founded in 1869 and located in the Smíchov district of Prague, was once the largest brewery in the Czech Republic. Currently in the number two spot, its flagship brand, a full-bodied golden lager simply known as Staropramen, is sold in over 30 countries around the world. Following construction of the brewery, the first ceremonial batch was brewed on May 1, 1871, and was available for sale on July 15, 1871.

By 1891 the Staropramen Brewery was producing 140,200 hl (3.7 million gallons) of beer annually. The brewery continued to grow but was hobbled by World War I and its after effects; raw materials for brewing were limited. However, by the 1930s the brewery was once again producing beers at a record pace. In 1939 it brewed 859,561 hl.

Following World War II Staropramen was nationalized but continued to produce beer and by the 1960s was brewing 1 million hl per year. In 1992, the company Pražské pivovary, a. s., was created and assumed ownership of Staropramen and fellow Czech Republic brewery Braník. A third brewery, Ostravar, was added to the company in 1997.

The company was purchased by Belgium-based InterBrew in 2000. In an effort to return to its roots and to make the brewery more identifiable to the public, Pražské pivovary, a. s. was renamed Pivovary Staropramen a.s. in 2003. In 2009 Pivovary Staropramen a.s. was purchased by an investment group that later renamed itself StarBev.

Staropramen continues to produce several brands of lager including the eponymous lager, Světlý (pale), Černý (dark), and the reddish Granát (garnet), brewed from a recipe that the brewery says dates back to 1884.

See also czech republic.