Kronenbourg Brewery

Kronenbourg Brewery
(Brasseries Kronenbourg)
(1664)

Industry	Alcoholic beverage
Founded	1664
Founder(s)	Geronimus Hatt
Headquarters	Strasbourg, France
Products	Beer
Owner(s)	Carlsberg Group
Website	http://www.brasseries-kronenbourg.com

Kronenbourg Brewery (Brasseries Kronenbourg) is a brewery founded in 1664 by Geronimus Hatt in Strasbourg, France (at the time a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire) as the Hatt Brewery. The name comes from the area (Cronenbourg) where the brewery relocated in 1850. The company is owned by the Carlsberg Group. The main brand is Kronenbourg 1664, a 5.5% abv pale lager which is the best selling premium lager brand in France.^[1]

History

Geronimus Hatt, who obtained his Master Brewer's certificate in 1664, started up the Canon Brewery in the Place du Corbeau in Strasbourg. His son Claude (born November 1665), succeeded his father in the trade in 1683. However, the frequent flooding of the River Ill compelled in 1850 a move to the higher terrain of Cronenbourg, an area of Strasbourg.

In 1922, the Hatt Brewery changed its name to Tigre Bock, the most well-known brand of the Tiger Brewery it had acquired to become the leading brewer in Alsace. Following the Second World War, "Kronenbourg" became the name of the company, and began international expansion. In 1970, it was acquired by industrial group BSN (now Groupe Danone), along with the Société Européenne de Brasseries (Kanterbräu). In 1986, Kronenbourg merged with Kanterbräu.

British company Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) plc acquired it in 2000 for £1.7 billion.^[2] In April, 2008, S&N's operations were sold to Heineken and Carlsberg, the latter acquiring Kronenbourg.^[3]

Its main breweries are located in Obernai and in Champigneulles, although the Champigneulles site is now up for sale.

Products

Kronenbourg 1664, the company's main brand, is a 5.5% pale lager first brewed in 1952.^[1] It is the leading brand of beer in France, where it has a 40% market share.^[4] It uses the Strisselspalt hop - a French aroma hop from Alsace, used mostly in pale lagers. The main Kronenbourg 1664 brewery (where Kronenbourg also produces almost 300 other beer brands) is in Obernai (France), but the brand is also brewed in the UK by Heineken at its Manchester brewery at 5.0% abv, as well as in Australia by Fosters Group.

Other brands include: 1664 Brune; Single Malt (French name Malt d'Exception), 6.1% abv; Kronenbourg Blanc 5.0% abv. A fruity white beer with citrus notes. Available on draught and in 300ml and 500ml bottles; Kronenbourg Premier Cru 6.0% abv; Kronenbourg Cold Premier 5.0% - a super chilled variant on 1664, draught only, UK; and Kronenbourg Red 4.2% abv.^[5]

See also

• Beer in France

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Carlsberg Group - Kronenbourg 1664". www.carlsberggroup.com. http://www.carlsberggroup.com/brands/Pages/Kronenbourg1664.aspx. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
2. ^ ""Scottish & Newcastle acquires Kronenbourg in £1.7bn deal"". The Independent. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000321/ai_n14283654. Retrieved 2007-04-12. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ Carlsberg and Heineken to resume rivalry after sealing S&N takeover. The Times
4. ^ "Brasseries Kronenbourg Official Website". http://www.brasseries-kronenbourg.com/_corporate_uk/societe/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-01. 
5. ^ "Brasseries-Kronenbourg (Carlsberg)". ratebeer.com. http://ratebeer.com/brewers/brasseries-kronenbourg-carlsberg/752/. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 

External links

• Official website (French)