Hops and malt: Freistadt erhalt's

"The architecture and the building in the Braucommune in this wonderfully historic town make the Brauhaus unique. And of course the beer," Helmut Satzinger is convinced. The baroque building from the 1770s, consisting of three floors and wings, has even been a listed building since 1986.

The history of the brewing community itself can even be traced back to the founding of Freistadt in 1220. At that time, the 149 houses in the old town were actually granted a brewing right. Over the centuries, the town grew more and more, but the breweries became fewer and fewer, until in the middle of the 18th century there were finally only two breweries left. However, these could not satisfy the demand for beer.
As a result, the 149 homeowners founded the brewing community, bought a plot of land and built their own brewery.

One person who upholds tradition in the Mühlviertel town is Helmut Satzinger. "My grandparents were already innkeepers, I grew up in the inn and was already among the guests as a toddler," the innkeeper and managing director of the Freistädter Brauhaus recalls the beginnings of his gastronomic career. This was also the reason why Satzinger decided to do an apprenticeship as a cook and waiter at a young age and started it at the local inn.

His career has since taken him all over Austria, Bad Aussee, Seefeld and Innsbruck were among his stops. He has worked "pretty much everywhere" in Austria, Satzinger says, "then I came to the realisation that it's nicest at home." The 59-year-old has been running the brewery since it opened in 2012, within the historic walls of the Braucommune, as the brewery is known in this "small historic town".

In the kitchen, Helmut Satzinger focuses on quality and regionality. Brauhaus and brewery are closely linked: On one hand, the in-house beer is served, on the other hand, it can be found in the dishes such as in the Brauhaus-Bratl with Schwarzbiersaftl or in the beer goulash. "It all has its fashion, but the important thing is to look at what nature supplies at the time. The quality of the products is crucial." Satzinger places value on the original: "I see myself as a craftsman who treats food the way it belongs: with appreciation. In the end, you should still be able to tell from the plate what wonderful products are inside," says the trained beer sommelier.