Amstel is the second most popular brand of the Dutch brewing concern Heineken. For more than 140 years, the drink has been pleasing fans with impeccable quality. Heineken exports Amstel beer to 112 countries.
Historical reference. The Netherlands is a country with a rich brewing tradition. But when, in the second half of the 559th century, a golden, flavorful Bavarian-style lager became fashionable – in other words, the beer that is now commonly called a German pilsner – it turned out that of the XNUMX Dutch breweries, only two produced such a drink.
The Amsterdam entrepreneurs Charles de Pester and Johannes van Marwik Kooy were not only relatives, but also like-minded people. They quickly realized how much profit the new beer fashion promises them. In 1870, the partners built a new brewery, which was located on the banks of the Amstel River, from where water was taken to cool the equipment. Therefore, both the enterprise itself and the beer it produces were named Amstel.
The quality of the drink conquered first Amsterdam, then the whole country, and since 1883, Amstel began to be exported to England and Indonesia. The further history of the brand was stellar: in 1926, a third of the Dutch beer exports were Amstel beer.
After World War II, the company began building factories abroad. The geography was impressive: by 1963, enterprises had already been opened in Jordan, Greece, Puerto Rico, and Curacao. Amstel was the first Dutch company to export beer in cans. In 1968, Amstel was acquired by Heineken International.
After 4 years, the new owners closed the plant in Amsterdam, and the production of Amstel beer was transferred to the Heineken headquarters in Zoterwood. However, the traditional quality of Amstel has remained unchanged. For example, Greg Noonan, a recognized authority among American craft beer producers, noted in one of his interviews that he had not tasted a lighter beer better than Amstel Light.
According to Laurencia Debrou, chief financial officer of Heineken, the concern never competes with other brewing companies. Heineken experts simply determine the best beer on the market in any category and do everything possible to surpass it. This approach allows us to constantly expand the geography of exports and production of Amstel beer.
Drink manufacturers are trying to keep up with the times. The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at urban youth: office workers, purposeful and very busy, but who appreciate the opportunity to spend their free time in a relaxed atmosphere, in the company of friends.
The motto of one of the latest advertising campaigns of Amstel is “Time for pleasure”. In some European countries, a dedicated smartphone app is even distributed. The owner of a smartphone who has not touched it for 8 hours is rewarded with a free portion of Amstel beer.
Another good tradition of Amstel is sponsoring various sporting events. Since 1966, the Amstel Golden Race has been held annually – a cycling race that brings together amateur athletes from many countries. Until 2021, the brand will sponsor the UEFA Europa League.
Since 2005, several varieties of Amstel: Weiss, Premium Pilsener, Non-Alcoholic, have been produced in Russia, at breweries owned by Heineken. The drink is also produced under license in Kazakhstan and Belarus. All Heineken factories use microfiltration technology (cold microbiological stabilization), which allows preserving the natural taste and aroma of the drink throughout the entire shelf life.
Types of Amstel beer
Amstel Lager – golden beer, 5% ABV. It smells of malt, hop bitterness is felt in the taste.
Amstel Weiss is an amber-colored wheat beer, 5,1% ABV, 11,4 gravity. When brewing, a mixture of regular and roasted malt is used. The drink has a banana-clove aroma, taste – with a pronounced bready tint.
Amstel Premium Pilsener is a golden beer with abundant dense foam, ABV 4,9%, gravity 11,2%. The aroma is malty, the taste is hoppy, with a delicate bitterness and an apple note.
Amstel Light is a golden beer with 3,5% ABV. It has a pleasant hop aroma and refreshing taste. The drink has 35% fewer calories than regular beer.
Amstel 1870 is a golden amber beer, 5% ABV, brewed according to an old recipe. The drink is fragrant with malt, the taste is moderately bitter, ending with a spicy aftertaste.
Amstel Gold is a bright golden beer with 7% abv. First brewed in 1956. On the palate, a light fruity sweetness is balanced by hop bitterness.
Amstel Malt – non-alcoholic beer of the color of old gold, the foam is loose, unstable. Taste and aroma are moderately malty. In Russia, the drink is sold under the name Non-Alcoholic.
Amstel Free is an amber-golden non-alcoholic beer brewed in Athens. The combination of natural barley malt and wheat starch gives the drink a refreshing taste with pleasant citrus undertones.
