Much like last weeks Beer of the Week, Quilmes, Sapporo has roots in German beer production. Aged 17, Seibei Nakagawa left Japan to pursue an education in brewing at the Berlin Beer Brewing Company. After honing his brewing skills, Nakagawa returned to Japan as the Head-Brewer of Kaitakushi Brewery. Here in 1876 the first Sapporo Lager was brewed.
Sapporo is now brewed across the world. Notably, Sapporo is one of USA’s top imported beers. This has largely been credited to Sapporo’s roots in traditional German brewing according to Sapporo USA Director of Marketing, Jiro Okhawa. Coupled with the explosion of Japanese cuisine in the USA, Sapporo has gained a valuable reputation. Its recognizable gold-star label and head turning angular metal cans make Sapporo instantly recognizable in Western and Eastern society.
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With the sad passing of Argentine footballing great, Diego Maradona, fans around the world are raising a bottle of Quilmes to celebrate this football Legend. This week we focus on “Argentina’s favourite beer”
Quilmes is an Argentinian beer with German origins. The Quilmes brewery first kicked into production in Buenos Aires by German immigrant Otto Bemburg back in 1890. Emigrating from Cologne in 1850, Bemberg first established an import-export textiles business. However, he soon found a calling for beer and established the Quilmes Brewery., named after the area in which the brewery was founded.
The brewery quickly rose to prominence in the Argentine beer market. By 1921, Quilmes had acquired several other breweries and was producing their own malt from Argentine barley for not only their beer, but most other breweries too.
Today, Quilmes has a majority share of Argentina’s beer market domestically, whilst imported and enjoyed around the world. Quilmes is synonymous with Argentine sport. Most notably Quilmes sponsors the Argentina national football team, previously Boca Juniors, and of course Quilmes Atletico Club, the local Quilmes team.
Only brewed in Argentina from Patagonia Hops, Pampas grown malt and meltwater runoff from the Andes, the beer has a hint of hoppy aromas that give way to a subtle malty sweetness. – Salud!
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