ERB brewery in Banská Štiavnica: brewery tour and tasting

Beer of a mining town

Banská Štiavnica is an old mining town in the caldera of an extinct volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its wealth came from silver and gold mines, but beer was brewed with no less enthusiasm: in the Middle Ages nine breweries worked in the town. They belonged to the mine owners, so the wages paid to the miners flowed back into the owners’ pockets through beer.

The modern ERB brewery was founded by mining engineer Eduard Rada from nearby Zvolen. In 1993 he bought the run-down brewery in Vyhne and turned it into the Steiger brand; in 2006 he sold his share and decided to build a small brewery in Štiavnica, independent of the big groups and retail chains. In 2008 the Rada couple bought four derelict buildings in the historic centre, all national cultural monuments. After careful restoration, Bavarian equipment from Kaspar Schulz was installed in three of them, and on 16 July 2010 ERB brewed its first beer for sale. The brewery’s capacity is 3,500 hectolitres a year. The recipes for its classic Czechoslovak-style lagers were developed with the Research Institute of Brewing and Malting in Prague, and the yeast work was done with Weihenstephan in Munich. The name has three meanings: an abbreviation of Eduard Rada Breweries, the name of the system of old mine workings beneath the brewery buildings and, of course, a coat of arms (erb).

The founder died in 2022; the family — his daughters and their husbands — carry on. Commercial director Jozef Sivák is Slovakia’s first certified beer sommelier.

Why go

• Tour with the sommelier. About an hour and a half through the brewery and the historic buildings that house it, with a tasting of ERB beers. The format is for private or corporate groups of up to 15, at a flat fee, booked at least a week ahead.
• Beer by the kettles. The brewery restaurant is open daily; the copper brew kettles are visible from the dining room, and the dishes are designed to go with the beer.
• Beer to take home. Bottled ERB beer is also sold through the online shop.

What to taste

The classics are the 10% and 12% pale lagers, brewed in the Czechoslovak tradition with Slovak hops and malt and water from the Štiavnica Mountains. Dark-beer fans should try the 13% dark special with coffee aromas, and the curious can go for ERB Braxatoris, top-fermented with mango notes, the “archive” ERB that matures for years, the light, fruity ERB Ziben (2.7%), ERB Weizen or the alcohol-free beer. There is even a 52% beer spirit called Mordechai.

Practical information

Address: Novozámocká 2, 969 01 Banská Štiavnica — in the lower part of the historic centre. The town is built on steep slopes, so expect a short walk up and down the streets from the car parks. Expect cobbles and some climbing.

Hours (as of October 2026): the restaurant is open daily 11:30–22:00, with the kitchen closing an hour earlier. Book a table on +421 45 692 11 47 and a tour via the website form or on +421 456 789 556.

Nearby

• The Old and New Castles of Banská Štiavnica and the Calvary above the town.
• The Štiavnica tajchy — 18th-century artificial mining lakes, popular for swimming in summer.
• The bryndza dairy in Zvolenská Slatina — on the way to Zvolen and Podpoľanie.

Official website: pivovarerb.sk

Photos: pivovarerb.sk.