Czech Republic: Legendary Czech B.B. Burgerbrau beer obtainable from now on in Unites States

The Czech brewer Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar,and Classic Beverages LLC announced on August 10 that historic B.B. Burgerbrau is now obtainable in United States. Classic Beverages LLC of Darien, Conn., expects a national rollout within the next 6 to 12 months.

B.B. Burgerbrau was first brewed in 1802 when it was called "Budweiser Burgerbrau." The term "Budweiser" has been used as a locative, literally meaning a person or thing from the city of Budweis, the city where it is brewed. The "Burgerbrau" name means "Beer of the City's Residents." It was exported to the United States and throughout Europe beginning in 1872. The original imported beer from the City of Budweis drew such acclaim during this time that other U.S. and Czech breweries adopted the term "Budweiser" to describe a style of beer and attempted to emulate the taste, quality and brewing process of Burgerbrau. As a further testament to its quality and reputation, B.B. Burgerbrau was named as the official Court Supplier to the Wurttenburg's King Wilhelm II in 1895, and is still listed as such today.

The city of Ceske Budejovice is internationally known for the quality of the B.B. Burgerbrau beer that is brewed there, and has also become celebrated for the legal disputes that its name has provoked. A legal battle continues to be waged for the right to market B.B. Burgerbrau as "Budweiser Bier", even as history records that B.B. Burgerbrau consistently used this term since 1802.

Throughout the 19th century and up until 1918, the half-German, half-Czech city was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was officially known by its German name "Budweis." After the Communists seized control in 1948, the local apparatchiks inaccurately considered Burgerbrau to be the "German" brewery of the town and for political reasons forced the owners to give up their trademark rights. As a consequence, the owners adopted new names like "Samson" and "Crystal" which are still brewed today.

Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the new Czech democratic government recognized the injustices done to the Brewery and reinstated its domestic right to use the "Budweiser Bier" and "B.B. Burgerbrau" trademarks.

B.B. Burgerbrau was re-introduced in the late 1990s and is brewed today in the same place with the same recipe, ingredients and brewing methods from the 1800s. "The beer from the City of Budweis is considered to be the finest brewed beer in the world," said Rob Neuner, President of Classic Beverages LLC, "and B.B. Burgerbrau is the original standard bearer."

B.B. Burgerbrau beer is obtainable in several states, such as New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Texas, Washington D.C, and Minnesota, and will shortly be available in more than a dozen other states in 12-ounce six-packs or 16.9- ounce bottles. in select bars and restaurants 15.5 gallon kegs will also be available on a limited basis.

12 August, 2005