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August 28th, 2008
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At the pub, think globally and drink locally


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April 2nd, 2008 issue

Next time you raise a glass of Krušovice černé pivo at the local pub, think about this: Dutch brewing giant Heineken now owns it. And Heineken just acquired Drinks Union, giving it an estimated 14 percent of the Czech market, including beers Zlatopramen, Břežnák, Dačický and Louny.

This is the only the latest foreign acquisition of Czech breweries, long the pride of the nation. South African multinational SABMiller (Pilsner Urquell) has about 45 percent of the Czech beer market; InBev (Staropramen) has 16 percent.
More changes are in the works. There’s speculation that Heineken will consolidate and close some breweries, throwing people out of work and lowering quality. When InBev started buying up beers in the Czech market, it closed down the Vratislavice brewery in the northern part of the country.
Industry insiders also worry that the Heineken sale may pave the way for the U.S.-based Anheuser Busch to make another run for state-owned Budějovický Budvar.
If this doesn’t serve as a wake-up call for a country inclined to ignore globalization, then nothing will. Czech brewing is justly famous around the world, and inextricably tied to the country’s national identity. So when it’s being sold off piece by piece, it’s time to pay attention.
Which is not to suggest that it’s necessary, or even possible, to stop the tidal wave of globalization. But consumers are already complaining about the taste of acquired brands, with one local columnist dismissing Krušovice as dishwater. What will Czechs say the day they wake up and find that they no longer control the brewing, much less the taste, of their most beloved beers?
Enthusiasts are hoping to get European Union protection for all Czech beers, the country’s distinctive, high-quality hops and its low-fermentation brewing processes.
To that, we add encouragement to seek out beers made at microbreweries. This has been an effective tactic in the United States, a country swimming in dishwater beer pumped out by the big corporate breweries. American microbrews, still considered a novelty a little more than a decade ago, are now being produced by 1,406 craft brewers, according to the Brewers Association in the United States.
“With brewer consolidation and globalization, it does open the door for someone else to fill a void or be creative with new brands and flavors,” says Paul Gatza, director of the U.S. beer group.
So, drink up. But drink smart, and support your local brewer.


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