Velkopopovický Kozel

The first historical mention of Velkopopovicky Kozel dates back to the 14th century. The brewery in Velké Popovice, as we know it today, has its origins in the 19th century. After years of disagreements and a gradual decline, the brewery was bought by a rich industrial tycoon, František Ringhoffer, who was the mayor of Smíchov and one of the most successful entrepreneurs at the time. The brewery was built in 1875, though the first batch of Kozel beer had been brewed the previous year. In 2012, Kozel canned beer was the subject of viral advertising in Russia: launched into space, beer was dropped by parachute, and the event was filmed and transmitted online. ==Goat mascot==

The name Kozel and its emblem have their origins in the period after the First World War. Kozel means "male goat" in Czech, and a dark beer was at that time called bock, which means "goat" in German. During that period, there was a lot of competition in brewing. Kozel founder Emanuel Ringhoffer realized that it was necessary to distinguish his brewery from its competitors and started to produce a strong, dark beer in Velké Popovice, locally known as kozel. At that time a French painter passed through the town and was moved by the hospitality of the local people, and out of gratitude decided to create an emblem for the brewery, based on the figure of a goat. It was first introduced in 1922, and the mascot has decorated the label for close to a hundred years since. In the 1930s, the owners tried to consolidate the position of the company, and to give it a more attractive image, they brought a live goat to the brewery as an attraction. The Kozel brewery has a live goat and other attractions for visitors to this day. From the 1970s, all the goats have been named after the original caregiver, Olda, and this name has been passed down from goat to goat for over forty years. ==Production==

The company brews several different types of beer: • Kozel 10 – a 10° pale draught beer, with 4.2% ABV. • Kozel 11 – an 11° pale lager, with 4.6% ABV. It has been on the market since 2005. • Kozel Černý – a dark draught beer with 3.8% ABV • Kozel Řezaný – a mixture of light and dark lagers, with 4.6% ABV • Kozel Mistrův Ležák – a 12° pale lager, with 4.8% ABV • Kozel Mistrův Tmavý – a dark lager, with 4.4% ABV • Kozel Nealko – a non-alcoholic beer, with max. 0.5% ABV Velkopopovický Kozel, Světlý ležák.jpg|Kozel 10° Velkopopovicky Kozel Medium 11°.JPG|Kozel 11° KozelMistruvLezak.jpg|Kozel Mistrův Ležák Velkopopovický kozel černý (Beer- czech republic).jpg|Kozel Černý ==Export and licensed production==

Kozel is sold in about thirty countries worldwide, with licensed production in Slovakia, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, and Turkey, among others. ==See also==