The Cervecería Centroamericana in Guatemala: brewery with tradition and modern plans

The Cervecería Centroamericana in Guatemala is passionate about beer. The brewery has one of the most beautiful brewhouses in the world and plans to modernize it and expand its cellar. Gallo, the brewery’s brand, has become an icon of national identity. Cervecería Centroamericana was a monopolist until 2003 and still dominates the market with brands such as Gallo, Ice, Light and Maltina. The brewery has close ties with Germany and many technologists have studied in Weihenstephan. The brewery has worked with Ziemann since the 1970s.

The brewery’s capacity has been continuously expanded to keep up with demand. Fermentation and storage capacity was expanded in 2014/2015/2016. Now a brewhouse optimization is taking place to bring the capacities of the brewhouse and cellar into line. For the future, Cervecería Centroamericana is planning a new brewhouse that will increase annual capacity to 4.3 million hl. The brewhouse will knock out 12 brews a day at 1,050 hl each, marking the latest in technology and energy efficiency.

The cold block will also be expanded to include eight 6,000 hl cylindroconical fermentation tanks. The project will be handled by Ziemann on a “turnkey” basis, including engineering, production, transportation and installation. Construction preparation in Guatemala is challenging due to the limited area and regional characteristics such as the rainy season, hurricanes and earthquakes.

Cervecería Centroamericana and Ziemann have a long-standing partnership and appreciate working together. The project is carefully planned to ensure improvisation-free construction times. Gallo remains a strong presence in Guatemala and Cervecería Centroamericana is targeting further growth to meet increasing demand.