|
Prague's economy began to recover in the mid-1920s. Construction began
on a new stadium for Sokol meets in Strahov, and residential construction
began to pick up as well. Municipal growth always had a positive effect
on the brewery and on beer consumption, so it is no wonder that Staropramen
steadily increased annual production volumes in this period to meet rising
demand for beer in the south-west portion of Prague. Braník Brewery also
capitalised on this situation and in the late 1920s the brewery underwent
a process of modernisation which culminated in 1929 with a revamp of the
entire brewing system. Construction activity picked up in Ostrava as well,
and so here, too, the Ostravar Brewery was successful and prospered.
At the end of the decade, raw materials prices fell and an economic boom
was expected. Instead of that, however, came the Great Depression, which
affected the Braník and Ostravar breweries.
|
 |
|
|
Despite all the difficulties, Staropramen Brewery began to be profitable
again in this period. It invested in new equipment and transformed itself
into a modern industrial enterprise. At this time, it was Staropramen
Brewery that became the brewery with the biggest production volume in
Czechoslovakia, a position which it held for many years. Between 1933
and 1937 the first phase of an extensive, complete overhaul and upgrade
took place and in 1938 the brewery produced 823,317 hecto-litres of beer.
One year later, production had risen to 859,561 hecto-litres. It is no
wonder that at this time it joined the elite top three breweries in Europe.
But then another war catastrophe came. Capital spending ground to a halt,
raw materials inventories were used up, much technical plant was completely
run into the ground or was destroyed in the war.
|