen Alkoholfrei
• Engelburg Bräu

Products and services

• Fohrenburger Jubiläum Flagship specialty beer with 12.8° original gravity and 5.5% alcohol content, brewed with crystal-clear water from the Silvretta-Arlberg massif. Multiple European Beer Star Gold award winner (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025). Available in 0.5L bottles, 0.33L bottles, and 0.5L cans.
• Fohrenburger Oberländer Unfiltered, authentic specialty beer with strong-full-bodied character and refreshing quality, brewed with selected specialty malts and fine hops from Tettnang and Alsace. 12.9° original gravity, 5.6% alcohol. Available in 0.5L bottles.
• Fohrenburger Stiftle / Stift Traditional Vorarlberg Märzenbier (March beer) with refreshing light character and mild hop note. 11.8° original gravity, 4.8% alcohol. Available in both 0.33L and new 0.5L bottles.
• Fohrenburger Saurer Radler Beer mixed drink made from 60% specialty beer and 40% spring water with carbonation. 3.3% alcohol, only 28 kcal/100ml. Available in 0.5L and 0.33L bottles. Won TOP INNOVATION 2003 award.
• Fohrenburger Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free beer with fine herb, beer-like taste. Contains less than 0.5% Vol alcohol - the least alcohol of all non-alcoholic beers brewed in the region. 7.1° original gravity. Available in 0.33L bottles.
• Fohrenburger Weizen Cloudy top-fermented wheat beer with unmistakable flavor from fine natural yeast, best wheat and barley malt. Features pleasant prickling carbonation. 12.5° original gravity, 5.2% alcohol. Available in 0.5L bottles.
• Fohrenburger Weizen Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free wheat beer ideal for athletes. Naturally isotonic, vitamin-rich with valuable minerals. Only 27 kcal/100ml. Features Mandarina Bavaria hop variety with fine citrus note. 7.5° original gravity.
• Engelburg Bräu Classic herb and fresh tap beer (Schankbier) brewed according to old tradition since 1978 at the Bludenz location. 9.6° original gravity, 4.2% alcohol. Available in 0.5L bottles and 0.5L cans.
• Fohrenburger Braumeister Hofbier Organic specialty beer in BIO Austria quality, brewed with 100% BIO barley from Vorarlberg farms. Bottom-fermented, bright, natural Vollbier with 11.9° original gravity and 4.8% alcohol.
• Fohrenburger Bieretiketten Konfigurator (Beer Label Configurator) Online tool that allows customers to design and order custom beer labels for the Jubiläum specialty beer. Labels and photos are stored temporarily (3 days for non-completed orders, 14 days for saved templates).
• Fohrenburger Merchandise Branded merchandise items including promotional articles available through the Fohrenburger webshop, including the Fohrenburger Lada mobile store and special merchandise collections.

Quantifiable outcome

• European Beer Star Gold Award 2025 and 2023 in German-Style Export category
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles11 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SPAR Austria (Vorarlberg)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 June 2026SPAR is a major retail chain partner for Fohrenburger in Vorarlberg. The Szene Open Air prize competition takes place in SPAR stores, with purchase receipts required for entry. Fohrenburger products are sold across SPAR locations in the region.
• Rauch FruchtsäfteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Cooperation with Rauch fruit juices began in 1998 for distribution of fruit beverages alongside Fohrenburger beer.
• SCR AltachcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSCR Altach is a football club that Fohrenburger has partnered with for many decades. The partnership is described as reliable and strong, based on mutual trust and appreciation - a true partnership at eye level. Fohrenburger provides sponsorship and branding opportunities while supporting regional sports.
• Szene Open Air FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSzene Openair is a regional music festival where Fohrenburger supports with perfect quality and is described as more than a sponsor - a real part of the Szene family. Partnership includes VIP packages, festival passes, and product presence.
• Poolbar FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Poolbar Festival in Feldkirch is in its 32nd year, and Fohrenburger beer has been present from the beginning. The partnership has evolved into a friendship, much like how new acquaintances become friends over a 'kühles Fohren' (cold Fohrenburger).
• Sutterlüty & GrissemannminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional retail partners in Bludenz, Vorarlberg. Host the SUP Board prize competition with in-store drop boxes for entry cards.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mohrenbrauerei Vertriebs KG: Austrian regional brewery also based in Vorarlberg (Dornbirn), operating in the same home market with a similar craft/regional positioning and traditional beer portfolio. Direct head-to-head competitor for Vorarlberg retail and HoReCa share.
• Privatbrauerei Zwettl Karl Schwarz GmbH: Independent Austrian regional brewery in Lower Austria with a comparable specialty beer portfolio (including non-alcoholic and seasonal SKUs) and similar privately-held / family-controlled heritage brand positioning.
• Hirter Privatbrauerei GmbH: Austrian regional brewery in Carinthia with similar mid-market scale, traditional brewing heritage, and a comparable specialty/premium product strategy targeting regional consumer loyalty.
• Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg GmbH: Austrian regional brewery headquartered in Salzburg of comparable scale and heritage (founded 1492), competing in the same traditional/premium segment with similarly broad specialty beer portfolio and regional distribution strength.
• Ottakringer Brauerei AG: Vienna-based Austrian regional brewery with a comparable specialty/premium beer portfolio, strong regional brand identity, and similar multi-channel distribution (retail, HoReCa, e-commerce) model.

Broad incumbents

• Weihenstephan Brewery: Germany's oldest brewery (founded 1040), a broad European incumbent in the traditional Bavarian specialty beer segment, often used as a quality benchmark in competitions where Fohrenburg competes (e.g., European Beer Star).
• Gösser Brauerei (Brau Union Österreich AG): Sister brewery under the same Brau Union Österreich AG parent (Heineken). Larger national-scale Austrian brewery sharing distribution, sales, and corporate resources; represents both a potential scale channel and an intra-group competitive risk.
• Wieselburger Brauerei (Brau Union Österreich AG): Another Austrian regional brewery within the Brau Union portfolio; similar production scale and regional positioning, demonstrating the group's broader regional brewery operating model.
• Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG: Major Munich-based traditional Bavarian brewery and a European benchmark for premium Reinheitsgebot-compliant beer. Operates at significantly larger scale but competes in the same traditional specialty beer category.

Others

• Heineken N.V. Ultimate parent group of Brau Union Österreich AG and therefore of Brauerei Fohrenburg. Not a direct competitor but the corporate parent providing capital, distribution, and strategic direction, and a useful comparable for group-level valuation context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fohrenburger
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fohrenburger
• Instagraminstagram.com/fohrenburger
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brauerei-fohrenburg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 Brauerei Fohrenburg