The "Banks: The Beer of Barbados" Story

It was an ordinary day. While planning our trip to Barbados, we decided that we wanted to visit and tour the Banks Beer Factory where they brew and bottle Banks Beer, the "Beer of Barbados." In 2008, during our first trip to the island we learned about all the products that Banks Brewery produced and thought it would be an interesting day trip. Banks Beer was started as an idea formed by Peter D'Aguiar, a Guyanese entrepreneur. On September 7, 1961 Banks (Barbados) Breweries opened for business.At the beginning the company only produced Banks Beer but by 1963 the company added two other products to its portfolio: Milk Stout and Tiger Malt; the latter of which can be found on grocery store shelves in the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Canada, Europe and the United States. The signature Banks Beer is a premium pilsner style lager brewed from malted barley and flavored by aroma hops. However, it is the naturally filtered water, along with a special strain of yeast, which gives the beer itsexceptional Caribbean character. Other products that Banks produces are: Extra Strong Beer which is 7% alcohol content, Legends Premium Lager launched in 2003 which has a

slight bitterness to it, and Guinness Stout which is bottled under license from the parent company. They also produce three "Twist Shandies" which is a refreshing blend of Banks Beer and natural tropical flavors. Lemon Shandy, Sorrel Shandy and Ginger Shandy all

are light alcohol beverages that refresh while not having a high alcohol content. They also produce a Coconut Cooler which has an even lower alcohol content. Finishing out the Banks' line of products are Tiger Malt which has a large B vitamin content and Plus which is an action drink. Both products are non-alcoholic. They used to produce one of my favorite sodas, Ting, which is a Jamaican grapefruit beverage, but no longer produce it. Getting back to my story about our visit to the plant. We paid our entrance fee and were greeted by our guide who took us to the main building where they originally made the beer in copper tanks which are on display at their original locations. Viewed a movie then were taken outside to see the many tanks that are used to store the water and to help ferment the beer. When we entered the bottling plant area I noticed all the machines were covered with plastic. Seems they were moving the plan to a new location during the week of our visit. Wow, what a rip-off. Paid the fee to see some copper kettles and a few tanks outside! Pretty disappointed, then we were led back to the testing area and told we now had an hour and a half to taste test the beer. Not bad EXCEPT ...... I don't drink beer!! Never did and probably never will. I did like the Shandies and the Cooler, but certainly couldn't drink my money's worth of them, especially since I had just finished off some eggs, sausage, and toast for breakfast about an hour before our tour. Anyway, I'd rather have a good coconut smoothie any day! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - photos from the top are: bottles of Banks Beer, the product "Twist", front of the Banks Beer Brewery, holding tanks in the yard at the rear of the brewery, photo of Carol and I celebrating something (what's even more funny is the fact I had to borrow the bottle from a friend, since I don't drink beer), and Carol and I enjoying our coconut smoothies.