Independent private brewery in the Bregenzerwald producing beer, lemonades, soft drinks and editions such as whisky.
Brauerei Egg, Simma, Kohler GesmbH & Co KG
Egg (Bregenzerwald), ATNew on Amplifa
About Brauerei Egg
Brauerei Egg, based in Egg in the Bregenzerwald (Vorarlberg), was founded in 1894 as “Simma, Kohler & Cie” by local innkeepers; the first beer was tapped on 24 March 1894. It is the last surviving brewery of a region that once had more than 30 breweries and ranks among the smallest private breweries in Vorarlberg. Around 20,000 hectoliters of beer are produced per year – from Wälder Bier to Spezial, Heller Jokl, Keller, Pils, Dunkel, Bock, Radler and IPA – as well as about 7,000 hectoliters of lemonade and soft drinks. Malted summer brewing barley, Tettnang aroma hops or hop varieties from the USA and Bregenzerwald spring water are used; the wort is brewed in copper brew kettles. In addition, editions such as unfiltered cellar beer in swing-top bottles, Bock beer, beer vinegar, single malt whisky (matured in sherry casks) and beer goulash are offered, along with third-party merchandise as a full-range supplier. In 2024 the company merged with the beverage manufacturer Alfi and employs 31 staff. Distribution covers all of Vorarlberg with a focus on the Bregenzerwald; there is a warehouse store at the loading ramp, plus event service and brewery tours.
- Site
- Egg
- Processes
- Beer brewing (brewery, brewhouse), Filling (bottles, KEG, festival beer tank), Filtration of beer, Production of single malt whisky (mashing in copper brew kettles, maturation in sherry casks), Production of vinegar from Bock beer, Ramp sales (warehouse store at the loading ramp), Event service (beverage quantity calculation, rental of beer benches, parasols, cooling, glasses), Brewery tours
- Materials
- Brewing barley (summer brewing barley, malted), Tettnang aroma hops, Hop varieties from the USA, Bregenzerwald spring water, Copper (brew kettle), Malted summer brewing barley
- Founded
- 1894
- Employees
- 31 (as of 2024)
- Industries
- Brewery/beverage industry, Gastronomy, Retail, Events/event service
- 01
Brewing (brewhouse, copper brew kettles)
- 02
Fermentation and maturation (brewing tanks)
- 03
Filtration (depending on variety)
- 04
Filling (bottles, KEG, festival beer tank)
- 05
Distribution and delivery (trucks)
- 06
Ramp sales and event service
Raw Materials & Brewing Process
Malted summer brewing barley
Basic raw material for the beers and the single malt whisky.
Tettnang aroma hops
Gives Egger Edel Pils its finely bitter character.
Hop varieties from the USA
Three varieties for the double hopping of Egger IPA.
Bregenzerwald spring water
Own spring as the basis for beers, table water and whisky.
Copper (brew kettle)
Copper brew kettles for mashing, among other things for the single malt.
Site
Egg
ATBrewery, administration, ramp sales
- Materials
- Beer, lemonade, soft drinks
- 2 brewing tanks (2023)
- Copper brew kettle
- Filling line
- Delivery vehicles (trucks)
- Forklift
Beverages
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer brewing (brewery, brewhouse)Other (food/beverage production) | – | – | – | – | Brewing barley (summer brewing barley, malted), Hops (Tettnang aroma hops, hop varieties from the USA), Bregenzerwald spring water |
| Filling (bottles, KEG, festival beer tank)Other (food/beverage production) | – | – | – | – | Beer, Lemonade, Table water, Mineral water |
| Filtration of beerOther (food/beverage production) | – | – | – | – | Beer |
| Production of single malt whisky (mashing in copper brew kettles, maturation in sherry casks)Other (food/beverage production) | – | – | – | – | Malted summer brewing barley, Bregenzerwald spring water |
| Production of vinegar from Bock beerOther (food/beverage production) | – | – | – | – | Bock beer |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewing tank | – | 2 | – | 2023 | Brauerei Egg, Gerbe 500, 6863 Egg |
| Brew kettle (copper) | – | – | – | – | Brauerei Egg, Gerbe 500, 6863 Egg |
| Filling machine (filling line) | – | – | – | – | Brauerei Egg, Gerbe 500, 6863 Egg |
| Truck (delivery vehicles) | – | – | – | – | Brauerei Egg, Gerbe 500, 6863 Egg |
| Forklift | – | – | – | – | Brauerei Egg, Gerbe 500, 6863 Egg |
Additional services
History
- 1894
Founded as “Simma, Kohler & Cie” by local innkeepers; the first beer was tapped on 24 March 1894.
- 1902
The opening of the Bregenzerwald railway (Wälderbahn line) from Bregenz to Bezau enabled beer deliveries to the state capital and surrounding area.
- 1978
Legal dispute with the private brewery Fritz Egger over the designation “Egger Bier”; the Supreme Court (OGH) ruled on 30 March 1982 only on the subsidiary claim (restriction to Vorarlberg).
- 2020
COVID-19 pandemic: 20 of 25 employees on short-time work, 15,000 liters of beer had to be destroyed.
- 2022
Member of the Association of Independent Private Breweries of Austria; gold at the European Beer Star Award in Munich for the cellar beer.
- 2023
Two new brewing tanks commissioned as a step toward the future.
- 2024
Merger with the beverage manufacturer Alfi; workforce expanded to 31 employees.