The Burgess Brewery, simply the Burgher

The generations of the inhabitants of Bratislava remember it, either they have experienced it themselves or they have heard about it from their fathers or grandfathers. Unfortunately it does not exist any longer. You will find out little about it in the Archive of Bratislava City, but – as the preserved fragments prove, it is not true that only the Czechs can brew beer.

From History

Beer Brewing in Pressburg, present-day Bratislava, has hundreds-year-old tradition. As early as in the middle of 15th century, eleven brewers at Zuckermandel obtained „brewing right“, namely the licence to brew beer. At that time beer was brewed in little and was consumed directly at the producer. This kind of production was not perspective and that is why the First Bratislava Brewery was founded, with the active support of town aldermen, in 1477. It was situated at the edge of the present day Laurinska Street and Rybna brana. It was pulled down in 1532. Its remains were discovered during the demolition work in 1947.

Within living memory, a lot of beer was drunk in Pressburg. Unfortunately, the records of the annual yield of the brewery have not been preserved but in 1752 another brewery started to be built. Burghers ordered the project, named proudly „Die Bürgerliche Brauerei“, to the builders Romisch and Hildebrant. The Burgher was leased to a rich family of the burgher Michael Specht by the city for a long term. Later in 1880 the brewery was purchased by the Deutsch family. Its overall quality was from the start boldly comparable with the quality of Bavarian breweries. With beer quality it could definitely compare with them. The city brewery and the restaurant with veranda were in Rybne Square.

Modern for its time

In the article published in Pressburger Zeitung by Elza Greilich, originally from Pressburg, can be read what the brewery looked like. It was said to be a utility building, it had a poor facade, glass veranda where the brewery restaurant was placed. But those who visited it did not need to delight in architecture, they went there for something else. Under vaulted underpass, in the internal yard there was all for that time modern technique, various machines, it was a small mill. Under the vaults, being similar like in the church, there were concrete baths for barley macerating, out of which malt was product, silo and barley roaster. There were also different stores and beer fermented and matured in deep cellars in huge containers. Water was pumped from the Danube by the means of steam engine which worked until 1868. Later the brewery was connected to the city water supply. There was also joinery workshop for ked production, blacksmith workshop for keg binding. In one wing there was also a spacious flat for the brewery leaseholder. 

The Burgess Brewery was exceptionally fancied not only for its excellent beer and its location near the Danube quay but mainly for a famous brewery restaurant with a quality cuisine, which was a part of it. All culinary wonders of almost each of ten nationalities’ cuisines represented in the city were served there, unified in one excellent cuisine. The place attractiveness was intensified also by the tram station to Vienne. It took visitors from Vienne for excellent beer to three-lingual Pressburg or Pozsony but also Bratislava bohemians met here. Often the editors of dailies and magazines issued in Bratislava met there, poets, painters.  

Near the Burgess Brewery there was “Vydrica”, a notorious quarter. And the Burgess Brewery was said to be the object of frequent attention of ladies from “Vydrica” and their customers.

The liquidation of the brewery took place shortly after the celebration of its two-hundred anniversary. The last beer left its gates in 1968. The Burgess Brewery was demolished due to building of the SNP Bridge. It was not meant to please beer lovers any longer.

Source: AMB, Ivan Ozabal: Breweries in Slovakia, Tivadar Ortvay: The Streets and Squares of Bratislava.