Herrenwald craft brewery, Malá Ida: tour with the brewer

A brewery in the Lords’ Wood

Malá Ida is a village on the south-western edge of Košice, at the foot of the wooded Volovské vrchy hills. The Herrenwald brewery stands in its Panský les ("Lords’ Wood") quarter, from whose German name it takes its own. Beer was already brewed in the village in the 19th century; the present story began as a home hobby: father and son brewed at home, studied, experimented and drew inspiration, and when friends started praising the first batches they began thinking about a brewery of their own. The firm decision came during a conversation over Christmas 2014, and after years of work a modern, ecological building was completed in 2018. The head brewer and production manager is Pavol Cangár senior; Lucia Cangárová runs sales and marketing.

The brewery sticks to traditional processes and adds no chemicals of any kind. It brews from the best domestic and foreign malts and hops, and the local water, the brewers say, is close in composition to that of Plzeň. Both bottom-fermented beers — lagers — and top-fermented ones are made here, in classic and modern styles. The brewery also hosts "gypsy" brewers who rent the equipment for their own brews.

Why go

• A tour with the brewer. After booking, the brewer takes you through every stage of brewing and maturation, shows the technology from start to finish and at the end pours beer straight from the tank. The tour ends in the taproom with the current range and snacks.
• A two-storey taproom. The taproom with a summer terrace is open Thursday to Sunday; the menu has traditional beer snacks such as marinated hermelín cheese and utopenci (pickled sausages).
• Beer to take away. Bottles, cans and kegs can be bought or orders collected outside opening hours by arrangement; there is also an online shop.

What to taste

• Diamant 10° — a Pilsner-style pale lager with Czech Premiant and Saaz hops (4.2%, 33 IBU).
• Diamant 13° — a full-bodied pale lager from four malts (5.5%).
• Jantár 13° — a Bavarian-style amber lager with German Magnum and Spalter Select hops and notes of caramel and berries (5.5%).
• Barbados 12° — an American Pale Ale with the citrus aroma of Summit and Cascade hops, brewed from six malts (5.0%).
• Granát 13° — an Irish-style red ale; seasonals include the IPA Sun on Taj Mahal, a pumpkin ale and the wheat beer Perla.

The seasonal specials are worth seeking out: Sun on Taj Mahal (14°, 6%, 51 IBU) is a very bitter IPA with the experimental American hop HBC 342 and Citra, with aromas of tropical fruit, melon, pineapple and mango; Pumpkin Ale (14°) is brewed with roasted Hokkaido pumpkin and pie spices; the wheat beer Perla (11.5°, 4.7%) has a light tartness and notes of citrus, lime blossom and muscat.

Practical information

Address: Nevädzová 1, 044 20 Malá Ida — about 10 km from the centre of Košice; easiest by car or taxi. Taproom hours (as of October 2026): Thursday 16:00–22:00, Friday–Saturday 16:00–23:00, Sunday 15:00–21:00. Tours are booked on +421 911 700 750 or [email protected]; ask about the price when booking. The building is wheelchair-accessible.

Nearby

• ÚĽUV Craft Centre in Košice — folk-craft workshops.
• Macák Pottery on Craft Lane — ceramics and courses.
• Háj Pottery — black ware and a field kiln, about 30 km.

Official website: herrenwald.sk

Photos: facebook.com.