Switzerland Beer Guide

Rating signification

^to The nec plus ultra ! Don't miss those breweries.
^{Very good breweries !}
^{Above average and satisfying.}
^to ^Average.
^{Not terrible.}
^{This is getting pretty bad.}
^to ^{Be cautious: you may REALLY not like it !}

Breweries (51)

Name

Address&contact

Registry-#
Size/Production

# of beers
tasted

Rating avg
appreciation

Comments
Please be aware that all ratings and comments reflect my opinion only ! So don't blame me if I dislike your favourite brewery. Fortunately we are free to like whatever we like...

5 vor 12i

Founded in 2018

Obergass 16
8733 Eschenbach

#1283

N/A

8716er

Founded in 2017

8716 Schmerikon

#1100

N/A

BCB Bleisch Craft Beer

Founded in 2015

Moosstrasse 52
9014 St.Gallen

078 897 09 60

#709

8 hl

N/A

Brewer: Marco Bleisch.

Bier Akademie Schweiz

Founded in 2016

Zürcherstrasse 495
9015 St. Gallen

071 244 11 63

#898

N/A

Bier Factory Rapperswil

Founded in 2000

Eichwiesstrasse 6
8645 Rapperswil

055 210 96 22

#114

700 hl

list of beers

14.66

Brewer: Susanne Meyer.
Great quality ales! A must try.
Changed name in 2013 (formerly Rappi Bier Factory) and moved to a new place in February 2014. The goal is to reach 1'500 hl.

biergarage.ch

Founded in 2011

Moosstrasse 52
9014 St.Gallen

079 278 54 40

#429

40 hl

list of beers

13.27

Created in 2011 as a Gmbh (LLC) this very interesting nanobrewery (for me the best discovery at the Bierfest in Chur 2014) could well remain not more than a hobby for his founder. Despite having a lot of success the production is still anecdotic.
Brewer: Adi Schmid

Black Deer Brewing

Founded in 2015

Moosstrasse 52
9014 St.Gallen

071 558 94 84

#658

10 hl

N/A

Brewer: Morris Huber.

Brauerei Berger

Founded in 2016

Hauptstrasse 37
9030 Abtwil

071 511 32 32

#839

N/A

Brewer: Markus Berger.
Formerly named 9030 and then Gambino Brewing.

Brauzeugen

Founded in 2019

Neuhüslipark 8
8645 Jona

#1337

N/A

Brown Beer

Founded in 2019

8880 Walenstadt

#1339

N/A

Brüsis-Bräu

Founded in 2018

8881 Tscherlach

#1173

N/A

Ceres Bräu Haag

Founded in 2014

9469 Haag

#619

N/A

This brewery believes in the myth of the Reinheitsgebot.

Distelbräu

Founded in 2017

9470 Buchs

#1065

N/A

Dragon Brew

Founded in 2018

9403 Goldach

#1221

N/A

Druid Brewing

Founded in 2017

9240 Uzwil

#1051

N/A

Eburon

Founded in 2019

9008 St. Gallen

#1334

N/A

Floowiiler

Founded in 2016

9230 Flawil

#834

N/A

Föhrenbier Manufaktur

Founded in 2017

Ragazerstrasse 37
7320 Sargans

079 730 77 71

#986

list of beers

N/A

Brewers: Thomas Kägi and Tania Pally

GIZ AIS

Founded in 2016

Flawilerstrasse 90
9200 Gossau

#899

N/A

Heerbrugger Bier

Founded in 2013

9435 Heerbrugg

079 832 83 27

#517

list of beers

11.28

Brewer: Silvio Carnier.
German-style beers going from decent to infected. Needs some tuning.

HERMANN Bier

Founded in 2014

Industriestrasse 15
9015 St. Gallen

#593

27 hl

list of beers

13.93

Brewer: Marco Hermann.
Some very good beers and others which are unfortunately not so good. Yet the latter doesn't dseem to be the case anymore, so go for it !

HuM (hopfenundmalz)

Founded in 2011

Bahnhofstrasse 15
9200 Gossau

#421

40 hl

list of beers

14.69

Brewers: Andreas Tobler and Markus Rosenberger.
Offers solid and quality beers.

Kursi Bräu

Founded in 2015

9403 Goldach

#796

N/A

Meibär

Founded in 2016

Haldenstrasse
8887 Mels

#934

N/A

Mööslibräu

Founded in 2018

9473 Gams

#1185

N/A

Qusi's Bierbraui

Founded in 2017

Auwies 8
9242 Oberuzwil

079 378 05 83

#1045

N/A

Röbi-Bräu

Founded in 2004

Bungertstrasse 36
7323 Wangs

081 723 84 78

#177

N/A

Brewer: Robert Hänsli.

Rüdenbräu

Founded in 2019

9942 Berneck

#1321

N/A

Sarganserbräu

Founded in 2018

Städtchenstrasse 89
7320 Sargans

#1149

N/A

Schlosserbräu

Founded in 2018

9444 Diepoldsau

#1155

N/A

Schlucki

Founded in 2015

Sonnenhalde 5
8716 Schmerikon

079 350 96 17

#725

N/A

Schnuzz

Founded in 2019

8640 Rapperswil

#1333

N/A

Schützengarten

Founded in 1779

St. Jakobsstrasse 37
9004 St. Gallen

071 243 43 43

#33

175'000 hl

list of beers

10.71

It was 1779 as Johann Ulrich Tobler acquired the real estate of a shooting club in St. Gallen - thus the name and logo - and started the Schützengarten brewery with his brother. The brewery - whose structures are still nowadays on the same place as when it was founded - owes its actual size to Arnold Billwiller who succeeded to increase its production from 7'200 hl to 100'000 hl at the end of the 19th century.
Schützengarten which is surrounded on one side by 2 multinational companies - Heineken and Carlsberg - and on the other side by numerous and more flexible microbreweries, has succeeded until now to remain stable, partially thanks to the acquisition of the brewery Löwengarten in 2006. But the brightness (or not) of its future will depend of its capacity to innovate which looks indeed not bad at all (Gallus beer launched in 2012, IPA and Swiss Stout in 2016 as well as the take-over of Birrificio Ticinese.
Schützengarten is holding currently 2 records: firstly it is the oldest Swiss brewery still in activity since the closure of Schloss Reichenbach in Zollikofen in 1971 and secondly it is the biggest independent brewery. Both the first and the second record are hard contested by the brewery Locher. As the second one may have probably already beaten in 2015 (Locher should reach 250'000 hl on its new installations), the first one could lead to everlasting discussions. In fact the discovery of old documents proving the existence of brewing activities in Appenzell as soon as 1778 may change things. But a link between those activities and the brewery Locher still has to be proven.
You can expect here almost only bottom-fermented german-style beers, some of them like Landbier or Klosterbräu slightly above average and others being poor and boring. But don't miss their entrance in the world of craft beer with Gallus, IPA and Swiss Stout
Brewer: Hansueli Züger.

Seegal-Bräu

Founded in 2011

Hauptstrasse 33
9477 Trübbach

078 878 19 52

#417

12 hl

list of beers

7.2

Brewer: Hansueli Senn and Hans Eggenberger.
Caution …

Sennbräu

Founded in 2013

Röllweg 5
9470 Buchs

081 756 12 32

#496

16 hl

list of beers

13.62

Brewer: Reto Senn, Ulrich Senn and Roger Senn.
Good (and getting always better) beers of (mainly) german styles. Go for it !

This brewery believes in the myth of the Reinheitsgebot.

Seven Spills

Founded in 2019

9012 St. Gallen

#1336

N/A

Sevibräu

Founded in 2006

Stampfstr.2
9475 Sevelen

076 327 90 51

#231

120 hl

list of beers

13.82

Brewer: Andrea and Dominik De Gregorio.
Subtle and very well-made beers. Good work!

Sonnenbräu

Founded in 1891

Alte Landstrasse 36
9445 Rebstein

071 777 12 02

#41

32'700 hl

list of beers

10.07

"This family-owned brewery is led nowadays by Claudia Graf (5th generation) and employs 40 persons. Everything started back in 1891 when Eduard Graf - known for his slogan ""the freshest beer is always the best"" - began to brew in the tavern ""zur Sonne"" in Rebstein. The very promising start was shocked by World War I and by the death of the founder in 1918. The efforts of his two sons were then slowed down by the economic crisis and World War II thus it was only later during the sixties that the brewery was finally able to grow, surpassing the 20'000 hl.
In 1978 Sonnenbräu launched the first light beer of Switzerland.
While a lot of breweries are hiding with a certain shame the fact they are using corn, others like Sonnenbräu use this as a marketing argument.
Despite its size - which gives it some flexibility - and despite not beeing religiously bound to the Reinheitsgebot, this brewery does not show much pep for innovation (and please don't tell me beers like Craft1 or Maisbier are innovations ...).Expect almost only german-style beers, some of them good (like Annett's Büezer) and some of them pretty bad (like the Doppel-Bock).
Brews Züri-Hell and Illauer Punt under contract. However it seems like the former is since recently produced by Braukultur (Usterbräu).
Brewer: Steffen Pawlak."

St. Georg

Founded in 2017

8722 Kaltbrunn

#1083

N/A

Stadtbühl

Founded in 1858

Herisauer Strasse 16
9200 Gossau

071 385 35 15

#36

10'000 hl

list of beers

10.19

Started in 1858 by Joseph Alois Krucker, Stadtbühler has remained a family brewery until nowadays and it looks like nothing can disturb its tranquility and independence. Its production output has been very constant during the last years. While some of their products - like the Dunkel or the Fürstenbräu - can be really nice, others may be boring at best or even bad. You can expect almost only german-style beers here (yes, we are very close to Germany) yet a Smoked beer, another dry-hopped and a last one with millet (the Hirsegold (http://www.hirsegold.ch) brewed under contract) are giving some hope ... The brewery has actually 17 employees. See also www.stadtbuehler.ch.
Brewer: Christian Krucker.

This brewery believes in the myth of the Reinheitsgebot.

Tegerscher Bräu

Founded in 2018

Taastrasse 11
9113 Degersheim

079 475 06 95

#1135

N/A

Thaler Bier

Founded in 2010

Tobelmülistrasse 4
9425 Thal

071 888 00 57

#388

list of beers

13.04

Brewers: Andrea Tarnutzer and Fritz Eugster.
I could try a very good Schwarzbier and hope to see more beers from this brewery very soon. Formerly named Rietgassbräu.

Tüüfelsbräu

Founded in 2013

Neufeldstrasse 7b
9533 Kirchberg

079 418 45 42

#518

20 hl

N/A

A brewer club.

This brewery believes in the myth of the Reinheitsgebot.

Ufmüpfig

Founded in 2017

8640 Rapperswil

#1028

N/A

Unterbad

Founded in 2016

Burgstrasse 3
9200 Gossau

078 951 35 23

#947

list of beers

11.73

Valeis

Founded in 2003

Parkstrasse 6
7324 Vilters

081 723 76 52

#165

N/A

Brewer: Sascha Guntli

Vonwyl

Founded in 2014

9000 St. Gallen

#575

N/A

Located previously in Winterthur.

VSHSR

Founded in 2015

Oberseestrasse 10
8640 Rapperswil

#718

N/A

WBW (Widmer Bierspezialitäten Will)

Founded in 2016

Kirchgasse 2
9500 Wil

079 722 30 65

#944

N/A

Brewer: Christof Widmer.

Züblibräu

Founded in 2018

8730 Uznach

#1156

N/A

Zwuggel Bräu

Founded in 2019

8888 Heiligkreuz

#1299

N/A

Brewpubs (5)

Name

Address

Registry-#
Size/Production

# of beers
tasted

Rating avg
appreciation

Comments
Don't kill me, it's only my opinion...

BrüW

Founded in 2016

Zürcher Strasse 48
9000 St. Gallen

078 866 36 89

#866

list of beers

13.2

Freihof

Founded in 2010

Flawilerstrasse 46
9201 Gossau

071 385 34 34

#386

1'100 hl

list of beers

12.4

Brewer: Richard Reinart.
A good Weizen, a good Lager Hell and a good fruit beer but the Dunkel is offside.

Kornhausbräu

Founded in 2008

Industriestrasse 21
9400 Rorschach

071 841 45 10

#294

900 hl

list of beers

12.98

Founded in 2007 as a stock corporation (more than 400 share holders), this brewpub is opened every day (except on Sunday) from 16:30 to 00:30 and employs 3 people. The main initiator - brewmaster Andreas Müller - worked before at the breweries Gurten, Egger and Löwengarten. As the latter was closed in 2006 as a consequence of its taking over by Schützengarten, Andreas Müller decided to fulfill his dream by opening his own brewpub.
After a first year at 750 hectoliters, the production is steadily growing yet pretty slowly. It reached 900 hl in 2013 and is probably around 1'000 today.
After a deceptive start regarding quality, they made great improvements. Beside different german-style beers this brewery also offers a Porter, a honey beer and of course an IPA (a mandatory style currently).
Brewer: Andreas Müller.

Rock Story Brew

Founded in 2015

Augustinergasse 26
9000 St. Gallen

071 220 97 90

#706

24 hl

N/A

Brewer: Kevin Staffa.

St. Johann

Founded in 2012

Toggenburgerstrasse 3
9652 Neu St. Johann

#490

500 hl

list of beers

12.44

Brewer: Maximilian Lechner.
Originally scheduled to start in December 2011 but started effectively in November 2012. Offers a very good Weizen but a Hell and a Dunkel which are below average.

Beer makers without breweries (2)

Name

Address

Registry-#
Size

# of beers
tasted

Rating avg
appreciation

Comments
Don't kill me, it's only my opinion...

IdéeWil

Founded in -

9500 Will

400 hl

list of beers

11.6

A society which is promoting local products. The beer (Thurbobräu) is brewed by Sonnenbräu.

Pfauenbier

Founded in 2009

Schönbodenstrasse 5
8640 Rapperswil

055 511 22 56

200 hl

list of beers

N/A

Client brewer. The beer is brewed by Rosengarten.
And yet another my-beer-is-not-brewed-locally-but-you-should-not-know-it Client brewer. Originally planed to build it's own brewery by the end of 2010. Now saying it will be done as soon as they will reached 700 hl.
On sale since Mai 2013.

This brewery believes in the myth of the Reinheitsgebot.

Closed Breweries (79)

Name

Address

founded-closed

Contact

# of beers
tasted

Rating

Comments
Don't kill me, it's only my opinion...

Aktienbrauerei Wil

9500 Wil

1881 - 1918

N/A

Back & Bräu

Loretostrasse 19
9620 Lichtensteig

1989-?

N/A

Brewer: Karl Hartenstein
A brewpub which was located at 7 different places in the country. But the years of success are over and all brewpubs closed one by one.

Back & Bräu

Bahnhofplatz 5
8640 Rapperswil

1995 - 2005

N/A

Brewer: Karl Hartenstein
A brewpub which was located at 7 different places in the country. But the years of success are over and all brewpubs closed one by one. This one closed in 2005.

Back & Bräu

Bahnhofplatz 2
9000 St. Gallen

1997 - 2002

N/A

Brewer: Karl Hartenstein
A brewpub which was located at 7 different places in the country. But the years of success are over and all brewpubs closed one by one. This one closed in 2002.

Bärlocher

9606 Bütschwil

1866 - 1973

N/A

Bavaria

9004 St. Gallen

1856 - 1902

N/A

Originally named zum Felsenkeller.

Bierbrau Kollektiv

8718 Schänis

2010 - 2012

360

N/A

Bierbrauerei Gebr. Locher

9470 Buchs

1883 - 1973

N/A

Brauclub Altstätten

9452 hinterforst

1999 - ?

103

N/A

Burth

9620 Lichtensteig

1844 - 1989

N/A

"Apparently ""transformed"" in Back & Bräu in 1989 ?!"

Cantieni

9400 Rorschach

1850 - 1892

N/A

Denzel

8880 Walenstadt

1875 - 1900

N/A

First named Tschirgi then Schmid.

Eppler

9620 Lichtensteig

1885 - 1900

N/A

Originally named Klingler.

Felsenkeller

7310 Bad Ragaz

1882 - 1905

N/A

Fischbacher

8732 Neuhaus

1880 - 1890

N/A

Frauenhof

9450 Altstätten

1807 - 1916

N/A

Freihof

9450 Altstätten

1832 - 1914

N/A

Freihof

9402 Mörschwil

1875 - 1923

N/A

Freihof

9444 Diepoldsau

1885 - 1918

N/A

Gonzen Restaurant

Städtchenstrasse 56
7320 Sarganz

1998 - 2002

N/A

Helle

9464 Rüthi

1896 - 1901

N/A

Hirschen

9006 St. Fiden

1880 - 1926

N/A

Hoffnung

9620 Lichtensteig

1875 - 1912

N/A

Huber

9450 Altstätten

1845 - 1927

N/A

Originally called Prestegg

IGBrau

Sonnenbergstrasse 78
9030 Abtwil

2006 - 2016

254

N/A

A group of homebrewer.

Kaufmann

9442 Berneck

1872 - 1910

N/A

Keckeisen

9642 Ebnat-Kappel

1875 - 1885

N/A

Kreuz

8887 Mels

1875 - 1900

N/A

Krone

8645 Jona

1837 - 1900

N/A

Kütt

9424 Rheineck

1881 - 1911

N/A

Named successively Brauerei und Malzfabrik Rheineck, Schlenk, Schinle and Kütt.

Linde

9436 Balgach

1870 - 1900

N/A

Löwen

8890 Flims

1870 - 1892

N/A

Löwen

7310 Bad Ragaz

1875 - 1903

N/A

Löwen

9450 Altstätten

1875 - 1914

N/A

Löwen

9230 Flawil

1880 - 1890

N/A

Löwengarten

St. Galler Strasse 47
9400 Rorschach

1871 - 2006

8.38

Brewer: R. Brandenberg
Owner of Boxer. Brrr ... Definitely not good, this is one of the worst brewery of the country. Owned by Schützengarten since april 2006 and scheduled to close in november 2006.

Lustgarten

9000 St. Gallen

1875 - 1901

N/A

Mäder

9602 Bazenheid

1875 - 1880

N/A

Mariaberg

9400 Rorschach

1877 - 1910

N/A

Mauer

9643 Krummenau

1875 - 1895

N/A

Messmer

9422 Staad

1876 - 1903

N/A

Müller

8887 Mels

1833 - ?

N/A

Nestel-Bräu

Nestenbergstrasse
9642 Ebnat-Kappel

2010 - 2011

395

N/A

Neudorf

9006 St. Fiden

1875 - 1917

N/A

Nuffer

9430 St. Margarethen

1895 - 1902

N/A

Oberglatt

9230 Flawil

1875 - 1895

N/A

Obersee Brau Union

St. Dionysstrasse 31
8645 Jona

2016 - 2018

806

13.26

Located previously in Wetzikon (ZH). Offers decent beers in various styles.

Ochsen

9620 Lichtensteig

1836 - 1906

N/A

Ochsen

7310 Bad Ragaz

1875 - 1920

N/A

Rapperswil

8640 Rapperswil

1824 - 1912

N/A

Originally called Alter Pfauen.

Rennhas

9400 Rorschach

1875 - ?

N/A

Rössli

9113 Degersheim

1875 - 1880

N/A

Rothenhäusler

9006 St. Fiden

1875 - 1890

N/A

Schiff

9434 Au

1882 - 1910

N/A

Schneider Braui

Bahnweg 45
8887 Mels

2013 - 2018

548

081 723 97 55

N/A

Brewer: Peter Schneider.

Schönenwegen

9014 Bruggen

1850 - 1900

N/A

Schweizerhaus

9500 Wil

1872 - 1916

N/A

Schweizerhof

8887 Mels

1830 - 1905

N/A

Sonne

9464 Lienz-Rüthi

1863 - 1915

N/A

Originally named zur Krone.

Sonnenhof

9621 Oberhelfenschwil

1852 - 1910

N/A

Steinfels

9642 Ebnat-Kappel

1850 - 1972

N/A

Stocken

9014 Bruggen

1784 - 1973

N/A

Straub

9323 Morgenthal

1888 - 1892

N/A

Tschirgi

8887 Mels

1825 - ?

N/A

Uznach

8730 Uznach

1835 - 1910

N/A

Wiler Hofbräu

9500 Wil

1815 - 1983

N/A

Originally called zum Hof.

Wolfsgrube

9425 Thal

1850 - 1924

N/A

Zirfass & Co.

9470 Buchs

1854 - 1982

N/A

Founded as Traube.

zum Adler

9030 St. Josefen

1866 - 1890

N/A

zum Bierhaus

9242 Oberuzwil

1870 - 1892

N/A

zum Bierhof

9000 St. Gallen

1867 - 1889

N/A

zum Fass

9500 Wil

1885 - 1900

N/A

zum Schwefelbad

7320 Sarganz

1862 - 1892

N/A

zum Sternen

9443 Widnau

1882 - 1890

N/A

zum Tabor

7312 Pfäfers

1884 - 1888

N/A

zum Wiesenthal

9630 Wattwil

1879 - 1910

N/A

zur Mauer

9652 Neu St Johann

1850 - 1907

N/A

zur Toggenburg

9630 Wattwil

1838 - 1904

N/A

zur Wachsbleiche

9400 Rorschach

1875 - 1915

N/A

St-Gallen

Breweries (51)

Brewpubs (5)

Beer makers without breweries (2)

Closed Breweries (79)