Kozel Brewery: The Most Famous Czech Beer Since 1874

A private Velké Popovice brewery tour from Prague takes you to one of the most distinctive beer experiences in the Czech Republic — 25 kilometres from the capital, in the small village where Velkopopovický Kozel has been brewed since 15 December 1874. And if you are wondering how the goat became the symbol of one of the world's most recognisable Czech beers — you will find out here.

Kozel means "billy goat" in Czech. The story goes that a French painter, lost in the Bohemian countryside in the early 20th century, was taken in and fed by the people of Velké Popovice. Out of gratitude, he painted them a goat. The emblem first appeared on the label in 1922 and has been there ever since. Today a live goat named Olda still roams the brewery grounds and greets every visitor.

The story of the brewery

The brewery in Velké Popovice was founded by František Ringhoffer — a Prague industrialist and mayor of Smíchov, one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his time. The first batch of Kozel was a dark beer, brewed in a 60-hectolitre cauldron on 15 December 1874. Within a year the brewery was producing 18,000 hectolitres annually. Within a few years it had become the third largest brewery in the Czech Republic.

The Ringhoffer family brought the most advanced brewing technology of their era to Velké Popovice — and a philosophy of craftsmanship and honesty that became the foundation of the Kozel brand. The historic brewhouse from 1928, still standing on the brewery grounds, is one of the highlights of the Kozel brewery tour.

Today Velkopopovický Kozel is part of the Plzeňský Prazdroj group and owned by Asahi Breweries, exporting to dozens of countries around the world. But the beer is still brewed here, in Velké Popovice, according to the same traditional recipe — using water from the same local wells that have supplied the brewery for over 150 years.

What the tour includes

The guided tour takes you through the active brewhouse, where you will learn about the brewing process and the raw materials behind Kozel's distinctive taste. You will walk through the historic 1928 brewhouse and see the lager cellars, where the beer ferments and matures.

The highlight for most visitors is the tasting at the end — unfiltered Velkopopovický Kozel beer served straight from a unique tap in the cellars. Light or dark — and unlike anything you will find in a shop or a bar.

And of course, Olda the goat.

The tour departs from your hotel in Prague and returns you there at the end of the day.

This day trip pairs naturally with Český Šternberk Castle — one of Central Europe's oldest inhabited castles, just a short drive away. Price for the combined tour available on request.

Looking for more day trips from Prague? See our full collection.