In 1718, Johann Kirchberger from Bavaria opened Bruneck’s first brewery. After a major fire he rebuilt the establishment – on the burnt-out site of the former diocesan administrative building in the lower Stadtgasse. The Kirchberger Brewery now became attached to an inn. In 1849 the brewery, together with the rights to run a spa bath and tavern, passed by marriage into the ownership of the Bruneck brewing family, the Stembergers. From then on the brewery bore the name Kirchberger-Stemberger, and later only Stemberger. The inn, however, retained the name Kirchberger Bräuhaus.

The brewery’s beer was highly prized and from time to time even exported. However, when the Pustertal Valley Railway opened in 1871, the local beer market gained new rivals. Increasingly, the Bruneck natives drank beer from Gossensass, Blumau and Styria and the local beer fell out of favour.

The war years, shortage of labour and failed harvests did the rest. In 1916 the brewery was forced to close, as did the inn between the wars. Today only the lovely wrought-iron tavern sign remains.

For a long time, inns and taverns were important places in Bruneck. People were invited to balls, concerts and theatre performances there. A host of society gatherings and municipal council meetings were held in inns. During the summer months, some landlords opened beer gardens. One of these was located at Stemberger’s beer hall alongside the Reischach beck.