Foreign owners dominate Czech breweries as craft beer scene expands

Major Czech breweries have shifted under foreign control: Japan's Asahi Group owns Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Radegast and Velkopopovický Kozel; the Dutch Heineken group holds Krušovice, Starobrno and Březňák; and the North‑American Molson Coors company controls Staropramen, Braník and Ostravar. The historic state‑run Budějovický Budvar remains the sole major brewery still owned by the Czech Republic.

Alongside this ownership change, a vibrant craft sector has proliferated, with hundreds of micro‑breweries across the country offering styles such as IPAs, barrel‑aged stouts and barleywines. Notable examples include the Zichovec brewery, whose experimental stouts and barleywine have earned top ratings on the Untappd platform. Consumers can now discover a wide variety of beers from traditional lagers to innovative specialty brews throughout Czech towns and cities.