Zlatý Bažant brewery
Zlatý Bažant brewery
The Zlatý Bažant brewery is located in Hurbanovo, a small town in the south of Slovakia near the Hungarian border, which was chosen as a suitable site because of its warm climate and, at around 114 metres above sea level, is among the warmest regions of the country. The name of the brewery means «Golden Pheasant» and refers to the large number of these birds in the surrounding area, which also appear in the logo. The foundation stone for the brewery and malt house was laid in 1964, the malt house began operation in 1967, and in 1969 the first beer was brewed, with the aim of supplying western Slovakia with beer as a state-owned enterprise. In 1971 Zlatý Bažant was the first beer in Czechoslovakia and Eastern Europe to be filled into cans, and in the 1980s the non-alcoholic beer Pito was added, whose tradition is continued by today's Zlatý Bažant Nealko.
In 1995 Heineken acquired the brewery, at first with a 66 percent majority and later completely, and it was the first investment by a major brewing group in the region since the end of communism. The investments enabled a much-needed modernisation, and Hurbanovo developed into one of the largest and most modern malting sites in Central and Eastern Europe, whose malt is exported around the world. Alongside Zlatý Bažant, the brewery produces other Slovak brands such as the traditional Corgoň, originally brewed in Nitra, and the strong premium beer Kelt, although the relocation of regional brands to the Hurbanovo site has occasionally also drawn criticism.
Zlatý Bažant is the best-known and most valuable beer brand in Slovakia, with more than one million hectolitres in sales and the reputation of being the most exported Slovak beer. The range includes the pale premium lager at 5% ABV, lighter and stronger variants such as the Svetlé Pivo 10° and 12°, a dark beer, the Zlatý Bažant 73, which recalls the oldest preserved draught recipe from 16 April 1973, as well as radlers with lemon and grapefruit and alcohol-free beers. The brewers, unlike many large American producers, rely exclusively on barley, much of which is grown and processed in Slovakia. In North America the brand is sold under the name Golden Pheasant, with which the brewery from southern Slovak Hurbanovo carries a piece of Slovak brewing culture into the world.