Bavaria is a Dutch beer brand owned by Bavaria NV, part of Swinkels Family Breweries NV. The company occupies a unique position in the international beer market - it is an independent family business run by representatives of the seventh generation of the Swinkels dynasty. In 2016, Bavaria NV produced over seven million hectoliters of beer, with a net profit of €32.9 million. The brand is currently present in more than 130 countries.

In addition to the flagship beer "Bavaria", the assortment portfolio includes the brands Swinkels, Hollandia, Rodenbach, Trappist beer La Trappe. Licensed production is organized in Russia and South Africa. The facilities of the enterprise also produce soft drinks, malt and grain extracts.

The history of the company can be traced back to 1680. At that time, Dirk Vereyken owned the brewery in the town of Lieshout - his tax reports were preserved in the archives of the local municipality. The business was inherited from father to daughter until Vereiken's great-granddaughter married Ambrosius Swinkels. Since 1764, the history of the brewery has been inextricably linked with the name Swinkels. Today, the company is led by representatives of the seventh generation of the family - key positions and seats on the board of directors are occupied by 26 cousins ​​and second cousins.

The name "Bavaria" was coined by Piet Swinkels in 1925, after the completion of the construction of a new brewery - it was supposed to indicate the use of bottom-fermentation technology by the plant and emphasize the connection with the homeland of the famous German beer. Since the 1930s, the Swinkels Brothers Firm sign has been replaced with a new one: N.V. Beiersch Bierbrouwerij Bavaria. In 1933, a bottling shop was launched, which produced 2,000 bottles per hour.

Since 1973, the company has been expanding internationally, primarily in Southern Europe. In the late seventies, Bavaria became one of the first producers of non-alcoholic beer. By 1981, total production reached 1,000,000 hectoliters. In 2016, Bavaria NV bought a majority stake in the Belgian brewery Palm, declaring its intention to increase its stake to 100% in 2021.

Trademark fight

The Swinkels family spent more than 10 years litigating with the Bavarian Union of Brewers, proving the right to call their beer Bavaria. The brand was registered by a Dutch company in 1995, while the German side, challenging the legality of this decision, applied for trademark protection Bayerisches Bier (“Bavarian beer”) 6 years later. An Italian appeals court in Turin put an end to the protracted conflict by ruling in favor of the Dutch brewers. Prior to that, they won in Australia, Spain and achieved a positive decision of the European Court in Luxembourg.

During a tour of the brewery, visitors are told the story that one of the admirers of local beer was the famous artist Van Gogh, who lived 7 kilometers from the village of Lieshout. The story ends with the assumption that if he had limited himself to drinking only this drink, then perhaps he would not have encroached on the life of his friend Gauguin and would not have lost his left ear. The exposition of the mini-museum presents a board from a beer barrel, which the painter used as a palette for paints.

Awards

Great Moscow International Beer Festival:

• 2008 - Prize "Blue brother" (Bavaria Malt) and diploma "People's tasting" in the category "Best non-alcoholic".

World Beer Championships, Chicago:

• 2012 - Silver (Bavaria Pilsner) medal and "Highest Recommendations" mark.

International Beer Challenge, London:

• 2012 - Silver (Bavaria Lager Shandy) medal;
• 2014 - 2 bronze (Bavaria Fruity Rose, Bavaria Wit) medals;
• 2015 - Silver (Bavaria Bok Bier) and 2 bronze (Bavaria Swinckel's, Bavaria Premium Original Non-Alcoholic) medals.

Australian International Beer Awards, Ballarat:

• 2017 - Gold (La Trappe Quadrupel) and bronze (Bavaria Pilsner) medals.

RankABrand, Amsterdam:

• 2011, 2012 - second place in the list of the best brewing companies in Holland;
• 2015 - first place in the TOP-5 Dutch brewing companies, a special prize for the introduction of "green" and energy-efficient technologies.

IMD-Lombard Odier Global Family Business Award, Montreux:

• 2015 - international award (Bavaria N.V.) for an outstanding family business.

SAN Advertiser of the Year:

• 2010 - gold award for packaging redesign, silver - in the categories "Rapid Development" and "Integrated Communications".

IMC European Awards, Brussels:

• 2011 - Grand Prix and 2 gold awards for the DutchDress advertising campaign and flash mob.

Types of beer Bavaria

Bavaria Premium Pilsener, 5%

The flagship product of the brand, awarded with prestigious awards in competitions in Europe, USA, Australia. The light golden pilsner has a characteristic luster and a finely bubbled head. The aroma reveals grassy and sweet-malty tones, the bouquet also has hints of meadow hay, fresh apples, pleasant hop bitterness. The taste is a continuation of aromatics, the aftertaste diversifies the range with refreshing citrus notes. As snacks for Bavaria Premium Pilsener, the manufacturer recommends deep-fried squid rings, barbecue chicken wings, and spicy meat dishes.

Bavaria Radler Lemon 2.0%

Light, refreshing drink, which is a mix of beer and natural lemonade with a pronounced citrus aroma. The premiere of the novelty took place in the UK market in the summer of 2013, the low-alcohol radler was introduced as a product to quench the thirst of cycling fans. The beer is golden-straw in color, when poured into a glass, forms a high cap of creamy white foam. The taste is sweet and sour, reminiscent of the filling in a lemon meringue pie, hop bitterness is practically absent. It will make a worthy gastronomic pair for beef steak, dried duck breast, grilled fish. Before serving, it is recommended to cool to 3-4 ° C.

Bavaria Malt 0.0%

The product is produced in Russia, at the facilities of the Moscow-Efes Brewery, and is positioned as a non-alcoholic and low-calorie beer drink. A special production technology allows you to create beer not with a minimum, but with zero strength, which is confirmed by the HFFIA certificate. The color resembles fresh apple juice, the foam is not inferior in durability and density to alcoholic varieties. The aroma is dominated by tones of hay, carbonic acid, light fruitiness is felt. The taste characteristics of Bavaria Malt are as close as possible to European pale lagers: malty sweetness is set off by the taste of unmalted grain and bready sourness.

Bavaria 8.6 Original, 8.6%

Strong European-style lager produced by the company since 1986. Subsequently, the 8.6 line was replenished with Gold, Red, Absinthe and other variations on the theme. Powerful and balanced, well hopped beer. Thanks to the technological features of the fermentation stage, it acquires a rich aroma of dried fruits, grains and anise, in the background there is the smell of apples, reminiscent of cider. The noble bitterness of hops makes the taste rich and full, and notes of licorice and caramel perfectly “mask” alcohol tones. Despite the high declared strength, it is drunk easily, not burning, but warming. Among the snacks recommended by the manufacturer are foie gras, blue cheeses, smoked ham, anchovy and olive tapas.

• The alcohol found in ordinary beer is removed using the low boiling point of alcohol;

• With the help of dialysis - the membrane method;

• Suppressing the process by lowering the temperature in the presence of special yeasts that do not convert maltose into alcohol.

The best way to remove alcohol is the membrane method., which involves the use of traditional brewing technologies, which makes the taste of non-alcoholic beer closest to the taste of alcoholic beer.

All trace elements of regular beer are present in non-alcoholic beer, respectively, all the positive and negative qualities of the drink are preserved. Therefore, such beer does not lose useful properties, but harm of non-alcoholic beer basically absent. However, the low amount of alcohol in non-alcoholic beer makes it taste different with any alcohol removal technology, since the effect of alcohol on the taste of the final product is very significant.

The complex technology of making non-alcoholic beer increases its final cost. But at the same time, nonalcoholic beer is an excellent alternative for beer lovers in those moments when blood alcohol content and intoxication are unacceptable. In order to calmly drive, you need to know the permissible alcohol content in the body, for this we recommend reading the article:. Ours will help you determine the approximate blood alcohol content.

Against the backdrop of a drop in sales of alcoholic beer, which in 2013 amounted to 16.5% compared to 2012, sales of non-alcoholic beer are gradually gaining momentum. This is partly due to the ban on alcoholic beverages, including beer. Now on sale there is an increasing number of different varieties, some of which we will consider in this article:

- today an exclusive beer for Russia. This drink is not available on the open market even in the US, where the brand occupies a leading position. BUD Alcohol Free has a balanced taste, light bitterness and a pleasant aftertaste. Ingredients of the drink: water, barley, rice, extract,. The alcohol content in beer is not more than 0.5%. Beer gives a rich stable foam and, in my opinion, is one of the best drinks in this segment. The cost of BUD Alcohol Free in Krasnoyarsk ranges from 50 to 70 rubles per 0.5 liter can. At the moment, the design of the jar has undergone some changes compared to what is shown in the picture on the left. A strip with an inscription appeared on top, which indicates that the beer is non-alcoholic.

- non-alcoholic beer from a well-known Dutch manufacturer. The alcohol content in the drink does not exceed 0.5%, while the brewers of the company tried to preserve the taste of real beer. Ingredients: purified drinking water, brewing light barley, brewing barley, . is not large and is only 26. The term of the drink is six months from the date of production. In Russia, it is produced at production facilities in St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod. The cost of a half-liter can in Krasnoyarsk ranges from 50 to 70 rubles.

- light non-alcoholic beer brewed according to the classical technology of preparation, one of the oldest drinks of its kind on the domestic market, the first batch of Baltika No. 0 was released in 2001. The production of "Baltika No. 0" is based on the removal of alcohol from the finished beer and a unique technology. The alcohol content in the drink is not more than 0.5% with an extractive density of 12%. Ingredients: Purified drinking water, light barley, maltose syrup, . The cost of non-alcoholic beer "Baltika No. 0" in Krasnoyarsk varies from 45 to 65 rubles.

- real German light non-alcoholic beer. The alcohol content in the drink is not more than 0.45%. As in the entire range of the company, wheat is used to prepare Erdinger Weissbier Alkoholfrei. Beer has a pleasant taste and aroma. It is an excellent substitute for alcoholic counterparts of this brand and alcohol-containing beer in general. The main disadvantage of this variety is its the price, which in Krasnoyarsk varies from 130 to 180 rubles per bottle of 0.5 liters.

- German light non-alcoholic wheat, and, accordingly, cloudy amber-colored beer. The alcohol content in beer is from 0.35 to 0.5%, the initial extract is 6.1%. Produced in bottles with a capacity of 0.5 liters. In my opinion - one of the best examples of non-alcoholic beers, which can be purchased on the territory of our country. Paulaner Hefe-Weisbbier NON-ALCOHOLIC is quite dense with thick white foam. Imported to Russia from Germany. According to the manufacturer:

beer is great as an addition to lunch or after sports

due to the low alcohol content and low - only 20 per 100 ml, in addition, beer is isotonic, contains electrolyte, food and minerals. In Krasnoyarsk, a drink can be purchased at a price of 160 rubles. Below is a video of the tasting of this drink:

- light beer with an alcohol content of not more than 0.5% and an extract content of 5.6%. Produced in Russia under license. Produced in green bottles of 0.5 liters. In my opinion, there is nothing particularly remarkable in the taste, however, no negative taste qualities were also noticed. The impression is rather positive and, in principle, the price of this drink corresponds to the quality. At the same time, you should not drink this beer, after drinking, for example, Paulaner Hefe-Weisbbier NON-ALCOHOLIC, the taste may not seem so pleasant. In Krasnoyarsk, a 0.5-liter bottle of Zlaty Bazant Nealco can be purchased from 46 rubles apiece.

- light non-alcoholic beer from the Dutch brewing company. In Europe, it is considered the standard of non-alcoholic beer. Unlike most other non-alcoholic beers, where the alcohol is brewed according to a standard recipe and the alcohol is subsequently removed, Bavaria Malt is brewed from the outset in such a way that there is no alcohol in it, so the alcohol content in the drink is zero! This fact is confirmed by the relevant HFFIA certificate from the Food Inspection. The drink is not the most expensive, in Krasnoyarsk it can be purchased at a price of 51 rubles for a bottle of 0.5 liters. The taste is pleasant enough for a non-alcoholic beer. The bottle cap can be easily removed without the need for a bottle opener. Produced in Russia ZAO Moscow-Efes Brewery. Thus, If you do not accept products with alcohol in them at all, this drink is for you.

Stella Artois N.A.- light non-alcoholic beer of the famous Belgian brand. The manufacturer in Russia is SUN Inbev OJSC, it is produced in the famous city of Klin, Moscow Region. Stella Artois non alcoholic has a golden color and a pleasant taste. However, the composition of the drink is somewhat puzzling: water, barley, rice or corn grits or maltose syrup, glucose-fruit syrup,. It seems that there is something superfluous in the composition. The alcohol content in the beer does not exceed 0.5%, the energy value is 26, the extractive density is not indicated on the label. In Krasnoyarsk, non-alcoholic Stella Artois can be purchased at a price of 70 to 80 rubles per 0.5 liter bottle.

Clausthaler classic non-alcoholic malt beverage- light non-alcoholic, imported to Russia from Germany. Manufacturer BINDING-BRAUEREI AG. The composition indicates: water, barley,. The alcohol content is not more than 0.5%. Clausthaler Classic is a non-alcoholic premium beer, the cost of a 0.33 liter bottle is from 90 to 140 rubles. The taste of the drink is at its best and corresponds to the classic one. Excellent, for non-alcoholic beer, pronounced taste and aroma, there is a pleasant hop bitterness. Clausthaler brewing technology does not imply the removal of alcohol after brewing beer according to a standard recipe, the drink is immediately prepared non-alcoholic, but, unlike Bavaria Malt, some alcohol is still present. At the same time, the cooking technology is kept in the strictest confidence. Produced drink since 1979. During its existence, he managed to win a huge number of prestigious awards and, today, is rightfully considered one of the best non-alcoholic beers in Europe. In Krasnoyarsk, I found beer only in a small green bottle of 0.33 liters, but it is also produced in cans of 0.5 liters.

JEVER FUN friesisch herb - non-alcoholic light premium. Produced in Germany by the Friesian brewery of the company " Radeberger Gruppe KG". Ingredients: water, barley,. Content alcohol not more than 0.5%, the extract of the initial - 4%, – 14 per 100ml drink. Shelf life as much as 2.5 years, the bottling date on my bottle was indicated on 10/24/13, and I purchased it on 01/10/15. The beer is golden in color, has a pleasant aroma, but not as pronounced as that of Clausthaler. Despite the fact that many descriptions speak of Jever's thick, stable foam, I hardly noticed it, perhaps I poured it too carefully. The taste is pleasant, but, in my opinion, not too bright. But the aftertaste is very pronounced - a pleasant hop bitterness lasts in the mouth for several minutes. Beer is brewed in the usual way, after which excess alcohol is removed. The drink is packaged in 0.33 ml. In Krasnoyarsk, I bought one at a price of 85 rubles.

Obolon Non-alcoholic – light non-alcoholic beer. Produced in Ukraine, in Kyiv by the company PJSC Obolon. Ingredients: light barley, glucose-fructose syrup,. Content alcohol in beer - 0.5%, initial extract - 12%, – 23 . Best before date - 270 days from the date of bottling. The drink is packaged in a green glass bottle of 0.5 liters. The beer is golden in color, the taste is sour, the aftertaste is practically absent, the aroma is weak. The foam is plentiful but not persistent. A distinctive quality of this drink can be considered its significant carbonation, partly this suppresses the sour taste. Care must be taken when opening a bottle, as the beer, even if it has been in the refrigerator for a week, tends to burst out of the bottle when opened. Those bottles that were opened immediately literally gushed. The manufacturer claims in the official commercial that Obolon Non-Alcoholic is prepared according to the standards of ordinary beer, and alcohol is removed from it using some membranes. In my opinion, this variety is somewhere on the level of "Baltika 0", maybe someone will like it more, and someone less. At the moment, I find it difficult to voice the cost in Krasnoyarsk, since I purchased beer directly from.

Trekhgornoye NON-ALCOHOLIC- a new sort of non-alcoholic beer from the Moscow Brewing Company. Ingredients: water, . The alcohol content is 0.5 ml per 100 ml of drink, that is, 0.5%, - 42. The term is 10 months. Beer is packed in 0.5 liters. The drink has a golden color and a very persistent high white foam, has a pleasant taste and aroma. The manufacturer says that the beer is brewed according to a special technology, when the low percentage of alcohol content is due to the low brewing temperature. Beer, in my opinion, is quite good and significantly surpasses, for example, "Baltika 0" in its taste, while being in the same price category as it. In Krasnoyarsk, Trekhgornoe Non-Alcoholic can be purchased from 49 rubles per can.

Hopped non-alcoholic cider produced by technology and under the supervision of a craft distillery " Elk and Cedar” with the aim of destroying stereotypes existing on the territory of our state. The first non-alcoholic cider brewed in Russia, we are especially proud that this was done in Siberia, namely, in the glorious city of Barnaul. Cider has a very interesting rich refreshing apple taste combined with hops, a strong apple aroma and high persistent foam. A sip leaves behind a rather pleasant apple aftertaste. Non-alcoholic juice-containing medium carbonated drink Release 0.3. While drinking, you can get acquainted with the original information posted on the label:

As part of: apple juice, water, sugar, hops, natural apple flavors, natural apple flavor, acidity regulator (malic acid).

Nutritional value 100ml: carbohydrates - 3.98g. Energy value: 16.3 Cal/68.3 kJ. Store at temperature from 0°C to +30°C. Consume immediately after opening. GOST 28188-2014. Filtered, pasteurized. The presence of natural sediment (including undissolved hop sediment) is allowed. Manufacturer: LLC "MPA-1" Manufacturer's address: 656023, Russian Federation, Barnaul, st. German Titov, 35A. Best before date- 3 years.

The first non-alcoholic cider is bottled in dark glass bottles of 500 ml. In Krasnoyarsk, cider was found in a store chain " TRADE UNION» at a price of one hundred rubles per bottle. Recommended for use!

The article will be regularly updated with new varieties of non-alcoholic beer, if you have any preferences - be sure to leave comments!

May 29th, 2015 , 12:36 pm

Bavaria Malt(Russia)

Non-alcoholic drink licensed by the Dutch company Bavaria N.V.. Its peculiarity is that Bavaria Malt is positioned as a completely non-alcoholic drink. That is absolutely. Even there are some certificates on this subject.

The composition of the ingredients here, in principle, explains the absence of alcohol. Water and concentrated malt extract. All. I assume that the drink is made by diluting the malt extract with water, and boiling the resulting mash, then saturating the resulting boiled wort with carbon dioxide. According to the information I found on the Internet, 7-8 years ago this wort was also fermented, in order to then remove the alcohol by vacuum rectification, and besides, they added natural Beer flavor before bottling. Apparently, such a recipe is a thing of the past, because on the official website of Bayern it is now written like this:

As a rule, alcohol is filtered out from non-alcoholic beer at the last stage of the brewing process. But for the production of Bavaria Malt, we have changed the brewing process so that alcohol is not produced at any stage of the process. Bavaria Malt is brewed from selected barley malt without the addition of artificial ingredients and has a rich taste with noble bitterness and a pleasant sweet aftertaste.

Okay, let's try what they offer us.

The color of the drink is golden, the foam is of various sizes and quickly disappears. After uncorking the bottle and during the pouring process, the nose does not catch the blasphemous typical smell of most non-alcoholic beers. Inhaling from the glass reveals a malty sweetness with hints of unfermented beer wort, which is actually quite pleasant. There are also notes of grain, hay, carbonic acid and even some fruitiness.

The taste is malty-sweet with some grainy sourness. The disgusting signs of non-alcoholic beer are practically not felt. Fine-grained carbonation gives softness to the body, and feels velvety on the tongue, although the density of the body is not enough. Grain aftertaste with light metallic notes. Hop bitterness, as you understand, is not here, because there are no hops in the recipe either. However, if you close your eyes and imagine that you are drinking a regular euro lager, almost no contradictions arise. There is, of course, no beer drive, but as a sacrificial replacement for alcoholic beer, it's quite good.

_________________________________

Almost 300 years ago, in 1719, the enterprising Dutchman Lavrentius Mures opened a tiny beer factory on the territory of his own farm in the town of Lieshout (Netherlands).
Year after year, his "beer" offspring grew and grew stronger. In 1851, the native grandson of the Dutchman, Jan Swinkles, was already seriously engaged in increasing production volumes and expanding the sales market.
The beer business of the Bavaria company developed so rapidly that already in 1924 the Swinkles had to build another factory in order to supply all those who were thirsty with their signature intoxicating drink.
By the way, for almost 300 years Bavaria has been a completely family business. For seven generations, the Swinkles took turns managing their company: they controlled production, successfully developed new sales markets, introduced modern technologies, and experimented with new types of beer.
And here's what came out of it...

The brewing company Bavaria is 580 million liters of beer annually!

Today, Bavaria is one of the five largest beer breweries in Europe. And in his native Holland, this is the second largest "beer baron" after the famous one!
Beer brewed at Bavaria factories is already drunk with pleasure in a hundred countries around the world. By the way, most of the beer is still produced in Lieshout, a small town in the Southern province of the Netherlands.
Year after year, the company opens its sales subsidiaries in Spain, Italy, America and South Africa.
In addition to its own breweries, Bavaria also owns two personal malt houses and a factory for the production of soft drinks!
By the way, Bavaria is also the world's largest supplier of selected malt.
So the Swinkles family really has something to be proud of!

The Dutch sued for the right to call their beer "Bavarian" for 13 years

As you know, Bavaria produces its beer under two brands: and Hollandia.
So, for 13 years, the Swinkles family quite “in an adult way” sued German brewing companies from Bavaria for the right to use the name of this part of Germany as their trademark.
And only at the end of last year, the European Court finally recognized the correctness of Bavaria from the Netherlands. But the Swinkles won the process by pure chance!
The matter was as follows. It is clear that it is the Germans who, in theory, have much more rights to call their beer "Bavarian". But they filed an application for registration of their trademark only in 1993, and the “German” brand was officially recognized only in 2001.
But the Dutch brewers turned out to be more agile - they officially used the proud name "Bavaria" in Germany since 1995.
In general, the Germans were only six years late - and now the original Bavarians do not have the right to call their beer "Bavarian". Unlike its neighbors from Holland…
This is how this “beer” paradox was finally fixed by legislative means. It turns out that Bavaria is not German beer at all!
Although almost all fans of this foamy drink think that way, naturally identifying the trademark and the geographical name of the land in Germany.

Bavaria taught the whole world to drink non-alcoholic beer

The idea of ​​non-alcoholic beer was born in Bavaria back in the 70s in the Middle East. The fact is that Muslims traditionally do not drink alcohol at all. But they still want beer!
That is why Bavaria decided to invent and subsequently produce beer... with the taste of beer, but without a single percentage of alcohol!
For ten years, technology has been improved, experiments have been carried out, and the best options have been selected. And Bavaria achieved its goal!
To this day, non-alcoholic beer Bavaria Malt is indeed the most delicious beer “without a degree”.
Interesting fact. In 1991, at the height of the Gulf War, the US Army bought literally tons of Bavaria Malt for its soldiers who fought in Kuwait. An American fighter with a can of non-alcoholic beer in his hands was shown in every edition of CNN. For Bavaria, this was the most effective and large-scale "promotion" in its history!
By the way, in the Netherlands Bavaria Malt is two-thirds of the entire non-alcoholic beer market...

At Bavaria, we save… and protect nature

The basis of Bavaria beer is crystal clear spring water and selected malt of its own production, which experts consider one of the best in the world.
By the way, like all the Dutch, the "Bavarians" are very concerned about protecting the environment and, at the same time ... save literally on everything. For example, the remains of water not used in production are carefully cleaned and drained back into the rivers.
And the production process at Bayern deserves special mention.
The company's factories use a completely closed energy cycle! This means that the heat accumulated as a result of production enters the energy center and is redirected to other areas.
And the resourceful Dutch collect, purify and ... use the carbon dioxide formed during the maturation of beer to carbonate their own sweet lemonades.
But you have to give them their due. The Dutch never skimp on things that can detract from the quality of their famous beer! For example, it is well known that they “love” copper very much. Therefore, all pipelines at the factories of Bavaria are made only of this metal - although this is not a cheap pleasure at all.
, yeast and barley are meticulously selected throughout Europe. And the water "Bavarians", of course, use only their own - from their own sources with crystal clear artesian water.
Well, Bavarian - as already mentioned, has long been recognized as the best in the world.

Bavaria in Russia

First, a couple of very eloquent figures. According to the results of a sociological survey of our population, Bavaria beer is regularly drunk by 9.5% of Russians and 15.1% of Muscovites!
And such a close “friendship” with Russia began in a standard way. After the collapse of the USSR, the world's largest manufacturers quickly realized what a limitless market was opening up for them! Indeed, up to this moment, there could not even be any talk of any goods from abroad (especially about “capitalist” beer) ...
The father of the current owner of Bavaria got his bearings faster than his competitors. He was one of the first to secure several major contracts through dealers in East Germany for deliveries to the former Soviet Union.
According to eyewitnesses, respectable Dutch people were quite shocked by our "wild" ways of doing business. Every day, Russian trucks drove into the territory of the plant in Lieshout, loaded with beer, paid in cash and left on the same day.
And in Russia the most interesting began. Trucks stopped right somewhere in the field and sold beer from the trucks like cabbage in the market.
But in any case, Russia has been and remains one of the most profitable and promising sales markets for Bavaria. And this is despite fierce competition from the invariably popular in Russia, and.
By the way, when the question arose about the production of Bavaria beer already on the territory of Russia, the Heineken company got down to business. And after some time, I bought the license for "Bavarian beer".
Currently, Efes is engaged in the production, marketing, and distribution of Bavaria beer in Russia.
The only difference between Bavaria beer produced in Holland and Russia is… water. And technologies, recipes, packaging, raw materials - all this exactly meets the high requirements set by Bavaria for the quality of its products.
The owners of the company themselves, who regularly visit Russian production facilities with checks, claim that even they are not able to distinguish between "native" and "licensed" beer by taste.

A brief overview of the most popular Bavaria beers

Any beer brand Bavaria has a mild characteristic taste with subtle hints of hops. It refreshes and tones. Considered one of the lightest Dutch beers.
Bavaria "Premium"(alcohol 5%) - light and very light beer. It is famous for its pleasant dry taste with a pronounced aroma of hops. The foam is firm but not dense. It goes on sale in glass bottles with a capacity of 0.25, 0.33, 0.5 and 0.66 liters and in cans (0.5 and 0.3 liters)
It goes well with pizza, as well as with first courses. The ideal temperature for this type of beer is 6–8 °C.

Separately, it is worth mentioning a new product from the Bavaria Premium series - Bavaria 8.6 (sold in glass with a capacity of 0.33 or tin with a capacity of 0.5)
Bavaria 8.6 is a fairly strong beer (although the real alcohol content in it is not 8.6, but 7.9%). By the way, the fortress is felt much stronger in the bottle version of this beer than in the can.
The aroma and taste of Bavaria 8.6 can be briefly described as sweetish caramel.
In fairness, it should be noted that the novelty has received a lot of negative reviews. Beer fans have complained about the alcohol smell and bad taste in the mouth after tasting.
In general, Bavaria 8.6 is not for everyone, despite the promising increased strength and well-thought-out packaging design.

(alcohol 0%) - a real non-alcoholic beer. Available in bottles (0.25 and 0.33 l) and cans (0.5 and 0.33 l).
The beer is light, with a persistent and dense foam, it has a pleasant dry taste and a delicate aroma of hops.
An ideal option for those who are forced to attend a plentiful feast, but for some reason must give up alcohol.
By the way, Bavaria Malt is recognized as the lowest calorie non-alcoholic beer!
And to taste, it is absolutely no different from its "head-turning" counterparts.

And for lovers of fruit beer, Bavaria presents three varieties of a sweet intoxicating drink that the fairer sex loves so much:
- Bavaria "Red" (0.33 l in a bottle and 0.5 l in a can);
- Bavaria "Karkade" (0.25 l in a bottle);
- Bavaria "Apple" (0.25 l in a bottle).

By the way, Bavaria positions its beer as “a drink for young, confident and persistent residents of big cities. For whom honesty and openness mean much more than the external attributes of power "...

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Connoisseurs of fragrant foam are familiar with the situation when they really want to taste their favorite intoxicating drink, but the state of affairs is not conducive to intoxication. Non-alcoholic beer comes to the aid of beer admirers, which a few decades ago caused bewilderment among the townsfolk. What is this foam if there are no hops? It can’t be attributed to a beer drink either, it’s just lemonade.

But in fact, all the fundamental beer parts are contained in non-alcoholic drinks. There are hops, malt and other ingredients necessary for your favorite drink. By the way, the taste of such a product is identical to the usual intoxicated. The only thing left is to learn to understand the varieties and identify the best non-alcoholic beer, the rating of which is better to make individually, but based on the advice of experienced ones.

Non-alcoholic beer can be a worthy alternative to regular

Before finding out which non-alcoholic beer is better, it should be clarified that, in fact, the percentage of ethyl alcohol in such a drink is still present. But its content is minimal and usually does not exceed 1.5%.. Whereas in the usual foam, the degree fits into the readings of 4-11%.

In non-alcoholic foam, alcohol is present due to fermentation processes, without which the foam is not prepared. It is not possible to completely remove the degree from this type of drink.

Manufacturers, in order to achieve the title of "non-alcoholic", are only working to reduce the amount of ethanol released during technological processes. And this is achieved in the following ways:

1. Using reduced temperature. Moreover, it is below the level at which alcohol boils (+78.3⁰С).
2. using dialysis. Dialysis is a process in which solutions are purified from low molecular weight compounds using a special membrane. This technique is also called "membrane".
3. By inhibiting the fermentation process. Here, technologists use two methods: the use of special yeast, which prevents the conversion of maltose (malt sugar) into ethanol, and by lowering the temperature conditions.

According to experts, the membrane method of preparing non-alcoholic hop is the most reliable and common. This is evidenced by the taste of such foamy.

The difference between non-alcoholic beer and regular beer

In principle, considering the technological nuances of making a foamy drink in which there is no ethanol, it becomes clear that such beer should not differ much from ordinary beer. After all, the same ingredients are used. But, given the methods that are used to remove excess ethanol from hoppy, it can be assumed that some additional components are present in non-alcoholic foam.

Non-alcoholic beer contains the same ingredients as regular beer.

Harm and benefit

Artificially obtained compounds (as a result of technological processes), with regular and prolonged use of this drink, can harm human health. According to experts, non-alcoholic intoxicating drinks are no less harmful than ordinary drinks. Of course, one should not talk about any benefits of non-alcoholic beer, but such a drink will not bring much harm either.

But do not forget that beer of any kind (including low-grade beer) is very well absorbed by the body, which leads to rapid weight gain. According to doctors, excessive passion for non-alcoholic foam leads to the development of such troubles as:

• varicose veins;
• hormonal problems;
• disorders of the digestive tract;
• disorders of the cardiovascular system.

Organoleptic properties

Usually, in the production of non-alcoholic foam, a light lager is taken as the basis. This is a foamy bottom fermentation (during the manufacture of which the yeast settles to the bottom as a result of exposure to low temperature). Pale lager must meet the following standards:

1. Color: light straw or golden.
2. Transparency: minimal sediment allowed.
3. Foam: must be high (about 2-3 cm) and have durability (holding time from 2 minutes).

Foam is an important indicator of the quality of foam. It is by its appearance that one can judge the aroma and freshness of the drink.

Depending on the raw materials used for the preparation of such a drink and the technology used, the characteristic aroma of hops can be diluted with additional notes - honey or apple. This is a good indication of the drink. But if the foam gives off a caramel smell, the technologists have messed up with the temperature regime, and the excess yeast aroma indicates gross violations of the recipe.

Some non-alcoholic beers may have citrus notes

Considering the taste of non-alcoholic hoppy, it is worth knowing some nuance. The hop bitterness characteristic of the drink should not be harsh and rough. With a good foam, it will be soft and felt immediately after a sip, and then disappear after 1-2 minutes. Also, in high-quality foam, additional taste sensations (sweetness, sourness, astringency) will not become dominant.

Dealing with varieties

What types of non-alcoholic beer deserve attention? First of all, a huge and motley army of such foam can be divided into several categories. And already focusing on such a classification, choose your favorite drink.

Russian stamps

Considering the beer brands that produce this drink, you can distinguish between all varieties into two types:

1. Non-alcoholic beer produced with western technology.
2. Low-grade foamy, which is brewed in the regions (local, regional production).

Beer brands produced in Russia:

Baltika 0. This is the first non-alcoholic beer to be produced in Russia. It has been in production since 2001. In technological production, the dialysis method is used. Zero Baltic are manufactured at a large plant in St. Petersburg. The Baltika trademark belongs to the Scandinavian holding Baltic Beverages-Holding.

The Baltika brand was included in the list of 100 largest brands in 2007, consecrated by the Financial Times (England).

Zero Baltika is an unfiltered non-alcoholic beer, which is the most common beer in our country. For the convenience of consumers, it is produced in glass containers and tin packaging..

Baltika 0 is produced in glass and tin packaging

Bavaria 0. This equally popular brand of non-alcoholic beer is produced according to Dutch technology. Zero Bavaria is distinguished by its taste - its taste and aromatic nuances are as close as possible to traditional European ones. According to experts, the taste of Bavaria 0 is estimated to be an order of magnitude higher than that of other non-alcoholic counterparts.

In addition to the two most common brands of non-alcoholic beer, brands such as:

• Zlatý Bažant-Nealko, technology of Czech brewers;
• Stella Artois, made using Belgian technology;
• Bud Alcohol-Free, also known under the popular Budweiser brand (USA).

Regional beer brands:

Separately, it is necessary to say about such brands of “beer for teetotalers”, which are made in Russia not according to foreign technologies, but through the efforts of our local breweries. Among them are quite a few worthy varieties. For example:

• The legend of the Siberian brewery Pikra;
• White Bear, a product produced by a Moscow brewery;
• Foam, the fruit of the work of brewing masters from Chuvashia (Cheboksary);
• Bezzer, a beer produced in Barnaul, filtered and pasteurized beer;
• Sibirskaya Korona, a premium segment of beer production produced by the efforts of the Omsk brewery.

Foreign varieties

Among residents of European countries, non-alcoholic beers are much more common than among Russians. Therefore, this segment of the market is more saturated with foreign varieties of non-alcoholic foam. Among the most successful varieties of low-grade hoppy brands such as:

• Buckler;
• Mikkeller;
• Paulaner;
• jever fun;
• FAX Free;
• Clausthaler;
• Samichlaus Classic;
• Schloss Eggenberg;
• Beck's non-alcoholic
• Maisel's Weisse-Alkoholfrei.

The most popular non-alcoholic foamy

Place	Beer name	Peculiarities
1	Jever Fun (Germany)	has a particularly delicate and refined taste, brewers note its rare and memorable aroma
2	Schloss Eggenberg (Austria)	has a slightly sour taste with a hint of pine sawdust and must
3	Bavaria Malt (Holland)	especially popular among football fans, although it does not stand out among other non-alcoholic counterparts
4	Maisel's Weisse (Germany)	has a surprisingly pleasant, slightly tart aftertaste and a specific aroma
5	Stella Artois (Belgium)	this hop is famous for its mild and at the same time rich aroma and hop taste, as close as possible to regular beer
6	Buckler non-alcoholic (Netherlands)	beer connoisseurs advise to consume this exquisite drink always chilled, in their opinion, this is the only way to feel all the specific aroma of the drink
7	Baltika 0 (Russia)	the most common non-alcoholic intoxicating drink in Russia was included in the rating of "world celebrities" due to the refined taste that wheat malt gives the drink
8	Clausthaler Classic (Germany)	enters the middle price segment and is one of the best representatives of non-alcoholic beer among the middle class
9	Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier non-alcoholic (Germany)	this wheat intoxicating beer belongs to unfiltered beer, this drink will be a great addition to friendly gatherings while watching football matches
10	Bezzer (Russia)	Barnaul brewers are not in vain in the ranking of the most popular non-alcoholic beer and all thanks to the unique, slightly tart and pleasant taste of this drink

Non-alcoholic beer and drivers

By the way, this is one of the reasons for the popularity of such beer products in our country - the opportunity to drink before the trip. The minimum level of ethanol and the maximum proximity to real foamy sensations make this drink one of the favorites among car owners.

True, experts still do not advise relaxing in this way immediately before driving a car. After all, the smell of hops after drinking non-alcoholic foam will remain, which can cause suspicion among traffic inspectors (at a stop). Therefore, there is a great chance of sending the driver for a medical examination (after all, the breathalyzer will not reveal intoxication).

The driver cannot refuse a medical examination; by refusing, he automatically agrees that he was driving drunk. Therefore, you will have to waste time and go to prove your innocence to narcologists.

Non-alcoholic beer and pregnancy

Future mothers are another category of non-alcoholic foam fans. These include breastfeeding women. It is thanks to such a foamy invention that this category of women may not feel cut off from the general fun at the festive table. But doctors categorically do not recommend consuming non-alcoholic beer in this state.

It must be remembered that ethanol is contained in non-alcoholic beer, although in low concentration, this drink also contains a lot of additives (flavors, preservatives, flavor enhancers, sweeteners) that can be harmful and negatively affect the development of the fetus. So for expectant mothers, the consumption of non-alcoholic beer becomes no less harmful than the use of regular alcohol.

conclusions

Non-alcoholic beer is gradually gaining its niche in Russia, breweries are opening, new brands are being produced. Whether to use such a kind of foam or stop at the already familiar alcoholic types is a personal matter. But, in any case, you should choose non-alcoholic intoxicating drinks consciously, and choosing the best brand is a difficult task.

After all, non-alcoholic beer is famous for its exquisite notes. Drinking it is a savoring of flavor nuances and aromatic combinations. Therefore, it is worth dwelling on proven varieties of such foam from reputable experienced manufacturers.