Leon Beer
Leon beer is back to remind us life’s true values of the past as well as to enjoy simple things in life.
LEON beer is a top quality product that is brewed using the very high standards of raw material selection and processing as Carlsberg beer. Two types of the highest quality malts (lager and dark roasted malt) are used for making LEON offering a distinguished malty character to the final product. Its light body along with the delicate fruity aroma and hop’s flavors makes LEON a refreshing and enjoyable beer.
LEON is brewed using German hops of the highest quality, providing a distinctive bitterness and hop’s notes.
A unique type of yeast is used that has been developed in co-operation with one of the best laboratories worldwide and involves the mixture of several type of yeast. The selected yeast is exclusively used for LEON and is the key factor for the development of a rich blend of esters which in turn give that extra fruity flavour and aroma to the beer.
Water on average makes up around 95% of beer and its quality is of utmost importance in producing any beer. At Photiades brewery, water is pumped in from well monitored sources including privately owned boreholes and through the use of latest technology equipment this is purified and softened.
The Lion Story
LEON was initially produced in 1937 as the first ever Cypriot beer by the brewery of Mr Christodoulos Platanis and for more than a decade it remained as the only local brew. In 1962, Mr Photos Photiades joined the company as a major shareholder and in subsequent years took over completely, buying out the initial shareholders. In 1967 an agreement was signed with Carlsberg for the production of the brand in Cyprus. This development led to the termination of LEON production in 1968, just a year before the brewing of Carlsberg begun.
Around 40 years later, in June of 2003, Leon beer was re-launched, only to be brewed now in the premises of one of the most advanced breweries in the world. The beer is based on the same initial all malt recipe made just from barley malt, hops and yeast and it is characterized by its honey-golden colour, its fruity like aroma and the rich, strong taste with the pleasant aftertaste.
Within a short period, LEON beer managed to penetrate in the local market, rated high among the tourists and today commands a market share of 6,2% ranking third behind Carlsberg and KEO beers with a production volume of more than 3 million litres.
Leon beer, of Photos Photiades breweries, stood out among hundreds of other brands which were tasted by the International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi) at Brussels on 2013 and 2016 by winning twice the Superior Taste Award.
iTQi is the top independent organization created by chef, special oenologists and sommeliers whose sole purpose is the trial and promotion of food and beverages of premium taste from all over the world.
The judging panel of iTQi consists of 120 famous chef and sommelier that come from 13 chef European Associations and from the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI). All product trials are blind, and each product is judged for its premium quality focusing on the first impression, its appearance, its aroma, its texture etc.
Photos Photiades Breweries Ltd is very proud for this award because Leon is a 100% Cypriot product which combines high quality and rich taste.