Ottakringer

Heinrich Plank established the brewery under the name Planksche Brauerei after the diocese of Klosterneuburg granted approval for brewing. In 1850, cousins Jakob and Ignaz Kuffner purchased the site from Plank. Ignaz Kuffner received noble status from Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1878. In 1905 the brewery was reorganised into a joint-stock company, and in 1962 the Wenckheim family assumed control. Ottakringer listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1986 and in 2009 repurchased shares previously held by Heineken, restoring full Austrian ownership. Today it operates as an independent, family-owned business; Christiane Wenckheim has served as CEO since 2015.

The brewery draws on an in-house well, the Ottakringer Tiefquell, to supply water for production, and holds an agreement with the city of Vienna to supply water during periods of drought. The site serves as an event and tour venue, accommodating approximately 250,000 visitors each year. A landmark Kiln Tower forms part of the brewery complex.

Ottakringer produces around 420,000 hectolitres of beer annually, employs approximately 180 people, and holds roughly 6% of the Austrian beer market, with a reported turnover of €60 million in 2021. The brewery is the undisputed market leader in the Vienna area and ranked third overall in the Austrian beer market. In 2014 it launched Beer Base Vienna, a dedicated craft beer operation formerly known as BrauWerk.

Ottakringer entered the alcohol-free category in 1991, and its AF beer became Austria's market leader in that category within one year of launch. One of its drinks has won awards.