Experience the story of beer from ancient times to the present
The Brewery Museum watches over the legend of beer and the beer industry. You can breathe the atmosphere of the Middle Ages and discover the secrets of beer production and the manner in which beer has been served and drunk since the far reaches of our past in an original house from the 15th century which enjoyed brewing rights and where the museum is housed today.
The tour route
The history of the Brewery Museum
The exhibition introduces you to the history of the house which held brewing rights and the Brewery Museum.
Antiquity
In the beginning, beer was a beverage made out of so-called beer bread, which was crumbled and allowed to ferment in water. The beer was drunk through wicker straws from large containers.
Many of the surviving records show that beer was a favorite among the masses in ancient Egypt. The Greeks and Romans, the Germans and Gauls were also big consumers of beer.
Historic inn
The interior of a pub from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, complete with its original furnishings, has been built in the spaces of the authentic Tázler´s pub from the beginning of the 20th century.
Malt house – malting floor
An important part of the malt house is the malting floor, where the soaking and germination of the grain took place. Equipment that was previously used in the processing and production of beer has been installed on the site of the malt house. Another part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Czech and Pilsen beer industries and the activities of the malt guild. Of special interest is an 18 m deep well from which water was drawn for soaking the malt.
Fortifications
The city of Pilsen had double walls and a wide moat, which when used in conjunction with the nearby rivers made it impregnable up until the time of the Thirty Years War. The space between the two stone walls of the fortifications is called Parkan, where you can see hops and barley fields today.
Malt kiln
The kiln was used to stop the grain germination process. A wide variety of malting tools and the emblem of the malt guild are on display here.
The green malt drying room (Valečka)
This room was originally built to store and pre-dry green malt using a so-called “rolling” effect. Certain items that pertain to cooperage are on display here.
Also of interest is a working model of a steam brewhouse. The model is a unique European technological feature and capable of producing thirty liters of beer in one batch.
Laboratory
This exhibition on brewery laboratory equipment is a reminder that laboratories have been an essential part of the brewery since the 1870s.
The history of breweries in Pilsen
This part of the tour is devoted to the history of Pilsen breweries and the founding of the Burghers' Brewery, later Plzeňský Prazdroj, which has made the city of Pilsen famous throughout the world.
Collection of beer bottles
A collection of beer bottles from different Czech breweries between the late 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century.
Pilsen restaurant from the 1930s
This restaurant is furnished exactly as depicted in historic photographs of Pilsen pubs from the early 20th century.
Pilsen pubs
Since Pilsen is a city full of inns, pubs, cafes, and bars, this part of the route has been dedicated to them.
Containers for drinking beer out of
What was used to drink beer out of, how was it measured and how were toasts made? Not only will the answers to these questions interest every visitor but so will the extensive set of beer mugs made out of glass, ceramics and tin. The second part is devoted to collections and curiosities that relate to beer. The exhibits include the world’s smallest barrel, a jug measuring 1 cm, and a giant mug carved out of a single piece of wood from Siberia.
Cellars
The tour includes two-storey medieval cellars carved out of stone and sandstone bed. The exhibition consists of two oak fermenting vats, barrels, and a tap apparatus made of cast iron and brass installed on one barrel.
Courtyard – transporting the beer
An exhibition on transporting beer has been set up in the courtyard. A special feature is a late Gothic portal made out of stone and dating from around 1500, moved there from a demolished house formerly holding brewing rights, and a Baroque bell from the 18th century, which the brewery used to announce the completion of a batch.