QUALITYALWAYS PREVAILS

tradition and technology nature and love trust and pride

For almost two centuries all varieties of laško beer have maintained the status of a completely natural beverage, without

traces of artificial aromas, additional preservatives, flavour enhancers, etc. They are distinguished by their characteristic

purity, full and sharp flavour, thick foam and hoppy bitterness.

We achieve the required quality exclusively with the use of top quality raw material, with prescribed technological procedures

and with strict production control.

TECHNOLOGY IS THE BIBLE

birth certificate – The entire journey for all our beer is fully

prescribed: from brewing, through fermentation and maturation,

and finally to bottling. The Laško process guarantees a quality that

has become proverbial.

traditional recipe – We never hurrying or shorten the

brewing, alcoholic fermentation or maturation processes. Laško beer

matures at least 3 weeks.

WATER IS THE HEART

mineral composition – Our source springs originate deep

under impermeable rocks in an area of untouched nature. This

ensures the long-lasting freshness and quality of our beer. The Laško water has been giving our beer its unique and characteristic flavour

for centuries.

HOPS ARE THE SOUL

aromatic, autochthonous varieties – Slovenian hop-

growers cultivate green gold of the highest quality. Aurora, Celeia,

Savinjski Golding, Bobek are brewing spices that enrich all varieties of our

beer. Each is added at a different ratio. They provide the unique,

flavourful and aromatic character that has become synonymous with

Laško.

imes are changing faster and more dramatically than ever before. Through it all, the brewing process remains a focus of primary knowledge, and this knowledge reveres beer as a natural food. At Pivovarna Laško, we’ve made due consideration of progress, but we still abide by the ancient traditions of master brewers:

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BREWERS’ TESTAMENT

How it connects usBeer, “liquid food”, has been accompanying civilisation for thousands of years. It is developing with us and is becoming increasingly sophisticated. At the Laško brewery, we are making beer from the best raw material, in cooperation with numerous suppliers, whose common denominator are diligence and dedication to quality, and with the support of our best experts, who develop various kinds of beer for different occasions with love, knowledge and care. Each golden-yellow beverage embodies our values, our commitment to tradition and the discovery of new brewing landscapes.

Why do we love itIt makes us feel better, and not only because it quenches our thirst. Already the first sip must be the right one, the beginning of your pampering and relaxation …Beer is an entirely natural product in which nutrients are dissolved. Since it contains a lot of proteins, carbohydrates, and mainly minerals and vitamins, it is not considered to be merely a beverage nor just a food.Beer is a rich source of group B vitamins, particularly B12, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells. It contains a lot of biotin, a vitamin that is important for producing energy, anti-stress mineral magnesium,

selenium, phosphorus, potassium, silicon. It is an excellent isotonic, useful for complementing diets, and is thought to improve concentration, memory, sight, and also reduces the quantity of LDL-cholesterol. It supplies water to the organism, promotes kidney cleansing, acts against tensions and stress, and inhibits the formation of kidney stones.

ZLATOROGThe mythical ruler of the Slovenian mountains, the proud and immortal Zlatorog (Goldhorn) has been accompanying beer brewing in Laško since the very beginning – with its image it symbolises the unbending commitment to nature and the nation. According to tradition, writer Janez Jalen, during his ascent to Mount Triglav, compared the king of the Alpine world (the Zlatorog) to the king of beer (Laško). His fellow climbers liked the suggestions so much that the Zlatorog became a beer variety – already before 1939 the dark thermal beer, containing 16% of extract, became the traditional image of the light Laško beer, whereas the popular twelve-ounce beer first saw the light in 1957. The green label of the self-confident Zlatorog is still today, in a world full of products and images, synonymous with aesthetic design and vintage beer. Zlatorog, full of pride!

NOTHING BUT LOVE

eer and man have been friends for thousands of years. They were first united by nature. In time, they would be connected by curiosity, the transfer of skills, knowledge and technology. Flavour is changing, the brewing process is refining, but that primary, unique feeling remains. Unaltered.

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transport

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barley drying

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1. Sun 2. Soil 3. Water 4. Grain 5. Uncleaned barley 6. Permanent magnet 7. Metallic particles 8. Unsorted barley 9. Sorting machine class III / class II / class I 10. Cleaned and sorted barley silo 11. Cleaned and sorted barley 12. Water addition 13. Steeping vessel (barley steeping) 14. Carbon dioxide (CO2)

15. Water (H2O) 16. Steeped barley 17. Barley germination time t 18. Germinated barley – green malt 19. Germination chamber 20. Moist air 21. Kiln 22. Warm dry air 23. Warm moist air 24. Germ and rootlets removing machine 25. Dust particles 26. Germ, rootlets 27. Malt 28. Malt silo

Apart from water, malt is the most present raw material in terms of quantity during beer brewing. It is obtained from two-row spring brewing barley, which has to meet certain technological requirements: even bulky grain, thin finely wrinkled husk, the highest possible extract percentage, a limited protein content; also important are the typical colour, scent of hay, undamaged grain and the least possible amount of impurities.

After the harvest, barley needs approximately a month to reach its physiological maturity. Steeping encourages germination, i.e. triggers the life activities in the grain. This requires a sufficient amount of water or humidity, the required temperature level and the presence of oxygen. Germination activates and synthesises enzymes in grain. Germination time depends on the variety and quality of barley, on the temperature of germination and on the desired type of malt. Thus, green malt is obtained, followed by drying up to 4-5% humidity. In this phase the germination and activity of the enzymes is interrupted and aromatic and dye substances are being produced. This is followed by the removal of germ and rootlets, which are a quality supplement to fodder. The enzymes go through a temperature shock; the grain husk is still very fragile, for this reason it is necessary to store the malt 3-4 weeks before production use.

The above described malt is considered to be the »common«, most frequently used light malt. Other types, such as caramel, colour, roasted, wheat malt, require specifically adjusted technologies. Lately, when new brewing trends and directions are sought, »malt« from other cereals is also used, e.g. oats, buckwheat, etc.

In the beginning of 2000, Pivovarna Laško closed the last operating malting plant in Slovenia. The malt-making knowledge and tradition is now used for the careful selection of malt by European suppliers.

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MALT TECHNOLOGY

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brewing plant 1. Barley malt 2. Barley malt silo 3. Mill 4. Mash vessel 5. Water addition 6. Lauter tun 7. Spent grains 8. Boiling vessel 9. Hops addition 10. Wort sedimentation vessel 11. Cooling

cellar 12. Fermentation tank 13. Yeast addition

BEER TECHNOLOGY

accurate preparation of • ingredients: malt, hops, brewing yeast

• packaging material for production

• brewing: - mashing - lautering - boiling

• fermentation• maturation• filtration

• pasteurisation• filling• packing• storing

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filling and storing

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brewing plant 1. Barley malt 2. Barley malt silo 3. Mill 4. Mash vessel 5. Water addition 6. Lauter tun 7. Spent grains 8. Boiling vessel 9. Hops addition 10. Wort sedimentation vessel 11. Cooling

cellar 12. Fermentation tank 13. Yeast addition

filling plant 14. Maturation tank 15. Beer filtration 16. Bright beer tank 17. External and internal barrel washing 18. Bottle washing machine 19. Can rinsing 20. Flash pasteurisation 21. Bottle control 22. Filling 23. Closing 24. Adding of protective caps 25. Tunnel pasteurisation 26. Foiling and palletizing 27. Labelling and packing

Quality control

Process control

Process control room

BREWING PLANT:FROM MALT TO HOPPED WORT

Hopped wort is prepared in the brewing plant, the heart of the brewery. The purpose of brewing is to obtain optimum conditions for the action of enzymes, to prepare the

basis (»food«) for the action of yeast and the final beer profile.

Brewing has several stages: MASHING, LAUTERING, WORT BOILING WITH HOPS,

CLARIFYING/SEDIMENTATION AND COOLING.

Malt is moisted and crushed in a specified ratio with brewing water from Laško. The so obtained mixture is called mash. It is gradually heated in mash vessels, in order to create the optimum conditions for the action of enzymes and thus the break-down of substances in malt. (For each variety of beer there is a special recipe/brewing di-agram, i.e. »birth certificate«.) The produced soluble substances are called extract, whereas the liquid is called wort.

Lautering separates insoluble substances from wort. The by-product is spent grains, valued in livestock farming as a quality supplement to fodder. This is followed by the boiling with hops process. Hops are added gradually, in more portions. The hop quan-tity and variety depend on the desired variety of beer. We use world-renowned Slove-nian hop varieties, and for some new varieties of beer we also use first-rate foreign hops. After the boiling phase, hopped wort is pumped into the sedimentation tank in order to separate the hot break. This is followed by cooling to the initial temperature of fermentation.

Filtration control

Cellar

Process control

Process control

We are just three processes away from »true« beer: FERMENTATION, MATURING, FILTRATION.

Sterile air and carefully stored yeast is added to hopped wort. Fermentation begins, lasting 5-7 days, at temperatures specified for each beer variety. Alcohol, carbon dioxide and other fermentation by-products, which are important for the quality of beer, are produced during the process. Heat is released; for this reason the desired fermentation temperature is maintained by cooling.

When fermentation is completed, we obtain young beer which is then pumped into the maturation tank, where at the temperature of 0 to -1 °C it obtains a full flavour and aroma and is saturated with CO2. Maturation time depends on the variety of beer (optimally 3-4 weeks).

After the conclusion of maturation, beer is still cloudy. In order to obtain crystal clarity and the longest possible shelf life it has to be filtered. This stage is very important, since preservatives or any other additives are not being used.

Beer is then pumped into pressure tanks, where it waits to be bottled.

CELLAR:FROM HOPPER WORT TO BEER

Transport - internal logistics

Filling lineStability control

Process control

Before it leaves home beer has to first undergo: PASTEURIZATION, FILLING, PACKING, STORING.

The only process for the protection of beer as a natural product is thermal processing. Pasteurization is of key importance for extending shelf life. According to the type of packaging we choose between pasteurization before filling (recyclable packaging) and pasteurization after filling (non-recyclable packaging).

Filling lines are used to fill beer into a clean primary packaging (bottles, cans, barrels, plastic bottles). The primary flavour and quality are always guaranteed, since bottling is performed under strict scrutiny, like all other stages of the technological process.

Filling is followed by packing into a secondary packaging (crates, cardboard boxes, foils) and storing on pallets, which are kept in the internal warehouse of the brewery, then in external ones, all the way to commercial and catering warehouses.

We suggest careful storing to all actors in the chain, since beer is sensitive to sunlight, heat and high temperature variations. We all wish that already the first sip of Laško beer would be the beginning of pampering and relaxation...

FILLING PLANT:AND BEER IS READY

compliance with eu requirements is certified by haccp, iso 9001 – assessmentquality management system, iso 14001 – assessment of the environmental

management system

KHOW TO CORRECTLY POUR AND SERVE BEER

STEP ONEHold the glass at an angle just under the tap mouth and let the beer flow down the side of the glass. (The tap must not touch the side of the glass and shouldnot be immersed in beer!) Only an insignificant amount of carbon dioxide is released from the beer. Fill the glass to one third. The poured beer should rest for a minute so that the foam settles.

STEP TWOContinue pouring to two thirds of the glass until the foam reaches the upper rim of the glass. Let it settle and stabilise for one minute.

STEP THREE Complete the pour by reaching a sufficient quantity of beer to form a characteristic 2−3 cm high stable foam, also called head.

How do we know if beer is correctly poured:• the stable foam (head) does not pour over the glass rim,• with each long sip there is a trace of foam on the glass.

ow far back is the times when beer was the exclusive domain of men, preferably workers. Today, it is one of the most popular beverages, which is slowly, but surely making its way to the most solemn dinners. It is served as an aperitif already in many places, since it contains CO2, like champagnes, and considerably less alcohol then established spirit aperitifs.

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BEER-ENJOYING CULTURE

DESPITE ITS EVER INCREASING POPULARITY THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE KEPT IN MIND:

• Beer is an alcoholic beverage and should be consumed in moderate quantities.

• Drinking beer is a pleasure. Binge drinking is not enjoying it.

• Mixing beer and spirits is barbarism no. 1.• Pouring beer from glass to glass or letting foam accumulate in a glass that will be filled later is barbarism no. 2.

• Temperature has a strong influence on the expression of the characteristics of various beer varieties. Brewers label their beer with serving temperature; however, it is enough for light beer to have a temperature of 6–8°C and dark beer 9–10°C. A beer that is too cold does not foam, and the traits typical of its character do not come to full expression. Ingredients, which otherwise characterise the beer, give it a hint of negativity if the beer is too warm and foams too much.

• Beer has to keep its characteristics through the entire time of drinking, for this reason it is drank from glasses of various shapes, which characterise the served beer and are suitable for the event at which beer is served – similar to wine. For casual socialising beer mugs are the most suitable and popular. It goes without saying that the glass has to be perfectly clean, without scratches and, god forbids, the smell of cleaning agents.

• Draught beer established itself in the beginning of the 20th century and still remains today the most genuine and popular way of enjoying beer – due to tradition as well as freshness and natural flavour. This is why Laško designed a very special beer mug specifically for it.

CAREFULLY SELECTED BARLEY

100 % SLOVENIAN HOPS

WATER FROM UNTOUCHED NATURE

Laško beer is an entirely natural product and a biologically balanced product. It is based on water from the hills of Laško

and from selected, traceable raw material: malt, hops, beer yeast. The untainted base is complemented by a perfected technology, committed experts and loyal master brewers.

LIQUID FOOD

WATER is of key importance for the character and quality of beer. It comes from the surrounding hills and is renowned for its high quality – microbiologically untainted, crystal clear and with a low content of carbonates it gives to all varieties of Laško beer a special and intense flavour. Preserving its natural characteristics is one of our fundamental commitments.

MALT, the basic raw material for producing beer, is obtained by germinating barley. Various types of malt (light, caramel, colour, etc.) are intended for brewing different beer varieties. Malt is made using mainly the two-row spring brewing barley, the ear of which is composed of two regular rows of grains of the same size and rich with starch. The purpose of germination is to activate the already existing enzymes and create new enzymes, which are the main agents in the brewing process.

HOPS give to the beer its characteristic pleasant aroma and refreshing bitterness. Only non-fertilised female flowers are used as a brewing spice. We stilluse exclusively Slovenian hops of world-renowned varieties of the highest quality. Interesting, carefully verified and selected imported hops are, however, added to recipes of certain new beer varieties BREWING YEAST is essential for the fermentation process. The Saccharomyces pastorianus, also known as bottom-fermenting yeast (lager type yeast), is used.

TECHNOLOGY, EXPERTS AND MASTER BREWERS ensure that every sip of any beer from Laško contains our knowledge, expertise and love toward this noble beverage.

Regina Godec, sole honorary member, »treasure trove

of knowledge and experience«. She earned her honorary membership with diligent and professional work in the production of beer, with an excellent

attitude toward fellow employees, brewers, and with a selfless desire to

transfer and spread of the vast brewing knowledge.

Ludvik Lavrinc, oldest member and one of four initiators of establishing the

association, »a living brewing encyclopaedia«. His working and

creative life is connected to beer, Laško beer. He started his professional career as the brewing process manager, one of

the key phases of beer production.

Rajko Klepej, current association president,

»connector of brewing generations«.He bases his work on solidifying the brewing tradition, the image of the

brewer, and cooperation in all phases of beer production.

uriosity, the desire to understand, the respect of tradition, following trends, a knack for innovation, an inventive spirit, camaraderie, commitment to the brewery, to live for it and with it. These are the character traits that have been uniting the master brewers from Laško for nearly 200 years, and they enable the brewery to walk alongside the greatest and to aim for the highest international awards.In 1989, an association was established joining Laško brewers, loyal to tradition, to the brewer's testaments as well as to daring novelties in recipe-making and technology. Passing on know-how, professional assessment of quality, technology, brands, and monitoring of international development are virtues of each member and of the entire association, comprising 21 regular, 14 extraordinary and 4 honorary members. Here, we present three of them, the first among first:

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OUR BREWERS

We understand sustainable development; this is why we are introducing the best available technology in our processes: to ensure an efficient use of materials and energy and to reduce emissions and waste, while designing production and products so as to reduce the negative effects on the environment.

All phases of beer production have an implemented separate waste collection system and with improved cleaning programs we are reducing the quantity and impact of industrial waste water from beer production. Even the consumption of electric energy per produced hl of beer and natural gas per hl of sold beer is continuously decreasing.

With concrete improvements over the years of the operation of our own anaerobic and municipal aerobic waste water treatment plant we ensured adequate cleansing of the entire quantity of the generated process water and made a decisive step toward the use of renewable energy sources. Biogas, formed from waste water, is an important energy product for heating.

We also encourage our business partners and consumers to act responsibly. With the project We like to give back we record great results in the consumption of beverages in recyclable glass packaging, which helps reducing the quantity of municipal waste, raw material and energy products.

NATURALLY, NATURE...FUTURE

ith the brewer's testament we have been closely connected to the earth and water for almost two centuries. Our heritage is brewing recipes, the love for our work, the harmony with nature. We are aware of how our today and tomorrow are closely connected to the respect of natural resources and the environment. Good things have to be returned in an even better form.

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We are an environmentally-friendly company that is aware of its responsibilities. Also toward future generations.

A SIGNATURE BEERA SIGNATURE BEER

eer brewing has always been a true art form. This is even more true today, when beer production is one of the most competitive industries, where the main players are transnational corporations, commercial franchises, informed and demanding users. On one hand there is the commitment to preserve the nobility and quality of our products, on the other hand there is the obligation to maintain the technological and business fitness, employee satisfaction and customer loyalty. Laško has both – tradition in operation and tradition in perseverance.

We will continue protecting the reputation of the Laško beer brewing in the future as well. As proud heirs of the traditional recipe we will maintain a quality level of our »flagships«, frequently awarded on the international stage, and at the same time we will keep researching and creating new styles and flavours. A 190-years-long brewing tradition is an additional motivation to weave tradition, competitive technology, unique raw material and the enthusiasm of the employees into a new, special story.

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF CHALLENGES

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WATER FROM PRISTINE NATURE

100% SLOVENIAN HOPS

TRADITIONAL BREWING