Contents
Žatecký Gus is a Russian beer brand, the rights to which belong to the Baltika company, which is part of the Danish brewing concern Carlsberg Group. The name of the beer is due to the inclusion in the recipe of the famous Zatec hop, recognized as one of the best in the world. The line includes all the main types of beer: dark, light, unfiltered, non-alcoholic. In terms of growth rate and sales volumes, the brand ranks 3rd in the company’s portfolio; at the end of 2016, its market share was 2,9%.
Historical edit. Beer “Zhatetsky Gus” was launched on the market in 2009, its appearance was accompanied by a large-scale advertising campaign. Videos launched on TV and on the Internet used the goose legend to help brewers select the best hops for beer. Subsequently, the image of a cheerful Pan Hus appeared, busy brewing his favorite beer and performing incendiary dances with a goose under his arm. The advertisement implied that Žatecký Gus was originally from the Czech Republic: this was indicated by a video sequence representing a panorama of the city of Žatec, inscriptions made on the labels in Czech. The manufacturer emphasizes that it is Zatec hops that are used when brewing Goose, considering this a sufficient reason for such positioning of its product.
The fight for trademark registration
OAO Baltika twice was denied state registration of the Zatecky Gus trademark. Rospatent argued its decision by the fact that the beer produced by the Russian company is not directly related to the Czech city of Zatec, a recognized center of hop-growing and brewing, and is not produced under a license. A graphic name made with typical Czech language hačeks (diacritical marks), inscriptions on the label that unambiguously indicate the place of origin of the beer can mislead the buyer about the manufacturer of this product. This decision was upheld by the Collegium of the Chamber for Patent Disputes.
Protests by Czech brewers
Experts from the Czech Union of Brewers and Solodurers and the Czech-Moravian Association of Microbreweries oppose the start of selling the Zatecky Gus brand in the Czech Republic. In their opinion, the products of the Baltika corporation have nothing to do with traditional Czech beer and are a “parasite” on its reputation. In support of this position, a blind tasting was conducted by the popular magazine Beer, Bier & Ale. For comparison, several “pseudo-Czech” brands and beer exported from the Czech Republic to Russia were purchased. The test results showed the presence of foreign aromas and uncharacteristic flavors in the presented samples of Russian beer.
Awards
Greek Beer Festival (Athens):
- 2010 – Great Taste (Žatecký Gus Světlý).
International Beer Challenge, London:
- 2012 – Bronze (Gate Gus Černý) medal;
- 2013 – 2 бронзовые (Žatecký Gus Světlý, Žatecký Gus Černý) medals;
- 2015 – Bronze (Žatecký Gus Černý) medal.
International Berlin Beer Festival:
- 2011 – Bronze (Žatecký Gus Světlý) medal.
Gold Brewer’s Seal, Tabor:
- 2012 – Bronze (Žatecký Gus Světlý) medal.
Award “Product of the Year”, Moscow:
- 2013 – Award in the category “Licensed beer” (Žatecký Gus Světlý).
International competition of beer and brewing malt, Kiev:
- 2011 – Gold (TM Žatecký Gus) medal for the high quality of light licensed beer;
- 2013 – Grand Prix (TM Žatecký Gus) for the high quality of licensed beer.
Big Moscow International Beer Festival, Moscow:
- 2010 – Golden Brother (Žatecký Gus Černý) and the title of “Best Dark Beer” in the “People’s Tasting”.
Festival of the quality of beer, alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, Yekaterinburg:
- 2013 – XNUMXst degree diploma (Žatecký Gus Černý) in the Dark Bottled Beer nomination.
Types of beer Žatec goose
Zatecky Gus Cerny, 3,5%
The second most recent variety in the brand line, brewed on the basis of a mix of pale and caramel malts. The color of beer in a mug is dark brown with red flashes, beige foam with a dense structure does not settle for a long time and leaves lacy patterns on the walls. Roasted malt, dried fruits, rye bread crust, cold coffee are felt in aromatics. The body is light, with medium carbonation. The taste character is mainly caramel, complemented by tones of brown sugar, dark chocolate, prunes, kvass with a low carbon dioxide content. A soft hop bitterness emerges in the dry aftertaste. It goes well with grilled chicken wings, cheese profiteroles, beer cake with pecans.
Žatecký Gus Světlý, 4,6%
The first beer in the line, produced since 2009. In the glass it looks light amber, in the light – crystal clear. The snow-white foam cap is dense and fine-grained, rising to the brim. The basis of the aromatic range is the tones of grassy hops, fresh bread, meadow honey. Medium-full body, moderate carbonation. The taste is dense enough for a light lager, fruity and malty, with an unobtrusive hop bitterness. The aftertaste is short and refreshing, beer emphasizes the taste of meat and seafood dishes, softening their sharpness and fat content.
Zatecky Gus Lezak, 5,0%
A variation of Russian brewers on the theme of the classic Czech “lounger” with a density of 11-12%, which is brewed mainly from barley malt. After completion of the first stage of fermentation, the beer is fermented in tanks for 60 days. In a glass it is poured with a rich golden color, the foam is airy, of medium persistence. The aroma stands out grainy and grassy tones. The taste palette is rich, with a dense malt body, caramel nuances and noticeable hop bitterness. Drinkable table beer, harmoniously combined with both light snacks and hearty dishes – baked pork knuckle, venison goulash.
Zatecky Gus Unfiltered from Tavern, 3,8%
Light unfiltered beer of light straw color, with slight opalescence. The aroma is floral and spicy, with yeasty sourness, tones of citrus and banana. The body is quite full, giving the impression of a higher initial density than the stated 9%. The taste is smooth, velvety, without the predominance of malt sweetness or hop bitterness, it is felt that the beer is well attenuated. The aftertaste is dryish, with light notes of yellow marmalade and dried fruits from compote. To reveal the entire flavor and aroma palette of the drink, it is worth cooling it to 4-7 ° C. Fried pork ribs, Olomouc curds, squid rings will make a good gastronomic pair of beer.
Zatecky Gus Non-Alcoholic, 0,5%
Non-alcoholic beer was added to the brand line in 2011 and is addressed to those who would like to never part with their favorite drink. Produced using a unique technology for the release of alcohol from beer, which allows you to fully preserve the taste and aroma of light lager. The color is golden-transparent, with a characteristic luster, a lush and fairly stable foam forms in the mug. In the aromatics, the sweetness of malt wort, the tones of wild flowers, wet sawdust are felt in the foreground. The body is light but not watery, the carbonation is fine-grained. The taste is clean, with hints of unmalted grain, corn, and a slight hop bitterness.
