The Eggenberg Brewery, a family-run brewery noted for its strong beers, located in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, between Salzburg and Vienna.

The origins of the Schloss Eggenberg brewery date back to the 14th century. The business was acquired by Johan George Forstinger in 1803 and it continues in Fostinger-Stöhr family hands to this day, with the sixth and seventh generations of management in control. The historic brewery in a country manor, or schloss, was almost destroyed by a fire in 1877. It remains the family home but, for production, has been superseded by a modern, airy new brewhouse built alongside it in 2000, which offers spectacular views of Austria’s mountain and lakeland scenery through large panoramic windows.

A relatively small player in domestic terms, with approximately 2% of the Austrian market share, Eggenberg has nevertheless forged an international reputation on the back of its strongest beers. Urbock 23° (9.6%) was created specifically for the global market in the 1970s, but it was the acquisition of the Samichlaus brand from Swiss brewer Feldschlössen in 1999 that particularly raised its worldwide standing. This smoothly malty 14% alcohol by volume beer is brewed on December 6 (St Nicholas’s Day) every year and lagered for at least 10 months before being released for sale for the following Christmas. At the other end of the scale, Eggenberg is also known within Austria for its pioneering production of low-alcohol beers. Other products in the extensive portfolio include the pilsner-style Hopfenkönig and Nessie, a beer made with whiskey malt.