Staropramen beer: what you need to know, history and overview of types

Staropramen - a classic Czech pilsner. It is brewed from selected malt and pilsner hops. The beer is characterized by a mild flavor and exquisite aroma, which is why it has gained popularity all over the world.

What you need to know about Staropramen

1. Name

   It is translated from Czech as "old spring".

2. Slogan

   In the Czech Republic, and specifically in Prague, the brand is a leader in the beer market. Its advertising campaign: "If you want to taste Prague, try Staropramen".

3. Distinctive features

   Balanced flavor with mild bitterness from hops. Abundant and persistent foam, which is ensured by a special aging method. Different recipe from others.

4. Customer base

   Initially, the drink was popularized by workers from factories located in the brewery's vicinity. The number of consumers and working capital have reached enormous levels. The company was absolutely Czech, and extremely proud of this fact.

5. Awards

   At the Russian competition "Brand of the Year"/EFFIE 2005, the brand won gold in the "Beer" category.

6. Modern production facilities

   The drink is exported to more than 38 countries. Combines unique traditional recipes and modern technologies. The largest Czech producer is the Pilsen brewery, followed by Pivovary Staropramen.

History of Staropramen beer

1869: At this time, the demand for beer was growing, so Willem Peek and Jan Kogout decided to establish a brewery and produce a product that would surpass the quality of those available on the market. This is how the Staropramen beer appeared, which includes Saaz hops, special yeast and barley varieties. In the fall, construction of the Joint Stock Brewery in Smichov began in Prague.

1871: On May 1, Pavlo Kvaiser brewed the first batch of the drink. It was blessed by the chaplain Laska. On July 15, sales started. By the end of the year, sales volume was equal to 9648 hectoliters.

1877: The company introduced innovations associated with the name of the new brewer Michael Trinka. They influenced Czech beer in general. Trinka created a recipe for beer with 10% alcohol content and came up with the recipe for the semi-dark beer Pomegranate. This gave a powerful impetus to the development of the company. Over 28 years of work at the brewery, Trinka increased production to 500 thousand hectoliters, i.e. 10 times. No one else had managed to do this.

1880: King Franz Joseph I of Hungary visits the brewery. He liked the products and left a review in the book containing the history of the company.

1914-1918: A significant part of the workforce left the plant, the equipment was militarized. The brewery was overtaken by the crisis. The line was reduced to 4-6 varieties. The situation did not improve after the war ended. There were few raw materials, not all skilled workers were able to start working, and some components had to be replaced.

1933-1937: The sales volume increased to 800 thousand, making the plant the largest in Czechoslovakia until 1933. Josef Passa became the new brewer and modernized the technical component of the plant. The number of technical inventions increased, the number of breweries reached 5, new steel tanks for the boiler room and fermentation chamber were installed.

1953: The company entered the international market. Products appeared on Austrian, German, Swiss and American shelves. This ensured an increase in popularity and sales, respectively. In 7 years, they grew to 1 million hectoliters.

1950-1980: During this period, no qualitative changes took place, as Czechoslovakia was undergoing a communist regime. It was in the state's interest to develop heavy and mining industries. However, the inhabitants did not forget about beer and remained the nation that consumed it in the largest quantities per person.

1989: The company underwent changes in the economy. Innovations were introduced. Thus, the company always remained one step ahead of other breweries.

1992: Beer was first poured into kegs. They are usually steel containers in which beverages are kept and transported. They are shaped like a barrel.

1999: The Russian company TransMark LLC acquired a license to produce Staropramen beer. The following year, the Kaluga Brewing Company started producing beer.

2003: SAN Interbrew also acquired the right to produce the beer. The first batch was produced by a brewery in Klinsk. The quality is carefully monitored by experts, so the taste of Czech pilsner remains unchanged.

2003: The company changed its name from Prazsky pivovary to Pivovary Staropramen.

2006: Glass containers of the NRW type are no longer used in production. Now the beer was sold in multipacks and barrels with the possibility of self-cooling.

2011: Production volume exceeded 3 million hectoliters of beer.

2012: The brand was acquired by the American brewing giant Molson Coors.

2020: The quality of this beer can be appreciated by residents of more than 38 countries around the world. The brand confidently moves into the future, following its own production path, using modern technologies and innovations.

Types of Staropramen beer

1. Premium, 5%

   Carefully fermented lager made from barley malt from the Elbe, aromatic Bohemian and bitter German hops, which is carefully fermented.

2. Dark, 4.4%

   Bavarian dark lager. The taste has caramel shades and subtle bitter notes.

3. Amber lager with a pomegranate color

   The taste is complex. Light, Bavarian and caramel malt are intertwined in it. They are mixed by a special method of "pouring".

4. Unfiltered, 5%

   Characteristic flavor originating from a traditional Bohemian lager. Now it contains German wheat malt, Belgian coriander and apple notes. The drink is cloudy.

Update: 04.05.2020

Category: Beer, Cider, Ale