European Beer News

GERMANY        Christopher Guest

Stickee Monkey Gets Beer Star Hat Trick

Brewmaster Matt Brynildson and Firestone Walker have scored top honors for the third straight year at the prestigious European Beer Star Awards in Munich, Germany.

The California brewery received the Consumer’s Favorite in Gold award for its Stickee Monkee, a barrel-aged quad. This brew completed an impressive hat track following Firestone Walker’s Pale 31 and Double Jack, previous winners of the Consumer’s Favorite award.

The 2014 Beer Star featured 1,613 beers from 42 countries. Judging was performed by an expert panel of beer sommeliers, brewmasters and beer journalists from 25 countries.

Fifty-two categories were included at the competition with gold, silver and bronze medals being awarded in each category after a blind tasting. The Consumer’s Favorite was chosen by attendees in a blind tasting of all 52 gold medal winners .

Firestone Walker’s hot streak also included silver medals for its Union Jack IPA, Feral One and the aforementioned Pale 31.

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After a lengthy slump, 2014 saw the first increase in German beer consumption and beer sales in three years. Per capita consumption rose to 28 gallons and beer sales rose for the first time since 2006.

The German Brewer’s Association gave numerous reasons for the uptick. An unseasonably warm winter, a beautiful spring and summer and Germany’s triumph at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil were all given as reasons for the surge in consumption and sales.

Exporting beers was a major part of the upswing in production. German beers, especially the ever-popular Pilsner, continued to gain devotees in the United States and China. “We are currently experiencing a renaissance of beer and a renaissance of brewing,” said Dr. Hans George-Eils, president of the DBB.

CZECH REPUBLIC    Max Bahnson

Budějovický Budvar reported a record production of 700,000 barrels for 2014, half sold as exports. The Czech company sent beer to 70 countries last year, an increase of five countries.

The company’s exports include the Czechvar label used in North and South America (under an agreement with Anheuser-Busch) and its original Budějovický Budvar label used in the European Union. More Czech breweries are paying attention to exports as a way to compensate for a market where volume sales are stagnant and profit margins are decreasing.

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Pivovary Lobkowicz has taken an unconventional approach to the Chinese market. Lobkowicz has opened a brewpub in Tianjin, a coastal city near Beijing. To be a chain, the brewpubs will be operated in partnership with a Chinese businessman who spent two years working in the Czech Republic and, like many foreigners, fell in love with “pivo.” Lobkowicz will provide the technology, Czech ingredients and will send one of its brewmasters to China for a year to train local staff.

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November saw the opening of Pivovar Cvíkov, in North Bohemia. The new brewery is part of a very interesting trend unique to the Czech Republic: “resurrected” breweries. This one had been shut-down in 1968 and a local businessman, together with a renown brewmaster are the people behind its resurrection. Like most of its kind, Pivovar Cvíkov focuses mostly on traditional Czech styles, while also trying to play a positive role in its community.