The historic Braugarten

Despite these difficulties, Kathrin and Günter managed to carry on the traditions of our beer garden and make up for the missed events with even greater effect. To this day, they run our business like one big family – with plenty of heart, strong feelings of solidarity and a highly motivated staff, some of whom have been part of the Braugarten team for over 30 years now.

In 2020, Kathrin took over the business along with her husband Günter – a challenging start, as this period was marked by the coronavirus pandemic that forced us to cancel numerous events, which is why the 100th performance by the Spitzbuam, the South Tyrolean folk musicians, could not be held.

Since 2012, the Forster Christmas Forest has also brought a festive atmosphere to the Braugarten each winter. To meet the growing demands of our guests, the kitchen and toilet facilities were extensively renovated in 2018.

Years of music, meetings and special moments followed: evening drinks, convivial Sundays with live music, and major sports broadcasts under the open sky all became an integral part of the local cultural scene.

In 1998, their paths diverged: Josef moved to Lana to work at the Forsterbräu restaurant, while Franz continued to run the Braugarten together with his wife Anni and their children Kathrin and Markus, with the support of a small and dedicated team.

On 1 May 1995, brothers Franz and Josef Reiterer took over the Braugarten Forst. For three years, they worked tirelessly and with great dedication, putting in countless hours and working without a day off to ensure their small business was abuzz with life and hospitality.

Following the Second World War, the Braugarten once again became a cultural focus. The year 1946 saw the first concerts featuring harpists and Schuhplattler (folk dancers) from the Zillertal Valley. Many events were in aid of charity, such as help for children or the rebuilding of churches. Music bands from Tyrol and Bavaria created a lively atmosphere in the garden, while sports festivals and wrestling contests rounded off the programme. The Braugarten remained a place to gather, enjoy music and feel a vibrant sense of community.

After the First World War, the Braugarten experienced a vigorous revival. Concerts, outings and large summer parties returned, including the popular “Monster Concerts” featuring several bands. Over 1,200 guests attended a concert given in 1933 by the music band from Mühlen. The upper garden charged for admission, while the lower one offered free access – a place to meet for music lovers, students and societies from South Tyrol, Trentino and Austria.

From 1908, the Meran tram service started bringing guests directly to the brewery. In the same year, the new “Riesenhalle” (Giants’ Hall) was built, soon to be renamed the Sixtuskeller – a large hall that offered an alternative in bad weather. This transformed the brewery into a versatile location for celebrations: garden events in summer; indoor events in spring, autumn and winter. Thus began a new era of friendly get-togethers that combined beer culture, music and a festive atmosphere in the hamlet of Forst.

The Braugarten was established in the 1860s, shortly after the brewery’s acquisition in 1863. As early as 1870, Ludwig Steub had praised resting under the chestnut trees, accompanied by beer and music. In the following decades, Forst became a popular venue for concerts, club outings and celebrations. Visitors arrived in horse-drawn carriages and omnibuses, while lanterns would light up the evening. The combination of a brewery tour followed by a convivial evening in the garden proved to be particularly popular.