Zlatý Bažant

Zlatý Bažant, or as it is known to people in North America as "Golden Pheasant", gets its name from the surrounding area of Hurbanovo which is a small town located Southeast of Slovakia's Capital. Bratislava had a large amount of Pheasants during the 1970s that were 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 resembled 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 bought 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 a new 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 sprite. In April 2016, Zlatý Bažant 73 beer was launced, 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 originated to the new generation of beer connoisseurs.

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. Hurbanovo was chosen over any other location in Slovakia because of its warm climate, which is the highest in Slovakia all year round on average. The town 115 meters above sea level.[10] The warmer climate allows for the hops to thrive and grow. 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. The warmer climates helps Zlatý Bažant to have a consistent product no matter how many days after production the beer is consumed.

Zlatý Bažant is Slovakia's most popular beer and it ranks highly in popularity throughout Europe. The base beer 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, the top is fermented and unfiltered. From this base, Zlatý Bažant creates up to 11 different and unique beers which differ in their taste and color.

[12] There are 11 steps that take place to create Zlatý Bažant. 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 obtaining the desired bitterness extract from the hops plant.

Step 2: Fermentation In this step, the extract from the Bessel changes into alcohol and carbon dioxide which adds 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 safety to drink.

Step 6: Packing This step is crucial as if it is not done correctly carbon dioxide can escape causing the beer to turn 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 transported to all corners of Slovakia to be exported into several countries around Europe and around the World.

[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

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]

• Official site