Successful first brew airlifted to Holland
Heineken beer for the British market is now
in full production at a new Whitbread
brewery at Magor in Gwent, South Wales.
The first brew at the new plant on
November 28 last year was a landmark in
the Whitbread programme of Heineken
lager production in the United Kingdom.
Samples of the brew were flown to the
Heineken Brewery at Zoeterwoude,
Holland, for quality testing by the
Heineken Technisch Beheer official taste
panel. Passengers in the airborne "lager
transport" were 12 Whitbread executives.
Official tasters found the Magor-brewed
Heineken up-to-standard. In the ensuing
celebrations the visiting party were
presented with an antique bar tap - a rare
relic handed to Mr. Peter Shardlow,
Whitbread's General Production Manager.
The tap will be installed at the Magor plant,
making it one of the few places in Great
Britain, where lager can be drawn from an
authentic, continental tap of early design.
An additional gift to Magor was a consign
ment of 1000 tulip bulbs which are now
planted in the brewery grounds.
Commented one executive: "Very appro
priate - a Dutch setting for Dutch lager
made in a UK brewery!".
Whitbread has been responsible for a
rapid expansion in UK sales in recent
years during which it has brewed the
Heineken in addition to its own bitters,
ales and stout. Production started in one of
the most modern Whitbread breweries at
Luton and was soon followed in the
British company's brewery at Samlesbury
Greater demand was one of the reasons for
the decision to establish the new Magor
brewery.
Heineken in full production
in South Wales
The antique beer tap gets some admiring glances.
The taste panel in action.
