News

More than 20 thousand revellers celebrate 140th anniversary of brewery's founding in Velké Popovice

On Kozel Day - June 14, Velké Popovice brewery celebrated the 140th anniversary of its founding. Celebrations commenced with Brewery Director Jaroslav Hacko being joined by the Mayor of Velké Popovice village, Martina Čermákova. Shortly thereafter, Marketing Brew-master Vojtěch Homolka took the reins and ceremonially tapped the 140l barrel of Velkopopovický Kozel lager. More than 20,000 fans of the brew visited the brewery during the celebration, and the unfiltered lager and the popular Velkopopovický Kozel 11° topped the selections of people’s most-preferred beers that day. More than 36,000 beers (0.5l per serving) were consumed during this year’s Kozel Day, along with nearly 1,800 people taking part in the brewery tours, which offered insights on beer-making and its history. To toast the success of the Velke Popovice beer, 50 people lucky enough to bear the name ‘Kozel’ or ‘Kozlová’ were invited by the brewery to lift their pitchers in celebration.

More than 20,000 visitors flocked to the brewery keen on enjoying the 20thannual Kozel Day celebration. ‘We are very pleased that so many people came to celebrate the 140thanniversary with us even though the weather was not exactly ideal. I hope they all enjoyed the festivities and that they will remain fans,’said Velkopopovický Kozel Marketing Manager Luděk Baumruk.

Brewery Director Jaroslav Hacko and Velké Popovice Mayor Martina Čermáková opened the celebrations of the 140thanniversary. At high noon, Vojtěch Homolka, the marketing brew-master of the Velké Popovice brewery tapped the 140l wooden barrel filled with the unfiltered Velkopopovický Kozel lager, culminating in a mass toast raised by the hands of 50 people named Kozel and Kozlová. A photograph of the proud moment will be on display in the brewery tour.

Kozel Day revellers consumed more than 36,000 beers during the day, with one of the favourites being the unfiltered Velkopopovický Kozel lager. This very special, unfiltered 140th-anniversary lager contains higher values of natural essences found in malt and hops. Typical of brewing with natural yeast, the lager is tinged with a distinct murkiness, along with the unmistakable scent of brewers’ yeast and is punctuated with a strong, full taste. Other selections included Velkopopovický Kozel Light and Velkopopovický Kozel Dark. The brewery also made sure to offer plenty of traditional Czech cuisine to accompany the beer for the full program.

Tours of the brewery were also available to public during the celebration, with 1,763 fans of Velké Popovice beer and its history participating. Billy-goat’s Gift Shop in the Visitors’ Centre offered a chance to purchase apparel and 0.5l pitchers adorned with the 14th-anniversary logo. The accompanying program included a display of crafts, a beer-tapping show, and contests for prises from Billy-goat’s. The brewery also organised a historic steamer train travelling from both Prague and Benešov.

A rich music program rounded out the festive atmosphere of the celebrations where people heard Patrola Šlapeto play old Prague favourites along with a special anniversary song before officially launching their new CD. Děda Mládek Illegal Band and Sto zvířat took the stage, and the day ended with the appearance of Divokej Bill band.

Voting for the most important artifacts from the brewery’s history, as determined by fans of Velkopopovický Kozel beer, is still taking place at www.1874.kozel.cz. Participants have a chance to win beer for a year or historic coasters. The 14 artifacts receiving the most votes will be displayed in the brewery by the end of June, and their owners will win free Velkopopovický Kozel beer for an entire year.

People may send their best wishes to Velkopopovický Kozel to the aforementioned website and become a part of its history. Well-wishers can watch as their messages are printed live and placed in a wooden box stationed in the Visitors’ Centre of the Velké Popovice brewery.