OnTap Magazine

46 | Spring 2024 | ontapmag.co.za 1849 Beer brewing begins in Sri Lanka. 1881 Commencement of commercial scale brewing. 1884 The Muree Brewing company takes over ownership and management of the brewery. 1893 Ceylon Brewery becomes proprietors of the business. 1911 The company is renamed to Ceylon Brewery Limited. 1961 Jubilee Ale launched to celebrate 50th anniversary. 1981 Royal Pilsner is launched to celebrate HRH Queen Elizabeth II arrival in Sri Lanka 1996 Operations commence in Biyagama. 2009 Introduction of cans. 2011 Entered partnership with Grupo Modelo to distribute and market Corona beer. 2012 Partnered with Diageo. 2014 Acquisition of Millers and Brewery expansion. 2017 Entered the flavoured beer category. 2019 Partnered with Brown Forman. 2024 Built a new R&D micro/craft brewery. Lion Brewery operates a plant that brews over 1.5 million hectoliters of beer annually for two big labels, Lion and Carlsberg, which are bottled and canned in the suburb of Biyagama LION BREWERY TIMELINE: The Lion Brewery’s produces some impressive beers, including Lion Lager (a Premium Lager), Lion Stout, Lion Strong (an Imperial Pilsner), Lion Ice (a Pale Lager), Carlsberg Pilsner, Carlsberg Special Brew, Carlsberg Smooth Draught, Somersby ciders, two flavoured beers known as “Ryders” and Guinness. The Lion label, which is approximately 160 years old, now exports to the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, the Middle East, Africa, and the Maldives. LION’S BEERS WORLD OF BEER Lion Lager (4.8% Lager) won a gold medal in both 2011 and 2012 from Monde Selection The Lion Strong (8.8% Lager) also won a gold medal from Monde Se- lection in 2012. Lion Ice - 4.2 % ABV pale lager is the latest introduction to the Lion group. My favourite of their beers is the Lion Stout (8.8% Stout). I have been lucky to taste it, but it was also rated highly by the late Michael Jackson (The Beer Hunter himself) as well as being featured in the book, “300 Beers to try before you die”, by CAMRA beer expert Roger Protz. Lion Stout is a referenced as a commercial example of a Tropical Stout: 16C in the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines. Brewed with British, Czech and Danish malts, as well as Styrian hops and an English ale yeast strain, it earned a gold medal from Monde Selection in years 1990 to 1994, 2006 and from 2011 to 2013. It also took gold medals in 2005 and 2012 at the World Beer Festival. Another gold medal in 2005’s World Beer Championship and in 2006 yet another gold medal at the International Beer Summit. AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS FOR LION BEERS INCLUDE: