Beer variety from the secret home of beer!

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2 Kulmbach The Beer City Two things are especially memorable in Kulmbach the Plassenburg castle that rises impressively above the city and the fact that almost everything in this small margrave city revolves around beer. And there s a reason for that. Kulmbach residents are practically born with a passion for beer. A 3,000-year old amphora that is exhibited today in the Bavarian Brewery Museum was discovered near the city and is considered the earliest indicator of beer brewing on German soil. As in other cities, brewing beer in the medieval city of Kulmbach was neither handcraft nor commerce, but an exclusive privilege. But it can be assumed that brewing was already considerably more important in Kulmbach at that time than it was in other places. So beer has a long history in Kulmbach but is still very current. For example, the city s image is still marked by brewery buildings, restaurants, and beer gardens. With its four beer brands KULMBACHER, EKU, MÖNCHSHOF, and KAPUZINER, Kulmbach offers beer lovers more than 28 different types of beer. Beer variety from the secret home of beer!

3 EKU Beers Count on Sustainability EKU specialty beers subscribe to the careful use of natural resources and carry multiple certifications with respect to natural ingredients and purity. A natural environment that is as unencumbered as possible is ultimately of great importance to a brewery. Without healthy soil and pure water, brewing of a superior EKU beer would not be possible. For more than ten years now EKU brewers have been aware of their responsibility to protect the environment when brewing their specialty beers and are committed specifically to forward-looking, active environmental protection and intelligent use of natural resources. This is why regional diversity as well as purity and quality of foods are particularly important to brewers in Kulmbach. Especially beer is even today one of the purest and most original of foods. This is guaranteed by the Beer Purity Law of 1516, which is thought to be one of the oldest laws pertaining to food in the world.

4 EKU specialty beers from Kulmbach are still brewed today the exact same way in strict accordance with the Purity Law, using only the natural ingredients water, hops, malt, and yeast. The brewers pay special attention to the quality and purity but also the regional origin of the raw materials to keep delivery routes as short as possible: The brewing water, which as the main ingredient of EKU beer comes from the nearby Fichtelgebirge (Spruce Mountains), is especially soft and therefore naturally possesses the ideal brewing characteristics. Next to the water, high-quality locally grown malt, the best varieties of hops from growing areas in the South of Germany, and the brewer s own purebred yeast form the basis for EKU beers. Thanks to the centuriesold brewing tradition in the Kulmbach region, the local agriculture has adjusted to the cultivation of the best malting barley. A large portion of the raw grains for the brewing malts comes from local farmers, thus eliminating unnecessary emissions for transport. Waste water generated in the brewery from cleaning of reusable containers is processed in the central, breweryowned water treatment plant under recovery of biogas. This gas is fed back into the primary heating circuits such as for heating of the wort pan and thus increases the share of renewable energy sources. A globally unique innovation on the topic of effective energy recovery is the directly-heated bottle washing machine with calorific value technology. This is part of the brewery s energy optimization program and received the EON Environmental Award in 2009.

5 4.9 % alcohol content Pale and light is our classic, dry-finished EKU Pils with traditionally balanced hoppy aroma. The enjoyment of EKU Pils starts already in the pour and ends with the right glass. To unfold its fine hoppy aroma and form a nice head, EKU Pils is poured quickly in 2 to 3 minutes and served in a slender, tall, upwards tapering»chalice«. Often referred to also as a little beer, EKU Pils is enjoyed as an aperitif, in-between, or as the crowning finale before heading home. Bavarians call it a»pfiff«.* *A»Pfiff«is a traditional unit of liquid volume for beer in Austria. A»Pfiff«(the German word means»whistle«) is a small quantity, in current use generally 200 milliliters.

6 EKU Pils and its Origin Brewed in the pilsner style, the Pils type of beer was invented only 150 years ago. The strongholds of Bavarian pils brewers today are in the northern part of Bavaria, in Franconia, where EKU Pils has its roots. Here, the especially soft brewing water from the nearby central German low mountains, the high-quality barley, and the fine aromatic hops from local soils and gardens give EKU Pils its distinctive flavor. EKU Bavarian Tradition and Quality.

7 5.4 % alcohol content Our golden yellow, robust EKU Export is full-bodied with a soft finish and delivers a special treat with a light malty flavor for every beer lover. The more robust flavor associated with bottom-fermenting and stronger brewing gives EKU Export a longer shelf life, which is important for the international transport outside the borders of Bavaria. EKU Export pairs ideally with all types of savory snacks, hearty dishes, and traditional Bavarian fare.

8 The History of International EKU Beer EKU was established in November 1872 in the beer city of Kulmbach under the full name of»erste Kulmbacher Actien- Exportbier Brauerei«. EKU was one of the first beers to be exported outside the borders of Bavaria. To this day, EKU maintains its beloved Bavarian brewing tradition throughout the world: Italy, France, China, Japan, USA, Mexico, Russia, Africa, Canada, the Philippines, the Seychelles, and many more EKU Bavarian Brewing Tradition and Popularity All Over the World.

9 One of the world s strongest beers 11.0 % alcohol content Our legendary stout specialty EKU 28, an amber-hued, fiery double bock with a full-bodied malt aroma with 11% ABV is one of the strongest beers in the world. A genuine specialty among stouts. Our EKU 28 can be enjoyed wellcooled as well as at room temperature, especially as an aperitif. Small snacks and light dishes are especially good with this beer. EKU 28 is also ideal as a basis for long drinks and cocktails.

10 EKU 28 The Legend of a Stout Characteristic for our EKU 28 stout is mainly the high portion of original wort of approximately 28%, which is also reflected in the name of our specialty stout. This leads at the same time also to a higher alcohol content, because during the fermentation process the yeast converts the sugar dissolved in the wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Thus due to the very high wort content, the alcohol content is also much higher. That s why EKU 28 has always belonged to the special, legendary type of stouts and is one of the strongest beers in the world. EKU 28 the Unique Stout Specialty from Bavaria.

11 5.6 % alcohol content Our robust, full-bodied»festbier«with a pleasant hoppy note is a favorite and not just among beer connoisseurs. Thanks to its well-rounded taste, this beer offers an unforgettable drinking enjoyment for special occasions and any time. Our EKU»Festbier«tastes especially good with all types of savory snacks, hearty dishes, and traditional Bavarian specialties. Every year, visitors to the week-long Kulmbach Beer Festival enjoy the EKU s full-bodied»festbier«.

12 A Little History about the Enjoyment of EKU Festival Beer Every year beer connoisseurs have the opportunity to enjoy the legendary EKU»Festbier«at the beer festival the Kulmbacher Beer Week. The delicious»festbier«is freshly tapped and served by maidens in traditional»dirndl«dresses in countless enormous beer mugs to the thousands of visitors in the Kulmbacher Beer City. With its amber color and lightly malty flavor but strong hoppy note, EKU»Festbier«is an essential part of the traditional beer festivals in Bavaria. EKU The Bavarian Way to Enjoy a Beer.

13 EKU»Schwarzbier«appeals to particular beer lovers with a passion for true beer culture. This archetypical specialty beer convinces every connoisseur of specialty beers primarily with its characteristically fine malty aroma and the beautiful dark color. The dark roasted malt and select hop varieties give EKU»Schwarzbier«its light taste malty sweetness and refreshing at the same time. The»Black Pearl«of beers! 4.9 % alcohol content Our EKU»Schwarzbier«can be enjoyed with hearty sausage and rye bread, with pasta dishes and wild game stews or vegetables, with roasted or grilled meats or Cotechino sausage. It is also excellent with sweets, such as pastry with fruit or chocolate cookies.

14 A Little History of EKU»Schwarzbier«Bavarian beer in general has a»dark«past. Until the start of the 20th century, more or less all types of beer were dark, because up to that time it was technically almost impossible to brew a good-tasting beer using light, shorter kilned malt. So light beers were not introduced until very late. EKU s»black one«has a deep, dark color, a malty aroma, and a full-bodied taste but is still a springy, refreshing specialty beer. In contrast to the expectation based on its color, black beer is not a stout, but a bottom-fermented full beer. It gets its dark color based on a traditional recipe merely from the dark special and roasted malts. And by the way: one of the most famous drinkers of black beer was the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Today black beers are no longer the exclusive domain of men, either, as more and more women are choosing the springy black beer, which tastes the best at a temperature of eight degrees Centigrade, as their favorite drink.

15 5.4 % alcohol content EKU s Wheat Beer presents itself as springy, fruity, and very aromatic. During brewing around 70% carefully roasted wheat malt and 30% finest barley malt come into the brewing pan. With the top-fermented yeast from the brewery s own purebred cultivation, the malt sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which makes EKU s unfiltered Wheat Beer with fine yeast so extraordinarily refreshing. Our EKU Wheat Beer tastes especially good with fresh goat s milk or cow s milk cheese that is aged for 4 months or less. It pairs equally well with ground beef & noodle dishes without cream or white sauce, with grilled pork, and with boiled or medium-grilled, but not too spicy, beef.

16 The History of EKU Wheat Beer Beginning in the 16th century, brewing of wheat beer was frequently prohibited in Bavaria. Only a few privileged noblemen were allowed to procure the privilege of making wheat beer north of the Danube. One the one hand, this was meant to keep enough wheat stores available to feed the people, and on the other hand the Bavarian dukes used the awarding of this brewing right to bind the population more tightly to themselves and to preserve a secure source of revenue for the Bavarian government. Not until 1798 was the so-called»white beer monopoly«officially lifted again. Wheat beer the name stems, by the way, from»white«and not»wheat«is considered today a typical summer beer, to be enjoyed cool, but not ice-cold. This is also why it is served in especially tall, slender glasses so that the tiny beads of carbonation continue to rise up through the drink and keep it fresh-tasting for as long as possible.

17 The Kulmbacher Beer Week The fact that beer has always played an extraordinary role in Kulmbach becomes clear to anyone at the latest when Kulmbacher Beer Week, Kulmbach s»fifth season«starts up. For more than 60 years, starting on the last Saturday in July beer and beer alone takes the central spotlight in Kulmbach for nine whole days. Over 100,000 visitors go on a pilgrimage into the festival tent, referred to in specialist circles as»city«, and celebrate with traditional music and dancing on the benches. The four festival beers brewed especially for Beer Week one for each corner of the beer tent allow every beer lover to be in their element. The form of payment used in this tent, by the way, is mainly the»beer Mark«, at that time probably the hardest currency in the world, with a value equal to one liter of Festival Beer. And Here s A Toast to Health and Good Cheer!

18 KULMBACHER BRAUEREI Aktien-Gesellschaft Postfach Kulmbach Phone / Fax / info@eku.biz