Story

We are sitting outside his pub, The Brickmakers, on Zieglergasse (ziegler means ‘brick’) in Vienna’s Seventh District (Neubau), a trendy residential area that attracts students, intellectuals and creative souls. As he speaks, it’s clear Brian’s a man with a hunger to get things done; to change perceptions about beer; and to convert the population of Vienna to the cult of craft beer. One person at a time if necessary.

“I opened my first bar, Charlie P’s, in 1997 when I was 24 years old with a grant from Guinness. I grew up in pubs, so it’s always been a passion but it was only while I was working as a management consultant in Ireland, working on an auditing course that bored me senseless, that I finally realised what I wanted to do with my life. I chose Vienna without having been here before – on a recommendation – but I love it here. I’ll never leave. This is where my heart is.

We opened The Brickmakers Pub & Kitchen in March 2015. I collaborated with Peter Zinter, my Executive Chef, a Michelin-starred cook who’s as obsessed about quality as I am – whether food ingredients or beer.