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Bedele
Beer
Bedele
Brewery
is located
in Bedele
town
500
kilometers
west
of Addis
Ababa.
The
brewery
was
constructed
with
the
assistance
of Czechoslovakia
and
inaugurated
in October
1993.
Bedele
production
manager
Sirata
Guluma
said
many
beer
ingredients
are
found
locally.
Barley
is grown
outside
of Addis
Ababa.
Malt
is processed
in Asela,
though
some
malt
is imported
from
Germany
during
local
shortfalls.
Hops,
both
liquid
and
pellet,
comes
entirely
from
Germany.
Yeast,
added
to the
beer
with
air
to induce
fermentation,
is imported
from
Europe
but
can
be reused
3-4
times,
according
to Sirata.
Sugar,
an occasional
additive,
is produced
locally.
The brewing process, including the mixing, sieving, and crushing of ingredients, the boiling, and the extraction of bitter residues
takes 9-10 hours. The plant consistently turns out 75 million bottles annually. Modern features of the brewery are the 32 inverted
conical fermentation vats (23 of which hold 1000 hectoliters; 9 hold 500 hectoliters).
These
modern
vats
perform
the
two-step
process
of beer
fermentation
in one
stage.
Other
breweries
let
the
fresh
batch
ferment
5-7
days
before
moving
it into
another
tank
to separate
the
yeast.
At Bedele,
the
yeast
is discharged
directly
from
the
fermentation
vats.
This
prevents
any
contamination
or unwanted
oxygenation,
saves
manpower,
time
and
money,
and
improves
the
taste
and
hygienic
quality
of the
beer.
The beer matures after 30 days, is filtered, and bottled on the compound before shipment to all regions of Ethiopia. Although a local
water source may account for placement of the brewery in Bedele, the plant is far
from
the
primary
beer
consumption
areas
around
the
capital.
Bedele exports its beer to United States through its exclusive agent Blue Nile Enterprises. The company introduced its 12oz bottle
beers in special and premiere brand labels. The beer will have 4.2% alcohol just like the regular size bottle.
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