Moscow Brewing Company (CJSC) is a Russian producer and distributor of beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Since January 2022 the company has owned 99% of LLC âÂÂVolkovskaya BreweryâÂÂ. The head office, brewery, logistics and distribution centres are located in Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast, on the edge of the Pirogovsky forest park.
Since 2020 the company has been included in the RBC 500 ranking of RussiaâÂÂs largest companies by revenue.
The companyâÂÂs portfolio includes proprietary, imported and licensed products. Beer production began in 2008, and in 2009 the first in-house brand, âÂÂZhiguli BarnoeâÂÂ, was released. The chief brewmaster and co-founder Mikhail Ershov, author of most of the companyâÂÂs beer recipes, trained at the Berlin brewing research institute VLB.
The plantâÂÂs initial capacity was 2.4 million hectolitres per year and had risen to 8 million by early 2022. Water is drawn from six artesian wells at depths of 320, 190 and 80 metres. The brewery is equipped with systems from German manufacturers KRONES, KHS AG and Ziemann Ludwigsburg GmbH.
Energy-efficiency technologies are used to reduce energy consumption as well as waste and CO2 emissions. In the brewhouse, a heat-recovery system captures secondary steam from wort boiling to pre-heat the next batch, which lowers natural-gas and steam consumption. In fermentation, a carbon-dioxide recovery system processes approximately 95% of the CO2 released at this stage; the recovered gas is reused in the production of beer and soft drinks. At the wastewater treatment facilities, biological treatment including an anaerobic stage converts effluent into biogas (methane). More than 90% of this biogas is then used in gas-piston units to generate electricity and heat; the heat warms the effluent, and the electricity offsets about 10âÂÂ11% of the plantâÂÂs total consumption.
The company introduced âÂÂZhiguli BarnoeâÂÂ, a pale lager in the Czech style (ABV 4.9%, original extract 12%, bitterness 20 IBU); it also began licensed production of FAXE Premium (Denmark), a lager (ABV 4.9%, original extract 11.3%, bitterness 23 IBU).
The portfolio added Bear Beer (Denmark), a strong lager (ABV 8.3%, original extract 17.5%, bitterness 24 IBU), and Pago juices (Austria), a natural-juice line first produced in Austria in 1888.
Licensed production started for Kirin Ichiban (Japan), a lager (ABV 5%, original extract 12%) brewed using only the first wort without sparging.
The âÂÂKhamovnikiâ line debuted with Khamovniki Vienna, a Vienna lager (ABV 4.5%, original extract 11%, bitterness 21 IBU); Khamovniki Pilsner, a Pilsner (ABV 4.8%, original extract 12%, bitterness 35 IBU) in the traditional German Pils style that in 2021 was named the best beer from Russia at the Frankfurt International Trophy; Khamovniki Munich, a Märzen (ABV 5.5%, original extract 13%, bitterness 25 IBU) traditionally brewed for Oktoberfest; and Khamovniki Bavarian Wheat, a Weissbier (ABV 4.8%, original extract 12%, bitterness 13 IBU). Licensed bottling also began for Nestlé Pure Life water.
The range expanded with Yakhont, a naturally fermented kvass; âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe VelvetâÂÂ, a dark lager (ABV 4.5%, original extract 11%) in the Czech style; and Khamovniki Kegovoye, a draught lager (ABV 5.5%, original extract 13%) poured with nitrogenation to produce a âÂÂcascadingâ effect in the glass.
New launches included El Mokhnatyy Shmel, an American amber ale (ABV 5%, original extract 12%, bitterness 27 IBU); âÂÂTrekhgornoyeâÂÂ, an ale (ABV 4.9%, original extract 12%, bitterness 27 IBU); Hollandia (Netherlands), a licensed lager (ABV 4.8%, original extract 11.2%, bitterness 16 IBU); and Khamovniki Czech âÂÂdesÃÂtkaâÂÂ, a Czech-style 10-degree beer (ABV 3.7%, original extract 10%, bitterness 20 IBU).
The âÂÂ5 Oceanâ series of bottle-conditioned ales was launched.
The company added Lapin Kulta (Finland), a licensed lager (ABV 4.5%, original extract 10.5%, bitterness 13 IBU); âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe Non-AlcoholicâÂÂ, a 0.5% ABV beer (bitterness 22 IBU) brewed with eight hop varieties (Tettnanger, Tradition, Hersbrucker, Golding, Jarrylo, Mandarina Bavaria, Cascade, Citra); and âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe ExportâÂÂ, a Euro-lager (ABV 4.8%, original extract 12%, bitterness 19 IBU).
Licensed production began for HARP (Ireland), an Irish lager (ABV 5%, original extract 11.5%, bitterness 19 IBU).
The line-up expanded with MOTOR, a strong lager (ABV 8%, original extract 18%, bitterness 16 IBU); Ballantine Stout, a dry stout (ABV 4.1%, original extract 10%, bitterness 25 IBU) poured on nitrogen; and âÂÂKruzhechka CheshskogoâÂÂ, a Czech-style lager (ABV 4.3%, original extract 10%, bitterness 15 IBU).
Releases included âÂÂZhiguli IPAâÂÂ, a session IPA (ABV 4.5%, original extract 10%, bitterness 30 IBU) brewed with American hops and emphasizing aroma over bitterness; âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe WheatâÂÂ, a hefeweizen (ABV 4.9%, original extract 11.4%, bitterness 11 IBU); âÂÂ5 Ocean German PilsnerâÂÂ, a Pils (ABV 4.9%, original extract 12%, bitterness 35 IBU); âÂÂ5 Ocean German WeizenâÂÂ, a wheat beer (ABV 4.9%, original extract 11.5%, bitterness 12 IBU); âÂÂ5 Ocean Russian LagerâÂÂ, a lager (ABV 4%, original extract 9.1%, bitterness 29 IBU); âÂÂ5 Ocean IPAâÂÂ, an IPA (ABV 4.5%, original extract 10%, bitterness 30 IBU); and âÂÂ5 Ocean Czech Leà ¾Ã¡kâÂÂ, a lager (ABV 4.3%, original extract 10%, bitterness 16.5 IBU).
The company introduced âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe UnpasteurizedâÂÂ, a lager (ABV 5.5%, original extract 13.2%, bitterness 20 IBU) sold unfiltered and unpasteurized; âÂÂMotor Plus CherryâÂÂ, a strong cherry-flavoured lager (ABV 6.9%, original extract 16%, bitterness 14 IBU); and âÂÂKruzhechka Cheshskogo BlackâÂÂ, a Czech-style dark lager (ABV 3.6%, original extract 10%, bitterness 14 IBU).
Max&JackâÂÂs, a hard lemonade (ABV 4.7%) in the FMB (flavored malt beverages) category, was launched; licensed production of Bavaria (Netherlands), a lager (ABV 4.9%, original extract 11.2%, bitterness 20 IBU), began; and âÂÂKhamovniki Honey and SpicesâÂÂ, a traditional sbiten drink (ABV 5%), was released.
New products included âÂÂZhiguli Barnoe MangoâÂÂPassionfruitâÂÂ, a fruit beer (ABV 4.5%, original extract 15%, bitterness 15 IBU), and âÂÂSchlitz Premium HellesâÂÂ, a lager (ABV 5.0%, original extract 11.4%).
Volkovskaya Brewery is one of RussiaâÂÂs best-known craft beer and lemonade producers, marketing lines such as India Pale Ale (IPA), American Pale Ale (APA), Blanche de Mazay, âÂÂSvetlyachokâ and âÂÂVolchokâÂÂ. Since 2022, 99% of LLC âÂÂVolkovskaya Breweryâ has belonged to Moscow Brewing Company.
Under the âÂÂTrekhgornoyeâ brand the company became a partner of the football club Spartak Moscow in 2014. Since 2015 the âÂÂZhiguli Barnoeâ brand has sponsored the Nashestvie festival. Since 2020 âÂÂZhiguli Barnoeâ has been a partner of the Moscow Marathon. The âÂÂKhamovnikiâ brand has sponsored the âÂÂKremlin Cupâ billiards tournament, and was a partner of the tennis tournament âÂÂKremlin Cupâ from 2015 to 2018.