Beer drinking in the Augustiner Bräu in Salzburg | © Tourismus Salzburg

The Augustiner Bräustübl Mülln – enjoy Salzburg's history with every sip

The Augustiner Bräustübl is an old-established Salzburg institution. It was founded in 1621 by Augustinian monks in the Salzburg district of Mülln – today it has become an inherent part of anyone's agenda for a visit to Salzburg – a meeting point for visitors and locals alike and across generations.

A brewery steeped in tradition – the destination of many an excursion in the heart of Salzburg

When asked what they associate with the Augustiner Bräustübl at the foot of the Mönchsberg, most local Salzburgers will probably start reminiscing about their childhood. Both then and now, whenever visitors came from out of town, an excursion with guests to the Augustiner Bräustübl was on the agenda – truly a highlight for first-time visitors and regulars alike.

The concept of the Augustiner Bräustübl Mülln is a simple one: drinks must be purchased from the Bräustübl – food, however, can be brought in. Thus people have always brought wooden cutting boards for the food, cutlery, napkins, bacon, cheese and pickles in their picnic baskets. Warm Leberkäse [smooth meat loaf made of beef and pork], Radi (more on that later) and bread – all fresh and available at the numerous delightful food stalls. Cheers and bon appetit!

An institution since 1621

The Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln was founded by Augustine monks in 1621. The building was used as an army barrack from the end of the 18th century until 1851, however, in 1835, under Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, it was taken over by the Benedictine Abbey in Michaelbeuern. It was also the Benedictines who effected the expansion of the impressive beer garden – thus causing locals to flock there, especially on weekends or public holidays. Compared with nowadays, not much has changed there. In 1912, the Benedictines invested in a brewhouse which still exists in its original form today.

Bräustübl – impressive numbers

The Augustiner Bräustübl in Mülln with its 5,000 square metres floor space is considered the largest establishment of its kind in Austria. A grand total of 2,400 seats in divided into five large halls, three smaller rooms and the splendid beer garden with its magnificent chestnut trees – a welcome source off shade for guests during the summer.

Speaking of halls: in 2017, a new hall was added to the heritage-protected Augustiner Bräustübl: the Abt-Nicolaus-Saal. If it looks familiar, you are not dreaming: it is in fact the historic marble hall of Salzburg's main railway station, which was actually moved from there to Mülln.

The Bräustübl has an average of over 600,000 visitors a year, and is also home to over 240 Stammtische [tables for regulars]. There's one thing almost all the guests have in common: they want to enjoy the delicious Augustiner beer. That's why the brewery's total annual beer output is currently over 18,000 hectolitres.

Culinary delights at the Augustiner Braüstübl in Salzburg

It takes around 12 weeks to brew the Augustiner beer with hops, malt, yeast and water, and in strict adherence to the Purity Law. In 2012 the technology in the brewhouse was updated. The recipe, however, is still the traditional one, as is the brewing process with the open chilling of the beer wort in the last cooling vessel in Austria, and open fermentation vats. A guided tour of the brewery offers you the unique chance to witness this art of brewing first-hand.

The classic Augustiner Märzen beer is available all year round at the Augustiner Bräustübl. Other seasonal varieties include the Fastenbier [lent beer] (from Ash Wednesday until Easter) and the Bock beer (in November and December) – both are characterised by higher levels of original extract and alcohol. Have the beer brought to you – or even better: get it directly from the bar. There you can watch it being tapped directly from the wooden barrels into stoneware mugs. It doesn't get any better than that!

The culinary delights continue in the Müllner Bräustübl Schmankerlgang [delicatessen stalls]. The individual food stalls offer everything from tasty Pinzgauer Kaspressknödel [cheese dumplings] and roast chicken to the finest bread specialities, cheeses and spicy Liptauer [savoury cream cheese with paprika], as well as Leberkäse [smooth meat loaf made of beef and pork], caraway roast pork and knuckle of pork – not to forget the salads and mayonnaise specialities from the Schwaighofer delicatessen stall, which has delighted visitors in the Bräustübl for over 100 years. The Atanassoff family's "Radi & Radieschen" stall has offered their refreshing red and white radish specialities for over 45 years – a real treat that perfectly complements the flavour of the beer.