Zlatý Bažant

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Zlatý Bažant

Zlatý Bažant (Golden Pheasant) is the most exported Slovak beer brand. It was founded in 1969^[1] and is produced at its brewery in Hurbanovo. It was purchased by the Heineken International group in 1995 adding on to the groups already impressive repertoire of beer brands that exceeds 170 with 125 breweries in 70 countries. ^[2] .^[3]

It is distributed in the United States and Canada under the name Golden Pheasant.^[4][5]

History[]

Zlatý Bažant or as it is known to people in North America as "Golden Pheasant" gets its name from the surrounding area where the beer was named. Hurbanovo which is a small town located Southeast of Slovakia's Capital, Bratislava had a large amount of Pheasant during the 1970s that were literally gold in color and that's why the beer-making pioneers decided to give it this name. Moreover, "Golden Pheasant" was a suitable name because it also resembles the deep gold color of a pint of Zlatý Bažant.

In 1971, Zlatý Bažant began to be sold in cans which was the first-ever beer in Czechoslovakia and Eastern Europe to be produced in such a way.^[6] Zlatý Bažant brought the non-alcoholic beer Pito in the 1980s. Today, Zlatý Bažant "nealko" continues this tradition. In 2001, the brand was introduced in a completely new green bottle with an original design, changing the beer market as we know it today.^[7] On April 1, 2011, Radler Pheasant was launched which came in non-alcoholic and alcoholic options.^[8] This beer was unique because it took the bitter taste of the beer that some people found unpleasant and it was mixed with a lemon sparkling soda like a sprite. In April 2016, they launched Zlatý Bažant ´73 beer, a beer inspired by the oldest preserved draft brew of Zlatý Bažant beer from 16 April 1973^[9] giving a glimpse of the heritage of where the beer came from to the new generation of beer connoisseurs.

Brewery[]

Zlatý Bažant is brewed in Hurbanovo Slovakia. Many would think that it's brewed there because that's where the factory was built. However, there is a lot more behind it. One of the main reasons Hurbanovo was chosen over any other location in Slovakia was its warm climate which is the highest in Slovakia all year round on average and it is 115 meters above sea level.^[10] The warmer climate allows for a very important ingredient for beer to thrive and grow which is called Hops. Hops, is a plant that allows the beer to stay fresher for longer and it keeps the flavor, aroma, and foam of the beer from going bad allowing Zlatý Bažant to have a consistent product no matter how many days it takes to get consumed after production.

Characteristic[]

Zlatý Bažant is Slovakia's most popular beer and it ranks highly in its popularity throughout Europe. The base of every Zlatý Bažant made is the same: 50% wheat malt, 45% barley malt, and a hint of caramel malt.^[11] As with many other wheat beers like Zlatý Bažant the top is fermented and unfiltered. From this base, Zlatý Bažant creates up to 11 different and unique beer different from taste to color.

Production[]

^[12] There are 11 step that take place to create Zlatý Bažant from the start to preparing to brew the next batch. However, only 7 are needed from start to delivery.

Step 1: The Boil In this step, the mash is boiled in a cauldron type brewing kettle. In this process, the aim is for the precipitation of proteins in the liquid and leads to obtain the desired bitterness extract from the hops plant. cauldron-like brew kettle

Step 2: Fermentation In this step, the extract from the Bessel changes into alcohol and carbon dioxide which added to the strength and the freshness of the beer.

Step 3: Maturation Young beer is transferred into smaller separate vessels where the temperature is between 1-2 degrees Celsius which allows for slow fermentation and maturation. The off-flavors in this step reduce making the beer mature.

Step 4: Filtration Here all the sediments caused by the proteins and the substances/products to produce the beer are removed. This allows the beer to have the perfect sparkle.

Step 5: Quality Control Laboratory specialists test the beer for quality, alcohol content, and if it is safe to drink. Following all health and safety protocols outlined to the company to be able to sell the beer.

Step 6: Packing This step is crucial if it is not done correctly carbon dioxide can escape causing the beer to become bad. Moreover, pasteurization occurs in this step to get rid of any yeast that is left after filtration.

Step 7: Delivery From the Hurbanovo brewery, it is not transported to all corners of Slovakia to be exported into several countries around Europe and around the World.

Export[]

^[13] Zlatý Bažant is available in many countries around the world the most notable ones include;

• USA
• Canada
• Slovakia
• Denmark
• Finland
• Germany
• Austria
• Sweden
• Poland
• Russia
• United Kingdom

Types of Beer[]

Zlatý Bažant beers include:^[14]

• 12° svetlé pivo (light coloured beer 4.7% ABV)
• 10° svetlé pivo (light coloured beer 4.3% ABV)
• 10° tmavé pivo (dark coloured beer 3.8% ABV)
• Nealkoholické svetlé pivo 5.7° (non-alcoholic light beer 0.5% ABV)
• Bažant Radler Citrón (beer with lemon flavour 2,0% ABV)
• Bažant Radler Citrón Nealko (non-alcoholic beer with lemon flavor 0,5% ABV)
• Bažant Radler Grapefruit (grapefruit-flavored beer 2,0% ABV)
• Seasonal Beers include: Zlatý Bažant Wheat Beer, Zlatý Bažant Porter, Zlatý Bažant Bock, and Zlatý Bažant Dark Ale Yeast^[15]

References[]

External links[]

• Official site