Beer is the most-consumed alcoholic beverage in the Philippines and amounted to a 70% share of the domestic alcoholic drink market in terms of volume during 2005. Between 2003 and 2004, the Philippines had the world's fastest beer consumption growth rate at 15.6%. With a rise in consumption volume from 1.22 to 1.41 million liters, it was the 22nd largest beer market in the world in 2004.[1] Consumption per capita averages 20 liters per year.[2]
History
Under a royal grant from Spain, Don Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza y Esteban opened La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel, Southeast Asia's first brewery, on 29 September 29 1890 at 6 Calzada de Malacañan in Manila, near the Malacañan Palace, at the time the residence of the Philippines' Governor-General.[3] The trade-name San Miguel originates from the brewery of San Miguel, Barcelona, Spain. Barretto named the company after the section of Manila where he lived and worked. Aside from the flagship brew, it also produced several brews that have since almost disappeared, including Double Bock, Cerveza Negra, Foreign Stout, Gold Ribbon, Extra Stout, Imported Pilsner Type, and Super Bock.
Barretto was soon joined by Pedro Pablo Roxas as managing partner, who brought with him a German brewmaster, Ludwig Kiene, as technical director.[4] San Miguel's brew won its first major award at 1895's Philippines Regional Exposition. After operating for six years, the fledgling brewery was outselling imported brands five to one. At the outbreak of World War I, San Miguel was exporting its beer to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guam. The company was incorporated in 1913.
During the American and the Commonwealth era, other beer producers like the Oriental Brewery and Ice Company were set up only to be acquired by San Miguel in its expansion. As part of engaging business in the prewar era, Japanese entrepreneurs in the mid-1930s founded the Balintawak Beer Brewery in Polo, Bulacan with capital from the Mitsui Bussan trading company and other Japanese investors.
When the Pacific War broke out in the 1940s, the Japanese military seized San Miguel in order to produce beer for its armed forces, and along with the Japanese-owned Balintawak Beer Brewery, used up their supply of raw materials, forcing them to resort to importing materials from Manchuria. After the country's liberation, Don Andres Soriano reclaimed San Miguel Brewery and gave away all of Balintawak Brewery's remaining inventory to American and Filipino troops rather than bottle it under San Miguel's label. In two short weeks of revelry the inventory was consumed. Eventually, Soriano brought the entire Balintawak Beer Brewery and it became known as the Polo Brewery as part of San Miguel's rehabilitation and expansion.
A short-lived beer, Halili Beer was made by F.F. Halili Enterprises, a company established by former Bulacan Governor Fortunato Halili. The company, whose brewery was built along Balintawak in Quezon City, also owned other products and business ventures including Mission Beverages, Goody Rootbeer and Halili Transit. It died off for unknown reasons, but it was speculated that none of the surviving sons of the founder took over the business. It was also speculated that San Miguel Brewery was threatened by Halili Beer, and bought out its stock.
In 1978, the San Miguel Brewery introduced one-liter bottles of San Miguel Beer, called "Grande".
The second brewer, Asia Brewery, Inc., was established by Lucio Tan on 27 January 1982, with inauguration of its brewery in Cabuyao, Laguna and launch of its first brand, Beer Hausen Pale Pilsen. San Miguel responded with Lagerlite, a light beer, Red Horse, an extra-strong beer, and Gold Eagle, a low-cost beer. Asia Brewery responded with Max Beer, an extra strong beer, Manila Beer, a low-cost beer, and Carlsberg (under license), marketed as a premium beer. San Miguel Brewery responded with a low-cost, smaller-sized variant of Red Horse, called "Colt", and San Miguel Beer, called "Miguelito", San Miguel NAB, a non-alcoholic version of San Miguel Beer (now discontinued), and San Miguel Super Dry, marketed against Carlsberg. Asia Brewery responded with Beer Pale Pilsen, now known as Beer Na Beer. Its design resembled the competitor's flagship brew, San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen, for which San Miguel Brewery sued Asia Brewery.
In 1992, San Miguel introduced a 330 ml bottle of Red Horse, called "Stallion". San Miguel continues to produce new brands like Blue Ice (1993), an ice beer, Texas Beer (1993), a low-cost beer with low alcohol, and San Miguel Premium All-Malt (1995), which relaunched in 2007.
In 1994, San Miguel launched Cali, a brand of shandy that was popular with teenagers.[citation needed] Asia Brewery responded with Q Shandy, which reportedly had a higher alcohol content than Cali; Q Shandy has since been discontinued. San Miguel launched two variants of Cali: Cali Ice, an apple-flavored shandy, and Cali 10, a 10-calorie Cali. It has been marketed as a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage.
In 1996, two new variants of Red Horse were introduced, including "Mucho", a one-litre Red Horse, and a canned version as well.
San Miguel Corp expected to raise up to $616 million (approximately ₱26.8 billion) from selling shares of its flagship domestic beer group in the first half of 2008.[5]
In 2011, San Miguel Corp accounted for 88% of Filipino domestic beer sales.[6]
Consumption
In general, the Filipino alcoholic drinks market showed dramatic volume growth in 2007, and beer contributed substantially to that growth. Its major beer producer, San Miguel, developed a strong marketing campaign to boost domestic consumer drinking. San Miguel continued to lead as the key manufacturer in 2007, with smaller and emerging brewers vying for market share. Domestic beer remained one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in 2007 and sari-sari stores and independent food stores continued to be its main points of distribution. There are also "beerhouse" bar and restaurant establishments where beer is on offer.[7] Filipino alcoholic drink consumption and sales were projected to expand positively in 2008. With increasing disposable incomes, a young demographic population was anticipated to drink beer. In terms of types of alcoholic drinks, beer and spirits continue to comprise the largest volumes.[1][8]
Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The fermentation of the starch sugars in the wort produces ethanol and carbonation in the beer. Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world, the most widely consumed, and the third most popular drink after water and tea. Most modern beer is brewed with hops, which add bitterness and other flavours and act as a natural preservative and stabilising agent. Other flavouring agents, such as gruit, herbs, or fruits, may be included or used instead of hops. In commercial brewing, natural carbonation is often replaced with forced carbonation.
Beer in China first was brewed in 7000 BC, and remained the dominant alcoholic beverage through the Han dynasty, after which it was eclipsed by the production of rice wine. Modern brewing appeared in the late 1800s, brought to China by Europeans who brewed pale lagers, such as Tsingtao. Both beer production and consumption of local and imported brands grew increasingly popular in the 20th century. In the 21st century, China became the world's largest consumer of beer, commercial scale brewing expanded, and craft beer began to spread beyond expatriate communities and make inroads amongst the Chinese population.
San Miguel Corporation, abbreviated as SMC, is a Philippine multinational conglomerate with headquarters in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The company is one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Originally founded in 1890 as a brewery, San Miguel has ventured beyond its core business, with investments in various sectors such as food and drink, finance, infrastructure, oil and energy, transportation, and real estate.
San Miguel Brewery Hong Kong Ltd. (SMBHK) is a brewery based in Hong Kong and is a majority-owned subsidiary of San Miguel Brewing International Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of San Miguel Brewery, Inc. The company has two subsidiaries located in the Guangdong province of the People’s Republic of China. An affiliate company, San Miguel Baoding Brewery Company Limited, is based in Baoding, China.
In the United States, beer is manufactured in breweries which range in size from industry giants to brew pubs and microbreweries. The United States produced 196 million barrels (23.0 GL) of beer in 2012, and consumes roughly 28 US gallons (110 L) of beer per capita annually. In 2011, the United States was ranked fifteenth in the world in per capita consumption, while total consumption was second only to China.
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The second incarnation of San Miguel Brewery, Inc. (SMBI) is a subsidiary of San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc. and jointly owned with Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd. The company is the Philippines’ largest brewery with a market share of over 95% as of 2008, notably producing San Miguel Pale Pilsen. The company also operates in China and Southeast Asia.
Beer in Africa, especially lager, is produced commercially in most African countries, and indigenous people also make varieties of beer. Beer is served in various locales, from neighbourhood shebeens to upscale bars. Many countries have standardized beer bottle sizes, which are cleaned and re-used, so when buying beer at a store, people often must pay a deposit on the bottle and the price of the beer. An alternative to glass-bottle beers is local beer sold in tetra-pak style paper cartons.
Beer in Thailand was first brewed in 1933 when a licence was granted to the Boon Rawd Brewery, which still produces Thailand's best-known lager, Singha, sold in standard, light, and draught versions.
Beer in Japan mostly comes from the country's four major breweries, Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory, which mainly produce pale lagers around 5% ABV. Beer is immensely popular, far ahead of sake consumption.
San Miguel Beer refers to San Miguel Pale Pilsen, a Filipino pale lager and flagship beer of the San Miguel Brewery. The original San Miguel Brewery, Inc. was founded in San Miguel, Manila, as La Fábrica de Cerveza San Miguel in 1890 by Enrique María Barreto under a Spanish Royal Charter that officially permitted the brewing of beer in the Philippines. Barretto was soon joined by Pedro Pablo Roxas as managing partner, who brought with him a German brewmaster, Ludwig Kiene, as technical director. San Miguel Brewery was renamed San Miguel Corporation in 1964; the brewery was spun off in 2007 and became a subsidiary of San Miguel Food and Beverage.
Mahou San Miguel is a Spanish brewery, founded in Madrid in 1890 under the name of Hijos de Casimiro Mahou, fábrica de hielo y cerveza.
Beer in Asia began when beer was produced in Sumer, Mesopotamia circa 6000 years ago. It was introduced by Europeans in the 19th century, with modern breweries established in British India, the Dutch East Indies, China, and Japan. Asia's first modern brewery was established in 1830 in India entirely using European brewing technology.
Heineken N.V. is a Dutch brewer which owns a worldwide portfolio of over 170 beer brands, mainly pale lager, though some other beer styles are produced. The two largest brands are Heineken and Tecate; though the portfolio includes Amstel, Fosters, Sagres, Cruzcampo, Skopsko, Affligem, Żywiec, Starobrno, Zagorka, Zlatý Bažant, Laško and Birra Moretti.
The primary beer brewed and consumed in Chile is pale lager, though the country also has a tradition of brewing corn beer, known as chicha. Chile's beer history has a strong German influence – some of the bigger beer producers are from the country's southern lake district, a region populated by a great number of German immigrants during the 19th century. Chile also produces English ale-style craft beers while also developing its own craft beer identity.
Asia Brewery, Inc. is a Philippines-based diversified beverage company owned by LT Group, Inc., a publicly listed holding company of Lucio Tan.
Beer in Taiwan was dominated by monopoly products until 2002, when free trade became law in Taiwan. The main domestic brand remains Taiwan Beer, brewed by the publicly owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation that succeeded the government's monopoly bureau in 2002.
This article discusses beer in Central America.
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