Bavarian Beer: Imported From The Heart Of Germany

Bavaria, in the heart of Southern Germany, is famous for its beer and has given birth to a wonderful array of brews. The average Bavarian drinks 130-150 litres of beer per year! But where can you get a taste of this beer outside of Germany? Bavaria brewery may refer to a few different breweries around the world, including Colombia, the Netherlands, and Kentucky, USA.

Bavaria Brewery in Colombia

Bavaria Brewery (Spanish: Cervecería Bavaria), formally known as Bavaria S.A., is a Colombian brewery founded on April 4, 1889, by Leo S. Kopp, a German immigrant. It is headquartered in Bogotá and was the second-largest brewery in South America before it became a subsidiary of SABMiller in 2005. In 2016, SABMiller was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Bavaria Brewery became a division of the latter.

Bavaria Brewery produces a range of beers, bottled water, fruit juices, and malt beverages. Its national beer brands include Poker, Aguila, Club Colombia, and Costeña, among others. In addition to its beer business, Bavaria has a strong commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. The company has initiatives to promote responsible drinking, support women shopkeepers, and protect water sources in Colombia.

In January 2023, Bavaria announced a $413 million investment in a new brewery in Palmar de Varela, located near the city of Barranquilla. This expansion demonstrates the company's long-term commitment to growth and innovation in the Colombian market. The new brewery is expected to generate 350 direct jobs and 7,000 indirect jobs while producing beloved national beer brands.

Bavaria Brewery has a significant presence in Colombia, with products made in six breweries located across the country. In addition to its brewing operations, the company also has two malteries, labelling factories, and a tapas factory. The company's commitment to the region is evident through its investments and initiatives to support the local community and economy.

Bavaria Brewery in the Netherlands

Bavaria Brewery is a family-owned brewery in the Netherlands that also produces La Trappe beers for the Koningshoeven Abbey.

The Netherlands has a rich history of brewing, with beer being a significant part of Dutch culture and social life. While the country is known for its diverse range of beer styles and brands, Bavaria Brewery has become a prominent name in the industry. As a family-owned business, Bavaria Brewery has established itself as a notable player in the Dutch beer market and has expanded its operations to include producing La Trappe beers, a well-known brand associated with the Koningshoeven Abbey.

La Trappe beers have a unique character and are often regarded as some of the best examples of Trappist ales. These beers are known for their complex flavours, which are developed through traditional brewing techniques and the use of high-quality ingredients. The Koningshoeven Abbey, located in the Netherlands, is the only Trappist brewery in the country, and its beers are sought after by beer enthusiasts around the world.

Bavaria Brewery's association with the Koningshoeven Abbey further enhances its reputation as a brewery committed to producing high-quality beers. By collaborating with the abbey, Bavaria Brewery showcases its dedication to brewing excellence and its ability to consistently create beers that meet the expectations of discerning drinkers.

In addition to its focus on quality, Bavaria Brewery also prioritises sustainability in its operations. The company has implemented several environmentally conscious practices, recognising the importance of minimising its impact on the environment. This commitment to sustainability, combined with its brewing expertise, positions Bavaria Brewery as a leader in the Dutch beer industry and a brand that is respected by beer lovers both locally and internationally.

Bavarian Brewing Company in Kentucky, USA

The Bavarian Brewing Company was a brewery established in Covington, Kentucky, in 1866 by Julius Deglow. It was originally located on Pike Street but later expanded to 12th Street. The brewery was known as DeGlow & Co. Brewery at its founding but became known as the Bavarian Brewery around 1870. Over the next few years, the brewery changed hands several times, with Deglow, Best & Renner owning it beginning in 1868, followed by John Meyer in 1881, and then William Riedlin in 1882. The company operated under the proprietorship of Meyer & Riedlin starting in 1884, before becoming incorporated as the Bavarian Brewing Co. in 1889 by William Riedlin.

Under Riedlin's leadership, the Bavarian Brewery underwent significant growth and expansion. A major renovation of the brewery was undertaken in 1886, and the brewery's first bottling plant was constructed in 1892, allowing for wider distribution of its beer. In the following years, the Bavarian Brewing Co. continued to expand its facilities, adding new buildings and increasing its beer production capacity. By 1913, the brewery had replaced several of its original structures and evolved into a state-of-the-art facility, comprising a total land area of six and a half acres. The annual beer production had increased from 7,341 barrels in 1870 to 215,000 barrels, making it the largest brewery in Kentucky.

However, the Bavarian Brewing Company faced challenges during Prohibition, which began in 1920. Beer production in Kentucky was halted at the end of November 1918, but the storage and sale of beer were permitted into mid-1919. To stay afloat, the company bottled non-alcoholic beverages under the name of the William Riedlin Beverage Company. Unfortunately, William Riedlin and his son, William Riedlin Jr., both passed away in early 1919, leaving the company in the hands of other family members. The brewery struggled financially and changed ownership multiple times before eventually reopening in 1935 under M.L. Vorhees, who was married to Riedlin's granddaughter, Rosemary.

The Bavarian Brewing Company continued to face financial difficulties and changed hands several more times over the years. In 1959, it merged with International Breweries Inc. (IBI) to become the Bavarian Division of IBI. The company continued to produce its flagship beer, Bavarian's, until the facility closed in 1966, a hundred years after its founding. The property was later renovated and repurposed for food, beverage, and entertainment uses, operating as the Brew Works at the Party Source and Jillian's until 2006. Today, the former brewery structure has been repurposed into office space and is part of the Kenton County Government Center, which includes a Bavarian Brewery Exhibit showcasing the history of the brewery and displaying related artefacts.

Bavaria – St. Pauli Brewery in Germany

The Bavaria – St. Pauli Brewery in Germany was founded in 1922 from the merger of Bavaria Brauerei AG (founded in 1897) and St. Pauli Actien-Brauerei (founded in 1862) in Hamburg. The Bavaria – St. Pauli Brewery was a German brewery that bought up a dozen North German breweries until it was bought by Brau und Brunnen in 1994, merging it with Elbschloss-Brauerei GmbH.

In January 1998, the city of Hamburg bought the brewery as it was under threat of closure. However, in December of the same year, Hamburg sold the brewery to Holsten, the city's other major brewer. Holsten closed the brewery in 2003 and the building was demolished. Holsten was then bought by Carlsberg in 2004.

The Bavaria – St. Pauli Brewery produced a range of pale lagers under the brand name Astra, including:

• Astra Urtyp (4.9% ABV)
• Astra Exclusiv (4.9% ABV)
• Astra Pilsener (4.9% ABV)
• Astra Rotlicht (6.0% ABV)
• Astra Original Hamburger Alsterwasser (2.5% ABV) (shandy)

Beer in Germany

Beer is a major part of German culture. In 2020, Germany ranked third in Europe in terms of per-capita beer consumption, after the Czech Republic and Austria. In Germany, beer is considered the national drink.

History

Beer-making in Germany goes back to the late Bronze Age, if not earlier. An earthenware amphora discovered in 1935 in a Celtic burial mound in Kasendorf, near Kulmbach in northern Bavaria, has been dated to c.800 BCE. It contained the residues of a black wheat ale flavoured with oak leaves.

Reinheitsgebot

The German beer purity law, or Reinheitsgebot, dictates that only water, hops, yeast, and malt are permitted as ingredients in beer production. Beers not exclusively using barley malt, such as wheat beer, must be top-fermented. The law was established in 1516 and is the oldest consumer protection law in the world.

Beer in Bavaria

Bavaria, the southernmost of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the cradle of the world's lager beer culture. Almost half of all German breweries are located in Bavaria, with 647 brew houses in the region.

The oldest existing brewery in the world is the Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan in Freising, about 40km from Munich. It was founded over 1,000 years ago as a Benedictine monastery brewery in 1040.

Bavaria is also the world's most important source of hops, supplying about one-third of the global demand. Its fields also produce some of the world's best brewing barley and wheat.

Bavarians call their way of life Gemütlichkeit, which translates to conviviality, and beer is an integral part of that. In the summer, Bavarians favour pale, straw-blond, easy-drinking helles and the refreshing, effervescent hefeweizen. In the fall, they switch to the amber and stronger Oktoberfest beer.

Beer Styles

There are too many German beer styles to list in full, but some of the most popular include:

• Radler (lager combined with a citrus-flavoured soda)
• German grapefruit beer (similar to a shandy)
• German lager
• German pilsner
• Witbier
• Kolsch
• Bock
• Marzen
• Helles (also called a Helles Lager)
• Dunkel
• Altbier
• Schwarzbier
• Berliner Weisse
• Kellerbier
• Hefeweizen

Frequently asked questions