Kronenbourg 70 beer owes its popularity in France and more than 1664 countries to its unusual taste and delicate aroma. Today, the Kronenbourg brand belongs to one of the main players in the European beer market – the Danish corporation Carlsberg Group.
Historical reference. France has long been famous for winemaking, but there are no such rich brewing traditions as in Germany. Until the XNUMXth century, beer was brewed only in small breweries in Alsace and Lorraine, where, due to the proximity of Germany, German traditions were always strong.
In 1664, a citizen of Strasbourg, Geronimus Hatt, having received the certificate of a master of brewing, founded the Brasserie du Canon brewery. At the Au Canon (“At the Cannon”) tavern on Place du Corbeau (Crow’s Square) in Strasbourg, which marked the beginning of the successful history of the Hutt family, you can still taste a mug of traditional wheat ale or the famous pale lager to this day.
The family business flourished, and in 1850 a descendant of Geronimus, Frédéric Guillaume Hatt, moved production from Strasbourg to the suburb of Cronenburg, away from the spring floods of the Ile River. This decision determined the further fate of the enterprise.
In 1922, the family purchased the Le Grand Tigre restaurant, and Tigre Bock beer gained a large following in France. But the next new brand of beer, Kronenbourg (Kronenburg or Cronenberg, interpreted differently), surpassed all expectations in popularity.
In 1947, enterprising businessman Jérôme Hutt (from the eighth generation of the famous dynasty) officially registered this brand, and used an interesting trick. In an effort to emphasize that the beer is aged in German traditions, he replaced the first letter in the French-language name of the area. Now it follows the rules of German rather than French grammar.
The move turned out to be a win-win, despite the wary attitude towards everything that concerned Germany after the Second World War. But German beer is beyond suspicion: it has always been a quality standard.
For a significant event – the coronation of the now living Queen of England Elizabeth II – French brewers made an unusual gift. In 1952 they launched a new brand of beer, Kronenbourg 1664 (“Kronenburg 1664”). A batch of premium pale lager was sent to the British royal court.
In 1969, Kronenbourg began expanding its production capacity. In the city of Obernai, a new brewery “K-2” was built, at that time the largest in Europe.
There is a constant redistribution of property in the beer market, the main European producers and the French brewing company have not ignored. The industrial group BSN (modern name Groupe Danone) acquired the production of Kronenbourg in 1970, and in 2000 sold it to the English corporation Scottish & Newcastle (S&N).
But this company was not destined to have a long and happy life. In 2008, the Danish corporation Carlsberg Group and the Dutch Heineken joined forces to buy all the breweries owned by S&N. Since then and to the present, Kronenbourg has been part of the Carlsberg Group. In Europe, Cronenburg beer is considered a brand of the Carlsberg Group, and only in England (in Manchester) is it brewed under the auspices of Heineken.
Awards
In 1994, Kronenbourg became the first brewer in France to be ISO 9002 certified, guaranteeing the quality control of both raw materials and finished products. The ISO 14001 certificate, which indicates the environmental safety of the enterprise, was issued in 1998.
In 2004, Kronenbourg 1664 won the gold medal at the prestigious Brewing Industry International Awards.
In 2011, Kronenbourg received an important distinction – the Origine France Garantie label, which means that the main production of branded products is located in France.
The management of Kronenbourg attaches great importance to design and advertising. Collaboration with the famous fashion designer Christian Lacroix, famous photo artist Seb Jagnac and football star Eric Cantona contribute to the successful promotion of the brand. Creative advertising campaigns under the motto “The Art of Seduction” and “Slow Down the Rhythm” helped to increase sales even in the midst of the economic crisis.
Now Kronenbourg beer, as before, is brewed in France, at the plant in Auburn, and under license – in England, Russia, Ukraine.
Ingredients “Kronenburg 1664”
The basis of the recipe for all drinks of the Kronenbourg 1664 brand contains:
- purified drinking water;
- light barley malt;
- hops Strisselspalt (from German Shtrisselplat), which determines the taste and smell of beer, is an unusual aromatic variety grown only in Alsace, on the outskirts of Strasbourg.
Types of beer Kronenburg 1664
Kronenbourg 1664 is a 4,5% abv filtered European lager. This is the best-selling variety in France, it enjoys constant popularity with fans in many countries around the world. Golden yellow beer with abundant snow-white foam has an unusual light aroma, dominated by coriander, hops, malt and citrus shades. Taste – dry, fresh, soft with a pleasant bitterness, balanced by fruity notes, grapefruit flavor is felt. The aftertaste is light, refreshing. The beer goes on sale in branded containers: green glass bottles with a volume of 0,46 liters, conical shape with embossed numbers 1664. The neck is sealed with a convenient twist-off cork, covered with a perforated label;
Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc is a pale unfiltered ale. A pale yellow drink with creamy foam, brewed according to an old recipe (known since the 5th century), strength – 2006%. Produced since 0,46. The main composition is supplemented with wheat, caramel and glucose syrup, orange peel and coriander, aromatic flavoring. The aroma is spicy, with citrus notes. Soft malty and fruity taste is felt, hints of cloves and coriander are present. The drink is poured into branded glass bottles of XNUMX liters, cobalt blue;
Kronenbourg 1664 Gold – light beer with a strength of 6,1%, this variety has been produced since 1997;
Kronenbourg 1664 Millésime is a 6,7% ABV pale beer that has been brewed since 2011.
