Augustiner-Bräu
Germany
EU
Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG is a private brewery in Munich and describes itself as the city's oldest private brewery. Its origins lie in the Augustinian monastery near Munich, where a brewery was first...
European Beer Brands
Bitburger
Germany
EU
Bitburger is a German brewery brand from Bitburg in the Eifel region. Johann Peter Wallenborn founded the brewery in Bitburg in 1817. The company today operates as Bitburger Braugruppe GmbH (Römermauer 3,...
Budweiser Budvar
Czechia
EU
Budweiser Budvar (Budějovický Budvar, národní podnik) is a Czech brewery in České Budějovice, at K. Světlé 512/4. Its direct predecessor, the Czech Joint Stock Brewery, was set up in the town in...
Carlsberg
Denmark
EU
Carlsberg Group is a Danish brewing company with headquarters in Copenhagen. It was established in 1847 by the brewer J.C. Jacobsen, who brewed the first Carlsberg beers in Copenhagen that year. According...
ERDINGER
Germany
EU
ERDINGER Weißbräu is a Bavarian wheat beer brewery in Erding, near Munich. The private brewery was founded in 1886 and is run as a family company: Werner Brombach led it in the...
Estrella Damm
Spain
EU
Estrella Damm is the best-known beer of S.A. Damm, a brewing group based in Barcelona (calle Rosselló 515). The company was founded in 1876 by August Kuentzmann Damm, a young brewer from...
Guinness
United Kingdom
Guinness is a stout brand with its roots in Dublin. It dates back to 1759, when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on the St James's Gate Brewery. According to Diageo the...
Heineken
Netherlands
EU
Heineken N.V. is a Dutch brewing group headquartered in Amsterdam. Its history goes back to 1864, when Gerard Heineken took over the De Hooiberg (Haystack) brewery in the city. The Heineken lager...
Krombacher
Germany
EU
Krombacher Brauerei Bernhard Schadeberg GmbH & Co. KG is a German brewery based in Kreuztal (Krombach) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The brewery was first documented in 1803, when Johannes Haas set up a...
Mahou San Miguel
Spain
EU
Mahou San Miguel is a Spanish brewing group based in Madrid (calle Titán 15). The company began in 1890 with the founding of Mahou and describes itself as the leader of the...
Paulaner
Germany
EU
Paulaner is a Munich brewery brand whose history the company traces back to 1634, when the monks of the Neudeck ob der Au monastery in Munich brewed a strong beer, the Paulaner...
Peroni
Italy
EU
Non-European Parent Company
Birra Peroni is an Italian brewer that began in 1846, when Francesco Peroni founded a small brewery in Vigevano. The company's legal headquarters is in Rome (Via Renato Birolli 8). Its best-known...
Pilsner Urquell
Czechia
EU
Non-European Parent Company
Pilsner Urquell is a Czech beer brand from Plzeň (Pilsen). It has been brewed since 1842, when the burghers of Pilsen set up their own brewery, and the brand points to Josef...
Stella Artois
Belgium
EU
Stella Artois is a Belgian pilsner brand from Leuven. The beer has been brewed in the city since 1926, and the Artois brewery in Leuven is still connected to the brand. Today...
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Submit SuggestionEuropean beer brands range from monastery breweries to global groups. This page lists 14 brewers with a headquarters in Europe: Heineken in Amsterdam, Carlsberg in Copenhagen, family breweries such as Krombacher, Bitburger and Erdinger, and the Munich names Augustiner and Paulaner. The seat of the company counts, not the place where a particular bottle was brewed.
Who owns the European beer brands?
Ownership is the main catch. Peroni and Pilsner Urquell are European brewers owned by Asahi of Japan, so they carry the non-European parent flag. Stella Artois belongs to AB InBev, whose global headquarters is in Leuven, and Guinness belongs to Diageo in London. Budweiser Budvar is state-owned by the Czech Republic, Augustiner is controlled by a foundation, and Mahou San Miguel calls itself 100 percent Spanish owned.
| Brand | Based in | Founded | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heineken | Amsterdam | 1864 | Heineken Holding and family |
| Carlsberg | Copenhagen | 1847 | Listed, Carlsberg Foundation as main holder |
| Stella Artois | Leuven | 1926 | AB InBev |
| Guinness | London (brewed in Dublin) | 1759 | Diageo |
| Peroni | Rome | 1846 | Asahi (Japan), flagged |
| Pilsner Urquell | Plzeň | 1842 | Asahi (Japan), flagged |
| Budweiser Budvar | České Budějovice | 1895 | Czech state |
| Augustiner-Bräu | Munich | 1328 | Foundation |
| Krombacher | Kreuztal | 1803 | Schadeberg family |
| Bitburger | Bitburg | 1817 | Family |
| Erdinger | Erding | 1886 | Family |
| Paulaner | Munich | 1634 | Schörghuber 70 %, Heineken 30 % |
| Mahou San Miguel | Madrid | 1890 | Spanish owners |
| Estrella Damm | Barcelona | 1876 | No majority holder |
Pilsner, wheat beer or stout?
The brands cover several styles. Pilsner Urquell points to the first golden pilsner, brewed in Plzeň since 1842. Erdinger and Paulaner are best known for Bavarian wheat beer, and Paulaner and Mahou San Miguel also sell alcohol-free versions. Guinness is the Irish stout. Estrella Damm and Mahou stand for Spanish lager. The product pages name each owner and headquarters so the list can be checked.