Kozel

Kozel

The history of the Velkopopovický Kozel brewery dates back to 1874 and is closely tied to the prominent Ringhoffer industrial family, who not only brought the most advanced technology of their time but also placed great emphasis on artisanal quality and honesty — values that became the very foundation of the Kozel brand. Just one year after the first brew, the brewery was already producing and selling up to 18,000 hectoliters of beer annually, rapidly growing into one of the most successful operations in the region, surviving two world wars, nationalization, and socialism, keeping its brewing tradition alive thanks to the unwavering passion of its employees.

Today, the brewery in Velké Popovice belongs to Plzeňský Prazdroj and the Japanese Asahi Group, yet it has never lost its distinctive Bohemian character or its commitment to artisanal quality. The brewery draws its strength from the finest raw materials and pure spring water from its own wells, combining traditional brewing craftsmanship with modern technology to consistently produce the honest and characterful beer that has made Kozel unmistakable for over 150 years.

The iconic symbol of Kozel is the proud billy goat, rooted in a charming legend: a wandering French painter once gifted the village of Velké Popovice a painted goat image as a token of gratitude for the warm hospitality he received, and ever since, a living billy goat named Olda — now in its 15th generation — has grazed in the brewery park. Kozel is the world's most beloved Czech beer and stands today, as it always has, for quality, honesty, and Bohemian brewing craftsmanship in its purest and most authentic form.