What's in a Prague street name

Nad branickým pivovarem was built in 1925.

In 1899, thirteen Prague brewers, feeling that industrialisation had caused them to lose their competitive edge, decided that Prague needed a new, modern brewery.

In 1900, the Společenský pivovar pražských sládků – Prague Brewers’ Community Brewery – opened. The complex consists of seven Neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau buildings, designed by the architect Jan Herain (1848-1914).

It had its own port and two ships which transported beer to Výtoň (https://whatsinapraguestreetname.com/2024/08/26/prague-2-day-121-na-vytoni/). It even sent beer to the Habsburgs.

On the brink of bankruptcy a few years later, it was saved in 1908 when various Prague innkeepers became shareholders. It was renamed as Hostinský pivovar around this time.

Successful during the First Republic, and closed down by the Nazis the occupation, it was nationalised in 1948 and wouldn’t enter private ownership again until 1990. During the early years of the post-communist era, both Asahi and Stella Artois were brewed here.

However, the age of the building – and its status as a protected monument – severely limited the owners’ ability to modernise the facilities. The last batch of beer was brewed here in 2007 (by Staropramen, who moved production across the river to Smíchov).

As with many buildings in Prague that no longer serve their original purpose, the road to repurposing has been rocky. It was meant to be a residential complex, then a centre for small businesses, then the home of a computer company.

None of these happened, but it does currently host a dance conservatory (Taneční centrum Praha – konzervatoř).

So, yes: if you’ve ever drunk a Braník světlý since 2007, you may be a bit sad to realise it wasn’t brewed in Braník, and that Prague 4 no longer has any industrial breweries.

But all hope is not lost for beer fans – the micro-brewery Moucha (https://mouchapivo.cz/) has operated at the premises since 2016 (separately from the dance classes, of course).