A brewer with a low handicap

Philipp Huber grew up in the countryside and in the big city, a combination that has influenced him throughout his life. His personal story revolves around returning to his roots, his favourite sport, golf, and the traditional craft of brewing beer.

Preserving the values of what is good and developing that which is unadulterated. That is the motto of the Huber family brewery in St. Johann in Tyrol. The Huber Bräu dates back to 1727, has been under the management of the family of the same name since 1883 and Philipp Huber is already in the starting blocks for the fifth generation. As a true brewery scion, he was allowed to look over his father Günther's shoulder and help out at an early age. "The art is to ensure that the quality of the beer always remains at the same elite level".

Taking over the brewery was never a must on the part of his parents, but Philipp was interested in it from the very beginning, even though his career path was anything but classic: "When I was ten, my brother and I moved to Vienna with my mother. So I had a combination of city and country life. During the week I lived in the big city and at the weekend I used the natural landscape of Tyrol to do sports." In terms of education, he graduated from high school with a degree in International Business Administration, and a Brew and Malt Master course in Germany is already on the schedule: "After that, I want to get a taste of first-hand experience in various breweries away from home for a few more years to gain as much experience as possible." He wants to focus on marketing and distribution: "The large breweries are getting bigger and bigger, so regional family breweries have to become more visible. That doesn't make it easier, but we score points with high service quality, which our customers appreciate."

14 types of beer are produced at Huber Bräu, the classics being the St. Johanner Original, the Spezial, the Meisterpils, the Augustinus and not forgetting the Weissbier, which can easily compete with the Bavarian Original. The production process is still kept traditional with copper kettles, open fermentation and long storage times: "Only through a long storage time can the beer develop its holistic aromas." For Philipp, joining the family brewery is like coming home. "Basically, you have to say that Vienna is a dream city. But I appreciate the living space around St. Johann with its diversity, the mountains and the countless sports opportunities in the fresh Alpine air. These two worlds have ultimately shaped me into what I am today."

And part of him likes to put his money on the perfect drive: "I've been playing golf for many years. The region offers a variety of brilliant courses, optionally with a view of the Wilder Kaiser or the Loferer Steinberge." He vehemently disagrees with the perception of playing an old man's sport: "If you play actively for five to six hours a day, you're already getting a lot of exercise. On top of that, there's the high level of concentration that this sport demands of you." Of course, this cannot be compared to conquering a summit on one of the Tyrolean mountains, because that is truly unique in Philipp's eyes. "When you're at the top, you usually realise how humble an individual you should be and probably are for this gift - to be able to live here."

#KitzbühelerAlpen | #LebenswegeTirol