The small town of Schladming in Styria is known to many because it has hosted the Winter Olympics several times. Due to its idyllic location between high peaks, the community is a popular destination for sports enthusiasts and many Schladming residents live from tourism. Mining used to be an important source of income, but the mines where copper, silver, lead, nickel and cobalt were mined gradually closed and mining was completely stopped by the end of the 19th century. One of the things that remained was the brewery, which supplied the hard-working miners with delicious beer. rn
The Schladminger brewery was founded in 1909. It opened its doors under the title Erste Alpenländische Volksbrauerei and was a cooperative from the start. Production started with a total annual output of 20,000 hectoliters, which mainly benefited the miners and residents of Schladming. There were ups and downs in the course of the brewery's history: in 1917, operations had to be temporarily suspended because raw materials were becoming scarce, and production was also temporarily halted during the Second World War. The community was not discouraged by these setbacks and held on to its vision. In the decades that followed, their tireless efforts were rewarded with good demand, and at the end of the 1960s the premises were expanded. By the 1980s, output had more than doubled and the brewery was expanded further. The company changed management several times, but Schladminger is still a cooperative today. In 2009, the brewery celebrated its centenary and toasted another hundred years with its own beers.
The brewery's range is small and fine: the skilled brewers conjure up four different brews from selected raw materials. The basis of each individual brew is the pure spring water that springs from the Schladminger Tauern. When choosing hops and malt, the team relies on quality from the region and supports local farmers as much as possible. Two of the four beers are also made with ingredients from controlled organic farming and carry various organic seals. With brews such as the Bio Zwickl, the traditional brewery proves that the past and future are close to its heart. The focus of its work is the quality and taste of its products, but the community and cohesion are directly behind it. The cooperative's values play a role in every step of production and are cultivated with heart and passion. At Schladminger, we are proud to be a cooperative. rn
