Plzeňský Prazdroj

Plzeňský Prazdroj is a brewing company based in Plzeň, Czech Republic, a city closely associated with the origins of the pilsner brewing tradition. Its best-known brand is Pilsner Urquell, a pale lager recognized for its refreshing profile and pronounced hop character. The name may refer both to the brewing business and to the industrial brewing complex in Plzeň. The company is now part of the Asahi Group, with activities centered on beer production, brand management, and market distribution. Available material is insufficient to document a complete corporate history, product portfolio, or operating figures, so this entry retains only information that can be stated with confidence.

The origins of Plzeňský Prazdroj are conventionally traced to 1842, when the Bürgerliches Bräuhaus in Pilsen began brewing a pale, bottom-fermented lager that later became Pilsner Urquell. The brewery’s location offered access to soft local water, pale malt, and Saaz-area hops, while the use of Bavarian-style bottom fermentation helped produce a beer unlike the darker and often top-fermented beers common in the region at the time. Its appearance and flavour proved commercially influential, and the Pilsen style was copied by brewers across Europe and eventually around the world. The brewery’s development occurred alongside major political and industrial changes in Central Europe. It operated during the Austro-Hungarian era and later became part of the brewing economy of Czechoslovakia. After the Second World War, the brewery was nationalised and integrated into the state-controlled brewing system. Brewing assets and regional brands were subsequently reorganised during the post-1989 transition to a market economy. The Pilsen operation became a joint-stock company and participated in the consolidation of Czech brewing. The company’s modern portfolio expanded beyond the original Pilsen beer. It came to include the Gambrinus brewery and brand, the Velké Popovice brewery and Velkopopovický Kozel, the Radegast brewery and brand, and Birell, a leading Czech alcohol-free beer. These assets gave the business a combination of historic premium positioning, high-volume domestic lager, regional identity, export potential, and alcohol-free products. International ownership became increasingly important. Plzeňský Prazdroj was acquired by South African Breweries and subsequently became part of SABMiller. During this period, the business benefited from international distribution while continuing to market its brands as distinctly Czech. In 2016, Anheuser-Busch InBev agreed to acquire SABMiller. Competition authorities required the disposal of several Central and Eastern European businesses, and Asahi Group Holdings agreed to purchase Plzeňský Prazdroj together with related regional beer operations. The transaction closed in 2017. Under Asahi ownership, Plzeňský Prazdroj operates within Asahi Europe & International. The company continues to brew for the Czech market and export its brands internationally. Pilsner Urquell remains the central heritage asset, while Gambrinus, Velkopopovický Kozel, Radegast, and Birell support broader market coverage. The company also uses brewery tourism, traditional serving methods, hospitality partnerships, and cultural associations with Czech beer to reinforce its position. Its history therefore links a specific nineteenth-century brewing innovation with the development of modern Czech beer culture and the global consolidation of the brewing industry.

1. 2017Transferred to Asahi Group

   Asahi Group Holdings completed the acquisition of Plzeňský Prazdroj and associated Central and Eastern European beer operations from Anheuser-Busch InBev.

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2. 2002Integrated into SABMiller

   Following the merger of South African Breweries and Miller Brewing, Plzeňský Prazdroj became part of SABMiller.

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3. 1999Became part of South African Breweries

   South African Breweries acquired control of the Czech brewing business, beginning its period within an international brewing group.

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4. 1992Modern joint-stock company established

   The post-socialist restructuring of Czech brewing led to the formation of the modern Plzeňský Prazdroj joint-stock company.

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5. 1898Pilsner Urquell name introduced

   The designation Pilsner Urquell, meaning “original source of pilsner,” was adopted to distinguish the Pilsen beer from imitations and later pilsner-style products.

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6. 1842First beer brewed at the Pilsen civic brewery

   The newly established Bürgerliches Bräuhaus in Pilsen brewed the pale lager that became Pilsner Urquell and the historical reference point for the pilsner style.

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A historic Czech brewing house combining the origin story of pilsner with a broad portfolio of domestic, premium, regional, and alcohol-free beer brands.

• Pilsner UrquellPremium pale lager1842

  The company’s signature beer and the historic original Pilsen lager. It is known for its golden colour, pronounced hop bitterness, malty body, and use of traditional Czech brewing associations. Pilsner Urquell is distributed in draught, bottle, and can formats and serves as the principal international expression of the brewery’s heritage.

• GambrinusMainstream lager

  A major Czech lager brand in the company’s mainstream portfolio. Gambrinus has traditionally been marketed as an accessible, broadly distributed beer for everyday consumption and the hospitality channel, complementing the more premium and heritage-led positioning of Pilsner Urquell.

• Velkopopovický KozelLager and dark beer1874

  A Czech brand originating from Velké Popovice. Its portfolio includes pale lager and dark beer expressions, with the goat emblem and regional brewery heritage forming central parts of its identity. The brand has also developed a substantial international presence.

• RadegastBitter lager1970

  A Moravian beer brand associated with a more pronounced bitter taste and the Radegast brewery in Nošovice. It provides the portfolio with strong regional roots and a differentiated flavour profile within the Czech lager market.

• BirellAlcohol-free beer1975

  A leading Czech alcohol-free beer brand offering non-alcoholic alternatives in several formats and flavour variants. Birell broadens the company’s reach to consumers seeking moderation, driving occasions, or an alcohol-free substitute for conventional beer.

• 2016Sale to Asahi agreedM&A

  The proposed Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of SABMiller required the divestment of selected Central and Eastern European beer assets to address competition concerns.

  What changed. Asahi Group Holdings agreed to acquire Plzeňský Prazdroj and related businesses, with completion taking place in 2017.

  Aftermath. Plzeňský Prazdroj entered Asahi’s European brewing network while retaining its Czech brands, production base, and local identity.

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• 2017Asahi Group acquires Plzeňský Prazdroj from Anheuser-Busch InBev

  Plzeňský Prazdroj became part of Asahi Group Holdings after the sale of SABMiller’s Central and Eastern European beer businesses, including the Czech brewer, in connection with the regulatory divestitures required for Anheuser-Busch InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller.

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1. Plzeňský Prazdroj: About us
2. Pilsner Urquell: Our story
3. Asahi Group announces acquisition of SABMiller’s Central and Eastern European business
4. Plzeňský Prazdroj
5. Integrated into SABMiller