Canada’s bestselling beer is coming to Columbia Brewery. Creston-brewed Budweiser should hit store shelves in the spring of 2013, Labatt Breweries of Canada has announced.
“Budweiser has always stood for quality and great taste,” said brewery manager Murray Oswald. “It’s an iconic brand with a rich history dating more than a hundred years. The Creston brewery is thrilled to become a part of the longstanding Budweiser brewing tradition.
“Budweiser’s brewing process differs from most beers. It’s brewed with the addition of rice and undergoes a lengthy three-week fermentation using the original Budweiser yeast culture strain from 1876 and the time-honoured beechwood aging process. That, combined with the highest quality ingredients, results in a beer with a smooth taste and crisp, clean finish.”
To produce Budweiser, an investment of $1.4 million will be made to expand brewing capacity and accommodate Bud’s unique brewing process. The expansion will be completed over the next six months and the new brew should be found in the market in the spring of 2013.
The addition of Budweiser to the brewery’s portfolio will result in 90,000 additional hectolitres of production each year for Creston.
“Bringing Budweiser to Creston is a significant milestone for the Creston brewery,” said Jeff Ryan, Labatt’s senior director of corporate affairs. “Labatt’s $1.4 million investment shows our commitment to the Creston community and ensures we can meet growing consumer demand for Budweiser. The addition of Budweiser further diversifies our brewing capabilities and will help maintain and grow Creston’s operational capacity as Labatt’s westernmost brewery.”
Prior to brewing Budweiser for consumer consumption, the brewery will undergo a rigorous certification process to ensure Creston meets the high quality standards that Budweiser is known for. The certification is complete only when Creston’s brew meets Budweiser’s beloved quality and taste profile.
The addition of Budweiser to the Columbia Brewery marks a major achievement for the brewery — Budweiser is the first global brand that will be brewed at the facility. In addition to Budweiser, five brands have been added to Creston’s production capabilities since 2009, including Bud Light, Alexander Keith’s, Alexander Keith’s Red Amber Ale, Busch and Brava.
Budweiser has been brewed in Canada by Labatt for more than 30 years, and will now be brewed at all six of Labatt’s breweries in Creston, London, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax and St. John’s. Millions of bottles of Budweiser are brewed at local breweries every year using local personnel, raw materials and 165 years of brewing experience.
Budweiser — the “King of Beers” and the No. 1 beer in Canada — has been brewed since 1876. Brewed in Canada for more than 30 years, Budweiser uses only the finest ingredients without any artificial additives or preservatives.
Columbia Brewery began brewing Kokanee lager in 1960 and became part of the Labatt family in 1974. With 140 employees, the brewery brews more than 16 different beer brands including Kokanee, Budweiser, Bud Light and Alexander Keith’s.
“This is welcome news from one of our most important industries,” Creston Mayor Ron Toyota said on Wednesday. “Columbia Brewery is one of our valley’s largest and best employers and the investments made in recent years are the result of a dedicated management team and staff who run a very efficient operation.
“Columbia Brewery is an important taxpayer in the Creston and it partners with the town in operating our waste water treatment plant. The brewery and workers are also tremendous supporters of community events and projects — it is difficult to overestimate their value to our community.”