Zwickl (or Zwickel) is unfiltered beer—straight from the lagering tank, so it’s cloudy and often a bit rounder and softer. In Austria and Bavaria it’s the classic “at the source” pour. Traditional Vienna breweries that brew on-site often have it as a house option.
Why drink it
No filtration means yeast and a bit of sediment stay in—you get a gentler, bready note and a beer that’s as close to “just left the cellar” as you can get. Often it’s the same base as the brewery’s filtered lager, just without the last step. If you like Viennese lager, try the Zwickl version. More in the Vienna Brewery Guide.
Where to get it in Vienna
At a traditional brewery that brews and serves on-site. Fischerbräu in Döbling (Billrothstraße 17) has been doing house beer—including unfiltered—since 1985, with Austrian food and a beer garden. The real deal.
Zwickl and more at Fischerbräu
Unfiltered house beer, Helles, Dunkles. Döbling, Billrothstraße 17.