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The brand of foamy alcohol, well known to the Russian consumer, was created not at all in Germany, as one might assume, but in the Netherlands.
The first bottle of Bavaria beer was born in the south of the country, in North Brabant in 1924. What dictated the choice of the German name for the Dutch brand of beer is a mystery over which several generations of admirers of the drink have been scratching their heads. The assumptions are different, but no one knows the exact answer to this question.
History of beer Bavaria
The history of one of the largest breweries, which annually produces more than 5 million hectoliters of alcohol per year, began with a tiny enterprise in the village of Lieshout. The first mention of a brewery on Kerkdijk Street dates back to 1680, although the date of foundation of the company is considered to be 1719, when it turned into a family business.
At first, the enterprise belonged to a large farmer, Dirk Vereiken, who also took the post of village head. A small factory served only the local population and a few visitors staying in the village and its environs.
Perhaps the company would have remained little known, if not for a fortunate combination of circumstances. In 1764, the great-great-granddaughter of the first owner of the Kerkdike brewery married Ambrosius Swinkels, a wealthy local farmer, whose descendants not only turned the family business into a profitable business, but also glorified their own surname throughout the world.
The turning point for the company is considered to be 1924, when the brothers Jan, Piet and Frans Swinkels built a new brewery and tested the revolutionary “Pilsner” technology for making drinks, which makes it possible to obtain lighter and purer foamy alcohol using bottom fermentation.
The products were called “Bavaria” and began to be bottled. The experiment was successful: the drink caught on among Dutch beer fans and soon began to be delivered to other countries. The level of exports reached a serious scale in the 1970s, in the future, only increasing volumes.
It is curious that over the course of 300 years of existence, the company has never passed into the wrong hands and has always remained a family business: today the seventh generation of the Swinkels family is at the head of the company. A significant part of the production is still produced in Lieshout. Bavaria also has its own facilities in Russia, where the company is represented by the Efes Beer Group, a brewery in South Africa and production lines that produce soft drinks.
The specifics of the production of beer Bavaria
The main thing that distinguishes Bavaria from major competitors is the preservation of an old family recipe, absolute naturalness and consistently high quality of drinks. Also characteristic features of the Dutch enterprise are:
Implementation of energy-saving and environmental technologies in brewing. Carbon dioxide formed during the maturation of beer is used to carbonate soft drinks. The rest of the water, unclaimed in the process, is cleaned and poured into the river. Excess heat is redistributed from one production site to another.
Self-preparation of the main ingredients. The company receives pure spring water from its own source, makes malt at its own malt house, and buys grain from trusted local farmers.
The use of copper for the manufacture of pipelines. The material has excellent thermal conductivity and is ideal for brewing. The company considers significant expenses for expensive metal as a necessary contribution to maintaining the image of a high-class manufacturer.
Bavaria beer flavors
The most famous beer of the company is the classic pale “Bavaria Premium”. The drink has a delicate golden color and a mild refreshing taste with subtle hoppy notes. It has lightness and toning effect. Fortress – 5%. It is sold in cans and glass bottles of various sizes (from 0,25 to 0,66 liters).
In Russia, a non-alcoholic, low-calorie version of the Bavaria Malt malt drink is also popular.
Unlike similar products of other brands, this type of beer really has a zero strength, i.e. does not contain alcohol at all. The product has a rich sweet-fruity taste with a subtle bitterness.
Produce a drink from selected barley malt, not including any artificial ingredients. Many tasters comment that it is “the most delicious non-alcoholic beer” in the world. Produced since 1978.
Less in demand is the strong “Bavaria 8.6 Gold” (alcohol content – 6,8%), which is characterized by a harsh taste with a pronounced sweetness. The drink is not in special demand and belongs to the category “for an amateur”.
It is noteworthy that the Russian “Bavaria” is produced from the same ingredients and using the same technologies as the Dutch one. The only difference is the use of local water.
The company also produces special limited editions of Bavaria for anniversaries, fruit versions of the drink, beer under the brands La Trappe, Claro, Lander Brau, Hollandia, Dutch Windmill, and others.
Interesting Facts
The popularity of the premium brand is facilitated by original promotions and participation in sponsoring major sporting events. Among the most memorable was the Blue Monday campaign, during which employees of the company took to the streets of Lieshout and exchanged any drinks for Bavaria brand products for free.
The company was the first to seriously think about creating non-alcoholic beer. The product was developed and put into production in the 70s, focusing on potential Muslim consumers, and already in the 90s the drink received mass recognition. A big role in the growth of popularity was played by advertising with the participation of American soldiers fighting in the Persian Gulf and absorbing the “null” with pleasure.
According to local legends, among the fans of Dutch beer was the famous artist Van Gogh, who, after tasting the drink from Lieshout, did not speak very flatteringly about German alcohol.
In 2007, the European Commission fined brewing giants Heineken, Bavaria and Grolsch for conspiring to overprice beer liquor in the Netherlands.
Relevance: 11.03.2019
Tags: Beer, Cider, Ale, Beer brands