The brewery was founded in 1857 by two entrepreneurs, Johann Wallnöfer and Franz Tappeiner, from Meran (Italian: Merano).

Later in 1863, the company passed to the entrepreneur Josef Fuchs, who enlarged the plant in Forst.

[citation needed] Forst has an annual production of 700,000 hl, serving primarily the domestic market.

In 1991, it acquired the Menabrea brewery in Biella, Piedmont and also maintains a bottling plant in Palermo, Sicily.

The company also produces mineral water and other non-alcoholic drinks, through a subsidiary named Kaiserwasser.