Even in ancient times, the Chuvash grew hops and brewed beer from it according to special recipe passing it on to their descendants. No wonder beer is considered the national drink of the Chuvash. That is why this nation has a solid foundation for the development of brewing. In the provinces of the republics in 1969, the first brick of the Cheboksary brewery was laid. Even earlier, two breweries in the city of Cheboksary were launched. On Petrov Street, the enterprise was closed over time, and Yantar still pleases us with drinks.
One of the main tasks of our company is the preservation and development of the old traditions of the Chuvash and Russian brewing with the introduction of the latest technologies in the production of this drink and its distribution.
The Cheboksary brewery employed 496 people. On November 17, 1974, the first mug of draft beer was brewed, and a year later, in January 1975, the first batch of kvass was brewed. After some time, we set up the preparation of malt. In February of the same year, beer was first released in a regular glass bottle.
With the opening of the plant, we began to produce well-known types of beer, such as Zhigulevskoye, Martovskoye, Slavyanskoye, Moscowskoye, Rizhskoye and Velvet. After 18 years, the company launched a line of mineral waters, which were brought for this purpose, but in the process of development, its own 200-meter well was drilled, and the spill of its own water with a low mineral content began. Mineral water "Cheboksarskaya-1" is a medicinal table water containing chloride-sulfate-sodium ions.
The path of formation of OJSC ChPF "Buket Chuvashii" began with the Cheboksary brewery, which existed in this form until 1992, and after privatization was reorganized into an open joint-stock company "Cheboksarsky Brewery". Beer "Buket Chuvashiya" has become a product of the highest European quality, brewed according to a special old technology, thanks to the management, which developed the first investment program for the technical re-equipment and development of the plant.
Through the efforts of the workers and at the expense of the shareholders, a modern brewery was created. After the implementation of this program, Buket Chuvashiya became one of the first breweries in Russia equipped with the highest quality European equipment.
The development of the plant did not stand still, it was constantly improved and modified. A modern tunnel pasteurizer was installed at the enterprise, which made it possible to produce pasteurized beer. A line for bottling beer into kegs was purchased and set up, and a bottling line began its work soft drinks in popular plastic containers. In August 1998, with the help of this German technology, they were able to produce 24 thousand bottles. at one o'clock.
Passed reconstruction in 2002 and the shop where they brewed beer. Modern equipment for this was purchased from the German company "Steinecker" from the concern "Krones AG". Despite the modification of the workshop, the production of beer did not stop. Also in 2003, a new filter press with a capacity of 200 hectoliters per hour was installed at the plant. In 2005, a new PET line was put into operation, which increased productivity to 12,000 PET bottles per hour, and a carbon dioxide plant was put into operation to produce liquefied carbon dioxide.
In 2006, consumers were introduced to their favorite beer in a bottle of a new design and with a new label, and also diversified the volume of containers to one and two liters.
In 2006, consumers were able to enjoy natural fermented kvass Buket Chuvashiya and kvass Litovsky, which were produced in plastic containers. At the end of the year, a new beer was brewed under the name "Foamy Collection "Foamy Wheat". In the same year, the beer "Forward, Spartak!" began to be brewed again.
Over the years, the plant accelerated its development, and already in 2007 it began to produce new types of kvass under the Buket Chuvashia (Domashny, Khlebny and Okroshechny) and Slaven trademarks. For children, they launched the production of Kinder children's kvass, which was brewed from apple juice. We diversified the volume of bottling of Buket Chuvashia drinking water and Russian Spring mineral water in 0.5 l, 1.5 l, 5 l, and also 18.9 liters.
In April 2007, a modern line of Italian production for bottling beer into aluminum cans was put into operation. The first can of beer went on sale in February of the same year under the name "Cheboksarskoe".
JSC "Buket Chuvashia" in our time - one of the first in Russia for the production of beer, kvass, soft drinks, drinking and mineral water, barley and rye malt. The products of the brewery are of high quality and meet all the requirements of international standards ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 22000:2005.
The newest imported equipment began to work in the yeast department and the compressor shop. The system of non-separable washing was installed. The equipment of the brewing shop was replaced with imported modern equipment, full automation of production was established. A significant share of the profit was directed to further technical re-equipment and modernization of production.
The foamy drink, which is now called beer, is an ancient drink of mankind. It is not known for certain where beer first appeared, but the fact that it was seen in many civilizations of the ancient world is a fact. Over time, the recipe for the drink changed, as did the attitude towards it. Today we will talk about a wonderful representative of the foamy elixir, which is called the Buket Chuvashia beer.
Cheboksary beer producer
The Chuvash brewery has been operating since 1974. In 2024, the plant will celebrate a half-century anniversary in the production of high-quality malt and yeast drinks: a wide range of beer, kvass, as well as soft drinks (drinking and mineral waters).
Chuvashia", like the rest of the manufacturer's drinks, are made in accordance with all international standards, preserving their family brewing traditions, which have been carefully preserved and passed down from generation to generation.
Brewing standards
In the manufacture of beer, only water, fermented rye malt, sugar and hops are used. The ingredients are simple, but the taste speaks for itself! It is enough to try it at least once to understand the taste of the real traditional beer. Chuvashia" is prepared in compliance with the strictest brewing standards. All processes of wort preparation take place in a closed mode, without air penetration. Employees monitor all stages of fermentation and maturation of the drink in an automated mode: all information is displayed on a computer screen. The stage of collection and removal of carbonic acid is carried out on a high-precision Dutch equipment.
Draft beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia"
The first products of the Chuvash plant were presented to the consumer in the form draft beer(November 1974), and starting from February 1975, it became available in bottle form.
If you manage to visit the capital or another city of Chuvashia, then you should definitely try Buket Chuvashia beer, this is the hallmark of the republic. Its taste differs from other representatives of the foamy drink in that every sip will give you a unique pleasure. Since the drink has a pronounced hop aroma with an aftertaste of wine. Below is a photo of the beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia", which is calling card factory.
Achievements of the brewery JSC "Buket of Chuvashia"
The Cheboksary producer annually takes part in various competitions and tastings, where he regularly takes honorary positions and receives awards for his high quality products. For example, in the period from February 6 to February 10, 2017, Buket Chuvashia OJSC took part in the Prodexpo-2017 exhibition among European countries and Russians. It should be noted that the Chuvash brewery returned with several gold medals from this exhibition. And after all, many foreign and Russian companies took part, among the breweries 58 organizations provided their products! The competition was serious.
OJSC "Buket Chuvashia" received awards for the following products:
- Beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia".
- Kvass "Winter".
- Lemonade "Give 5".
It is unthinkable to list all the products of the brand, since its range is so rich and varied! In order to get better acquainted with the products of the brewery, you can visit the "Museum of Beer", which was opened by the Cheboksary producer, on the initiative of the President of the Republic, in 1997.
Reviews about beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia"
The opinions of consumers about the Cheboksary beer drink are largely similar: they characterize it as a strong drink with a rich beer taste at an affordable price: around 45-60 rubles for a 0.5-liter bottle. For example, beer "Ker Sari" (light) is characterized as a drink with a pronounced taste of yeast, bread spices and caramel. Although the beer is a light-colored beer, it has a thick copper color.
This beer is a novelty from the brewery. It differs from other varieties not only of Buket Chuvashia OJSC, but also from other manufacturers in that the combination of its components leaves an unforgettable impression. The recipe for the drink went to the Chuvash people from their distant ancestors, who brewed beer from barley malt and hops after sowing. In the old recipe "Ker Sar" is additionally included in rice. Maybe this uniqueness of the recipe is what causes such interest among beer connoisseurs?
Another interesting recipe of the Chuvash manufacturer is the beer "Lady Night" (dark). This beer causes mixed opinions about the taste of the drink. And this is due to the fact that among the accustomed hoppy malt and velvety taste, there are chocolate and caramel notes. Thus, we can conclude that the Buket Chuvashia brewery provided consumers with a variety of beer from classic to original composition.
Finally
As we said earlier, the Cheboksary plant has a huge range of products, especially for the production of beer. Visitors beer restaurant in Cheboksary or a museum celebrate beautiful taste qualities fresh draft beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia" and bottled products.
Another nice thing to note is the composition of the beer. It always consists of natural ingredients, without unnecessary chemical flavor enhancers. A short shelf life is proof of this.
The Buket Chuvashia Brewing Company produces many types of beer designed for different tastes. Although the brand is considered regional, 30-35% of the company's products are sold outside the republic: from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow.
History reference. Even 150 years ago, almost every Chuvash family brewed beer. Progress has not diminished the love of the local population for this drink. Therefore, when a new brewery was opened in Cheboksary in 1974, it became the third one in the city.
Initially, the company produced only standard types of beer: "Martovskoe", "Zhigulevskoe", "Moskovskoe", "Slavyanskoe", "Rizhskoe" and "Velvet". But already at that time, connoisseurs noted the excellent taste of local drinks. The fact is that the medicinal table water, extracted from a 200-meter well on the territory of the plant, is not inferior in quality to the famous French Vichy water.
In 1992, the enterprise was privatized, and later received the name "Bouquet of Chuvashia". At the beginning of the 21st century, new German and Dutch equipment was installed at the plant. The staff of OJSC ChPF "Buket Chuvashia" is undergoing an internship at foreign breweries, in particular, in the Dutch company Bavaria.
Enterprise technologists are constantly experimenting, combining old recipes and the latest production methods. Only one thing remains unchanged: natural fermentation. Even light beers ferment for at least 3-4 weeks.
Modern filtration techniques make it possible to purify the beer to such an extent that it can be bottled without pasteurization. However, intensive cleaning impoverishes the taste of beer. Therefore, the plant chose the golden mean: gentle filtration with pasteurization. An exception is made only for the variety "Bouquet of Chuvashia Zhivoe".
The crisis of 2008 caused serious damage to the brewing industry. For example, the competitor of "Bouquet of Chuvashia", the Cheboksary plant "Yantar", went bankrupt and closed.
Due to the changed demand, the technologists of Buket Chuvashia had to reduce the assortment, primarily due to dark varieties. "Unlucky" semi-dark beer "Hussarskaya Udal" with rice malt. With difficulty, we managed to defend the "Lady Night". But within the framework of the “Foamy” collection, an unusual “Foamy Wheaten” beer was created with wheat and barley malt: the wort is prepared according to the recipe of Western European light beer, and it ferments using bottom-fermentation technology, like a lager.
The firm values its reputation. Several bottles of beer from each batch are left in a special room and stored until the expiration date. When complaints about the quality of the drink are received, the company can always provide control samples.
The Beer Museum operates at the Buket Chuvashia plant, where visitors are offered not only to see interesting exhibits, but also to taste various varieties of the drink. In 2002, the Beer Theater was opened.
Awards
"Foamy Velvet" - a gold medal in the nomination "Best Product of the Year" at Prodexpo-2015;
"Bouquet of Chuvashia" - gold medals at "Prodexpo-2016" and "Prodexpo-2017";
"Ker Sari Light" - a gold medal in the nomination "Best Product of 2018" at the exhibition "Prodexpo-2018".
Types of beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia"
Bouquet of Chuvashia is a light beer with a strength of 6.8% and a density of 16%. The drink is fragrant with malt, light hop bitterness in taste is balanced by sweet wine notes.
Bouquet of Chuvashia Cheboksarskoye is a light beer with a strength of 5.1% and a density of 13%. The drink has a pronounced hop flavor with a subtle malt sweetness.
"Festive Bouquet of Chuvashia" - light beer with a strength of 5% and a density of 13%.
Bouquet of Chuvashia Visiting is a light beer with a strength of 5.1% and a density of 13%.
Bouquet Chuvashia Zhivoe is a light unpasteurized beer with a strength of 4.7% and a density of 12%.
Bouquet of Chuvashia Lady-Night is a dark beer with a strength of 5.7% and a density of 14%. The taste is velvety, caramel-malty, with a pleasant candy aftertaste.
Bouquet of Chuvashia Non-Alcoholic is a light beer with a strength of 0.5% and a density of 6%.
"Ker Sari Light" - beer with a strength of 5.3% and a density of 13%. The drink is prepared according to a traditional Chuvash recipe. In the old days, this beer was brewed for the autumn harvest festival - Ker Sari.
"Ker Sari Dark" - beer with a strength of 4.3% and a density of 12%.
Prazhskoye is a light beer with a strength of 4.8% and a density of 12%. Barley malt gives fullness to the taste of the drink, and rice softens it.
Volzhskie Zori is a light beer with a strength of 4.5% and a density of 11%.
Zhigulevskoye is a light beer with a strength of 4.5% and a density of 11%.
Pilstone Dark is a dark unfiltered beer with an ABV of 4.8% and a gravity of 12%.
Pilstone Light is a light beer with 3.6% ABV and 10% gravity.
Radler Graipfruit is a grapefruit flavored beer drink with 3.2% ABV and 3% gravity.
Radler Charry is a cherry-flavoured beer drink with a strength of 3.2% and a gravity of 3%.
Foam collection (distinguished by particularly resistant foam)
"Foamy Gold" is a light beer with a strength of 5.2% and a density of 13%.
"Foamy Silver" is a light beer with a strength of 4.7% and a density of 12%. The drink is prepared according to German technology.
"Foamy Cool" is a light beer with a strength of 4.6% and a density of 11%.
"Foamy Velvet" - dark beer with a red tint, strength - 5.8%, density - 14%. The combination of light and caramelized malt gives the drink a velvety taste with a hint of candy.
"Foamy Wheat" - light beer with a strength of 5% and a density of 12%. Fruit tones are felt in the taste.
"Foamy Strong" - beer with a strength of 7.1% and a density of 16%. The drink ferments twice as long as other varieties. As a result, it acquires a rich malt-wine flavor with hop bitterness.
“Foamy Non-Alcoholic” is a light beer with a strength of 0.5% and a density of 6%.
According to the Chuvash themselves, their ancestors treated hops in a special way, without which it is impossible to make beer (săra). Each community or even family had its own brewing customs. To this day, this foamy drink is of great importance for the Chuvash, as well as koumiss for the peoples of the steppes.
Peculiarities
Beer is considered the national drink of the region and a must-have treat at all celebrations. Even the coat of arms of the republic placed on itself the image of a vine with cones, since most of the Russian hops (up to 90%) are grown in this territory.
The region has developed home cooking foam, on the eve of which the wife of the owner of the house said prayers, during this her body and face had to be turned to the east. Up to 300 liters of intoxicating drink could be brewed at a time, but a family of 10-11 people drank such a volume in a month.
Unfortunately, most of the brewing traditions have not been preserved, but in the small village of Komsomolsky, located 100-120 km from Cheboksary, they still prepare foam according to old recipes.
In the production of Chuvash beer (10 liters) they use:
- From 40 to 100 grams of hops;
- 200-300 grams of special yeast for beer;
- 10-15 grams of pressed yeast;
- 100 grams of sugar.
In the old days, malt was made using millet, now rye, oats and barley are used, the grains of which are thoroughly washed. The pure buds are then soaked to germinate, dry and grind. Depending on the color of the resulting malt, beer of certain shades is obtained - if the grains were dried in the oven, then the final drink will be darker; if the grains were dried naturally (under the sun), the beer will turn out light.
Grains for future malt are dried for 9 to 12 days so that they do not lose soluble carbohydrates during further cooking.
Hops are harvested twice in the region - in August or September, depending on the variety. Unblown cones must be green and contain yellow dust inside. Since hops contain a lot of water (~80%), they are dried to give a foamy characteristic taste, fortress and foam. Water for Chuvash beer is collected from artesian wells or special wells in winter.
Particular attention was previously paid to the production of brewer's yeast. To obtain them, warm wort, flour and honey (or sugar), as well as sediment from the previous beer, were added to the container to avoid the appearance of lumps. The resulting liquid was left for several hours until a foam formed. Then the malt was placed in pots made of clay or cast iron, and poured with boiling water. After that, the pots were closed and placed in a hot oven. While the malt was languishing, the hops were brewing at that time. After a while, boiling water was poured into it to dilute it, and filtered (earlier, the Chuvash used rye straw for this). And the malt was placed in a tub with many holes in order to keep it in boiling water and then drain it. Then the malt was again placed in a tub, poured with water from the spring, clogged it and left for several days. Later it was opened and the wort was removed, boiled and cooled. Then they took malt and water in a ratio of 1 to 6 and poured it into a barrel. In this state, the beer fermented for 1 day.
According to this recipe, locals still brew traditional local foam, but technological process at factories does not differ dramatically, including the following steps:
- Malt cultivation and preparation;
- Grinding malt;
- Water preparation;
- Mashing (a process necessary in the manufacture of wort);
- Product separation into liquid and solid phases (mash filtration);
- The process of boiling the wort;
- Precipitation of protein precipitates of the wort for its clarification;
- Wort cooling;
- Fermentation and maturation;
- Beer filtration and bottling.
If the starter for an intoxicating drink is left in a warm place, it will turn sour faster (the usual fermentation time is 24 hours), but the beer will turn out to be tasteless. And if the wort is put in a cool room, then the fermentation time will increase. The optimum temperature is considered to be 16-18 0 C.
Varieties
In the Republic of Chuvashia, light and dark lagers are made, filtered and not. In general, the beers of this region can be divided into:
Traditional
Made from selected local malt and hops using German technology. They have a pleasant smell and velvety taste.
Foam Collection
They include beer with a distinct taste and thick foam, so each intoxicating drink from this group has its own personality.
Stamps
Until 2013, there were three breweries in Chuvashia: Bulgar-Khmel CJSC, Yantar Brewing Company and Buket Chuvashia Brewing Company. But only the latter continues its activities even now, offering a wide range of foamy, kvass and mineral water.
Beer "Bouqueta Chuvashia" is the visiting card of the republic, in the taste of which pleasant notes of hops and light bitterness are distinguished. In brewing, only local malt and hops are used, as well as pure artesian water.
The said distillery has many types of beer:
Foamy wheat (strength 5.0%)
It has fruity and hoppy notes in the aroma. As the producers themselves write, this beer will suit lovers of intoxicating drinks with a “delicate taste”.
Cheboksary (5.1%)
Light beer with a specific taste, made according to all the traditions of the Chuvash brewing.
Bouquet of Chuvashia (6.8%)
It is the main representative of this brand, it has a pleasant hop taste and a slight pronounced bitterness.
Festive (5.0%)
It has abundant foam when pouring and mild hop bitterness.
Chuvash gold (5.2%)
It was this beer that was repeatedly awarded various awards at an exhibition in Russia and released for the anniversary of the plant (its 35th anniversary). Rice groats are involved in the preparation.
Gold (5.2%)
Light beer with a beautiful golden color and thick foam. Has a refreshing effect.
Silver (4.7%)
Welded according to German technology, the composition also contains rice groats.
Visiting (5.1%)
The composition includes corn grits. The beer itself has an unusual hop flavor and aroma.
Live (4.7%)
Producers claim that this type of beer is good for health due to the content of live microorganisms and special brewer's yeast in it.
Coolness (4.6%)
It quenches thirst well and has collected all the strengths of a light beer.
Strong (7.1%)
This foam matures twice as long as the traditional one, which is why it becomes so strong.
Lady Night (5.7%)
“Lady Night” is a beer of rich amber color. The composition of the drink contains caramel malt, which gives the foamy characteristic taste and bitterness of hops.
Velvet (5.8%)
Dark beer with a density of 14%, brewed from light and caramel malt, giving the drink a pleasant aroma.
March (3.9%)
Dark lager, which appeared in production only in 2009 and has a rich aroma.
Non-alcoholic (0.4%)
It tastes like traditional beer, but with a lower alcohol content.
Light (3.6%)
The frothy taste can be described as fermented malt with a mild hop flavor.
Ker sari light (5.3%)
Light beer with spicy bitterness of hops and taste of malt.
Ker sari dark (4.3%)
Ruby beer brewed with two types of malt (light and caramel).
Prague (4.8%)
This is a pale, pasteurized filtered beer, which is brewed with rice.
Volga Dawns (4.5%)
An intoxicating drink with a pronounced grain taste and abundant foam, light amber color.
Zhigulevskoe (4.5%)
A light lager whose history began in Soviet times and to which the famous lines of Vysotsky were dedicated: “I won’t let you discredit our Soviet town, where golden Zhiguli beer is brewed. This is a traditional foamy drink with a characteristic aftertaste of the times of "stagnation". Manufacturers recommend drinking a drink with dried roach or boiled crayfish.
Pilstone dark (4.8%)
Unfiltered beer with high viscosity and rich caramel aroma.
Grapefruit Flavored Radler (3.2%)
A beer drink with a fresh fruity aroma.
Radler with cherry flavor (3.2%)
It has sweet taste with a strong cherry flavor.
What can you buy in Russia
In October 2010, the Buket Chuvashii brewery was awarded a number of gold awards at the All-Russian exhibition Golden Autumn, thanks to natural composition drinks without the use of preservatives.
"Bouquet of Chuvashia" can be found throughout Russia, but not in every store you can find it.
The preparation of beer is in the blood of the local people, because in ancient times every family brewed beer. Chuvash beer leaves a pleasant impression, since its production involves its own grown malt and hops, as well as pure artesian water. Rich and light taste, deep color will not leave you indifferent.
We continue the series of testing breweries and beer that our readers liked, this time Chuvashia, famous for its hop-growing traditions, turned out to be the place of our pilgrimage - not even the coat of arms of the republic depicts stylized leaves and hop cones. You can read more about the coat of arms of Chuvashia.
We will not talk in detail about the Republic of Chuvashia and Cheboksary, since there is plenty of information on the Internet ( Chuvashia , Cheboksary). We got to Cheboksary by car from the Kirov region. The roads, it must be said, are very good in the republic, all the signs are duplicated in Chuvash and Russian, and in some places also in English. There is also a railway in Cheboksary, as well as a direct train from Moscow - it is night. But the line is a dead end, so there are very few incoming trains.
Brewery "Yantar"
There are two large breweries in Cheboksary: "Yantar" and "Bouquet of Chuvashia". First we decided to visit the Yantar plant, it is located within the city, but without a map it was not easy for us to find the right place at the address. Thanks to the locals for helping.
The appearance of the brewery's branded store made us weep with nostalgia: an ajar window in the grate, a bowl for change and "Baba Lyuba" behind the counter, which appears after a loud knock - a typical view of a beer bottling point of the times of the country of the Soviets.
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Beer "Firmenny" - filtered, it has a fairly high density for light beer - 15%, the strength is 4.7%. We noted a good foam in this beer, but everyone was unanimous - the smell of beer was inexpressive, in addition, the drink had a weak carbonation (in other words, it was not carbonated enough).
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Three of the four experts tasted this beer after returning home. The beer was fresh, but, alas, in the end we could not finish it and gave it to the students we knew, who accepted the gift with joy. In addition, this beer gave me a headache in the morning. In general, we do not recommend buying the products of the Yantar brewery. Although, of course, someone will probably disagree with us. But we do not pretend to be an absolute assessment - try and decide for yourself.
What is the result? Maybe that's why they didn't let us into the plant because not everything is in order in its "kitchen"? We think that in this form it simply cannot withstand the competition and closes, there are many examples of this in Russia. The management of the plant needs to change its strategy, modernize the equipment (and taste!), build marketing and distribution schemes - this is the only way to save production. The Soviet approach "it's cheaper for us" today does not stand up to criticism, following it, a deplorable ending will be inevitable, which means that the most valuable resource of an enterprise - its personnel - may be irretrievably lost. Note that we do not know exactly the situation at the plant, our conclusions were based only on subjective assessments, however, these conclusions are a logical consequence of what we saw "on this side of the plant."
Cheboksary distillery
Heading to the cultural center of the city, and having driven some 500 meters from the Yantar plant, we noticed an interesting old building. It interested us so much that we decided to find out what it is.
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The building is more than a hundred years old, before the revolution a wine warehouse was equipped here, as the memorial plaque says. We tried to arrange an excursion to this plant, but, unfortunately, the management was not ready to receive us on this day, Monday, as you know, is a hard day, and we did not call in advance, because we did not know about the existence of this enterprise.
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On the other hand, we managed to talk with an employee of the plant, who said that the most famous products produced at it are the Akatuy aperitif (just like the well-known Sabantuy, this is the name of a national holiday in Chuvashia), Parne balm and, of course, vodka. We visited a company store with the same name ("Akatuy"), which is located in the city next to the monument to Gagarin (in fact, there are several company stores), where you can buy the entire range of drinks produced at the plant. Having tried the aperitif upon returning home, I found its taste definitely more interesting than the taste of the well-known "Martini", well, the herbal balm added to tea makes the drink very fragrant and invigorating.
Cheboksary - the pearl of Russia
At the second, largest factory "Bouquet of Chuvashia" they were waiting for us in the afternoon, so we decided to take a walk around the cultural center of the city of Cheboksary. According to local residents, there is only one such center here - it is the Cheboksary Bay.
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Rising close to the stele, we discovered an interesting effect: if you look up, it seems that this huge structure is rapidly falling. Everything was explained simply - fast moving clouds created this effect, and the massiveness and height of the stele did their job: you understand that this cannot be, but it's scary to the point of dizziness.
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We had a good lunch, and quenched our thirst with cold and fresh beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia". I must say, the prices in this restaurant pleasantly surprised us: the dishes are quite "budget", although the restaurant is clearly one of the most prestigious by local standards.
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Brewery "Bouquet of Chuvashia"
It is time to go to the plant "Bouquet of Chuvashia", we have been waiting for this event for a long time, because on Moscow beer festival we have already tried the beer "Foamy Gold", and, as you remember, it seemed to us quite good. And some of our experts have been appreciating and loving Chuvash beer for many years.
First, a little about the history of the Buket Chuvashia plant (). " In Chuvashia, since ancient times, the attitude towards beer and hops has been special. Beer is the national drink of the Chuvash. In the old days, almost every Chuvash family grew hops and brewed beer according to their own recipes passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, Chuvashia has all the prerequisites for the development of brewing. The construction of the Cheboksary brewery began in 1969 on the outskirts of the republic. At that time, two breweries were already operating - this is the first brewery in Cheboksary, which was located in the area of Petrov Street (it was closed later) and the second brewery, the current Yantar brewery.
The first product was released on November 17, 1974 - beer in barrels. In January 1975, the first products were produced in the shop for soft drinks and kvass. In February 1975, the beer began to be bottled. The production of barley malt started in December 1976. The number of employees was 496 people.
In the very first years of the plant's operation, the production of six types of beer was mastered - "Zhigulevskoye", "Martovskoye", "Slavyanskoye", "Moskovskoye", "Rizhskoye" and "Velvet". In 1987, the production of mineral water was mastered - first imported, and then own, obtained from a 200-meter well drilled on the territory of the enterprise. By chemical composition water belongs to low-mineralized. Mineral natural water "Cheboksarskaya-1" chloride-sulfate-sodium on the main ion-salt composition is a medical table.
In 1992, the Cheboksary brewery was privatized and reorganized into Cheboksary Brewery OJSC, and later into Buket Chuvashia ChPF OJSC. In December 1996, a tunnel pasteurizer was put into operation, and the production of pasteurized beer was mastered. In 1997, a line for bottling beer into kegs was installed; in the same year, the production of soft drinks in PET bottles was mastered. In August 1998, a new German line was launched with a capacity of 24,000 bottles per hour.
Since 1997, the only museum in Russia of the history of brewing with a pub and a shop has been operating at the enterprise. At the beginning of 2002, the re-equipment of the brewhouse was completed, the reconstruction of which took place without stopping the main process. In the brewhouse, an imported technological equipment, which is supplied by the German company Steinecker, which is part of the Krones AG concern. In July 2003, a new filter press was put into operation, with a capacity of 200 hectoliters per hour.
In August 2005, a new PET line was launched, with a capacity of 12,000 PET bottles per hour. And in October of the same year, a carbon dioxide plant with a capacity of 500 kg/h of liquefied gas began to operate.
In 2006, beer began to be bottled in PET bottles with a capacity of 1.0 and 2.0 liters. The design of the bottle has changed and the labels have been restyled.
In the same year, the company began to produce a new type of product - kvass of natural fermentation "Buket Chuvashii" in PET packaging and beer "Foamy collection "Foamy strong", and by the end of the year - kvass "Litovsky" and a new sort of beer "Foamy collection "Foamy wheat". Also resumed the production of beer "Forward," Spartak! ".
In 2007, the kvass line expanded. New varieties of kvass appeared trademark"Bouquet of Chuvashia" - "Domashny", "Khlebny" and "Okroshechny", as well as the trademark "Slaven". A new children's kvass "Kinder" based on natural apple juice has been released. The direction of soft drinks and mineral and drinking water began to develop actively. Drinking water "Bouquet of Chuvashia" and mineral water"Russian Spring" began to be bottled in PET bottles with a capacity of 0.5, one and a half and five liters, as well as 18.9 liters.
By February 23, 2007, the brewers of OJSC "Buket Chuvashia" made a gift to the guests and residents of the republic by releasing beer "Cheboksarskoye" in an aluminum can with a capacity of 5 liters.
In April 2007 a new Italian canned beer bottling line was launched.
At present, the reconstruction of the brewing shop has been completed. The entire wort preparation process now takes place in closed mode, without oxygen. New imported equipment was put into operation in the yeast department and compressor shop, as well as a CIP system. The fermentation tanks were revised and transferred to automatic cooling. All processes are reflected on the computer screen. The new Dutch equipment collects and purifies carbon dioxide, automated control over malting.
To date, Buket Chuvashia OJSC is a fully integrated enterprise with a malting, brewing, fermentation, camping, refrigeration and compressor departments and a bottling shop.
The plant is located on the outskirts of the city, its appearance rather "industrial", although the surrounding area is ennobled with flower beds, and the surroundings are very clean.
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There is strict discipline at the plant, suffice it to say that without the accompanying security services, we were not allowed into the territory even with two employees of the plant. But they did not interfere with us at all, moreover, we were allowed to take pictures of anything.
In the first hall we found familiar brewing vats, and the equipment turned out to be very modern - the brewhouse was modernized in 2002.
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With this cone-shaped design, over which the wort is "poured", it is possible to reach the required temperature very accurately and quickly. The brewing process is fully automated, the technology is set depending on the type of beer that is being brewed at the moment.
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In the fermentation shop, as it should be, it is cold. The plant has its own refrigerator, the beer is cooled directly in the fermentation tanks with refrigerant, it flows through pipes passing directly through the tanks. The hall is quite large, there are many vats.
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In the centrifuge, the finished beer is clarified - large particles of yeast and protein are deposited.
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PET bottles are already used for bottling finished beer into familiar to us from "Ochakov" cone blanks.
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The cold beer is then bottled. It happens pretty quickly. We watched the bottling of the Buket Chuvashia Zhivoe variety. This beer is unpasteurized, so the shelf life is only 30 days, and you only need to store it in the refrigerator.
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Pasteurized beer can be stored at room temperature, although it was still cool inside the warehouse. By the way, the plant started producing beer in five-liter kegs only this year. So far, only one sort of beer is poured into such containers - "Cheboksarskoye".
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There is also a specially fenced room in the warehouse of the plant, where samples of all the beer produced at the enterprise in recent months are stored. Moreover, it is not so much the samples released every day that get here, but the batches (there can be several of them per day, and the beer in each batch can be poured from different tanks). Maintains a constant storage temperature that meets specifications. Thus, when a complaint about the quality of beer is received, the inspectors can always provide for research a sample from the same batch, which was stored according to the rules for the entire shelf life. It's no secret that many stores do not comply with storage conditions, putting, for example, live beer on the shelves at room temperature or saving on air conditioners in the room. The fact that beer at a temperature of 20-30 degrees Celsius is impossible to drink is even nothing to say. In such cases, thanks to such a special warehouse, it is possible to identify the source of the problem and find out whether there has really been a deterioration in the quality of the beer or whether it has been improperly stored, transported, etc.
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The next, and so long-awaited, was our visit to the company's tasting room. There we were offered several varieties of fresh beer. Because of their large number, we simply would not have had time to try all the varieties of "Bouquet of Chuvashia", however, we unanimously gave high marks for the taste and quality of those drinks that we managed to taste. We note the harmonious, lively taste of the beer "Bouquet of Chuvashia" Zhivoe", which was served to us, as they say, immediately "from the tap", soft and very light taste Beer "Foamy Silver". Fans of strong beer will like "Foamy strong" - it is made by natural fermentation, and although it has an increased strength of 7%, it does not have a strongly pronounced alcohol aftertaste. The light varieties "Foamy Gold" and "Cheboksarskoye" turned out to be good, we tried the latter already upon arrival, since tasting beer in the five-liter kegs presented as a gift hardly promised us a return home that day.
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Conclusion
Definitely our trip was a success. While the Buket Chuvashia brewery produces such high-quality and original beer, the traditions of brewing in the republic are preserved. The only pity is that the cultivation of hops - the traditional craft of the republic - is now in decline. The Yantar brewery did not please us - we expected better quality of beer brewed there. As for the availability of Buket Chuvashia beer, you can buy it in Auchan supermarkets. The author saw "The Bouquet of Chuvashia" Zhivoe "and in a regular store in Odintsovo, but there it was stored outside the refrigerator and, in addition, it was overdue for a week, so the taste of the beer was a little spoiled (slight acidity was felt).
In continuation of the report, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the photo gallery, where we have collected the best photos taken during the trip.
If you have not tried Chuvash beer yet, be sure to make up for this omission, and be sure to leave your impressions on our forum (link below). We will continue the series of testing beer and breweries on the pages of our website. From Moscow, you can take a train to Cheboksary in the evening, which runs at night, arrive in this wonderful city in the morning, and leave in the evening. We assure you, there is something to see, there is something to try.
If you want readers of our resource (about a million people a month) to know about your brewery and beer, . Don't forget that our audience is made up mostly of IT industry professionals for whom beer is a cult drink.
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Photo gallery
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All names in Chuvashia are given in two languages.
The building of the Cheboksary plant "Rosspirtprom". The logo features an elk. In local forests, according to residents, quite a lot of moose
An interesting fence at the entrance of the plant.
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There are many churches in Cheboksary.
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Theatre.
Embankment.
The inscription on the stele is in two languages.
Automobile bridge.
Restaurant on the water.
Monument to Yuri Gagarin.
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Signboard in Chuvash.
| Marking machine. Beer production is a very complex and interesting process. One of the main stages of pre-sale preparation of beer is filtration. Of course, you should not think that filtration is done only for sale, that is, to improve the organoleptic properties of this wonderful drink. First of all, filtration is carried out in order to remove living and dead microorganisms (sometimes not only yeast), microparticles and other impurities from the finished beer that can cause haze and peroxidation of beer. This, in turn, increases the period of sale of beer, which has a positive effect on the price and availability of beer for us, its passionate consumers! The goal of any brewer is to increase the volume of beer production while improving its quality. Therefore, the amount of filtered beer per cycle should be increased. As a rule, today Russian breweries use precoat filtration, in which the beer is passed through a layer of filter media optimized in some kind of carrier or frame.
At the Buket Chuvashia plant, like most other plants, kieselguhr (diatomite, diatomaceous earth, diatomaceous earth, tripoli) is used as a filtering agent - a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of diatom shells; usually loose or weakly cemented, light gray or yellowish in color. According to Bekergin's research, diatomaceous earth is 95% silicon dioxide (silica), which is easily soluble in sodium hydroxide. Therefore, it was used to produce liquid glass, which is a soluble sodium silicate. Mixed with clay, it was used to produce lightweight bricks, and in a powdered state, it was used as a polishing agent. It is assumed, for example, that A. Stradivari and his students used just such a tool to polish the wooden surfaces of bowed instruments. Kieselguhr has high porosity, adsorption capacity, poor heat and sound conductivity, refractoriness and acid resistance. Kieselguhr is formed from diatomaceous silt accumulated in the seas and lakes. In Russia, there are diatomaceous earth deposits in the Far East, the eastern slope of the Urals, and in the Middle Volga region. This mineral is used as an adsorbent and filter in the textile, petrochemical, food industries, in the production of antibiotics, paper, various plastic materials, paints; as a raw material for liquid glass, glaze, etc.; as building heat and sound insulating materials, additives to some types of cement; polishing material (as part of pastes) for metals, marbles, etc.; as an insecticide that kills pests, etc. As you can see, the use of diatomaceous earth is very extensive. It is not surprising that diatomaceous earth began to be mined in Russia as early as the 18th century. in the Simbirsk province. Now in the Ulyanovsk region, on the basis of the Inzenskoye deposit, there is a large diatomaceous earth plant that produces heat-insulating bricks and foamed diatomaceous earth. There are diatomaceous earth deposits in Penza, Rostov, Sverdlovsk, Kostroma, Kaluga and many other regions of Russia. Trepel (the name comes from the city of Tripoli in Libya, near which long time this mineral was mined), mined near the city of Dmitrov, Moscow Region, was used as an additive in concrete during the construction of the Moscow-Volga canal. When large deposits of diatomaceous earth in the 80s. 20th century were discovered in Siberia, the event was considered comparable in significance to the discovery of the Tyumen oil field. Kieselguhr glorified and enriched Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), who for quite a long time tried to turn the extremely explosive trinitroglycerin into a safer, but equally powerful explosive. Nobel followed the tried and tested path and, like many other researchers, tried to use nitroglycerin in the form of a composite. To do this, trinitroglycerin was mixed with chalk, brick chips and many other substances, but only Nobel managed to find the ideal filler. Dynamite, invented by Nobel, is diatomaceous earth impregnated with trinitroglycerin. So, as you can see, in the production of beer, not only malt and yeast are used, but also very unexpected and well-known components. |
