For the original Germans, the Teutons, beer was thought of as precious enough to be offered as a sacrifice to the gods. And Germans really do continue to like their beer; as a country they are third behind the Czech Republic and Ireland in the amount of beer consumed per person while, as Mark Twain once commented, German beers are as different as hens in a farmyard.
There is an annual 'Day of German Beer', Tag des Deutschen Bieres, each 23rd April. Some of the family breweries in Southern Germany brew a 'limited edition beer of the year', Jahrgansbier 23.04, which is distributed after 120 days at the end of August. Each brewery is allowed to produce only 6,000 litres, and every bottle has a serial number.
To order one beer in Germany, raise one thumb. Raising your first finger means that you are ordered two beers, one with the thumb and one with the finger. So be careful with those fingers and thumbs unless you really do want two beers, which, especially in Bavaria can be dangerous because.........
Bier is officially considered a food in Bavaria, even appearing as one on some menus, and there the normal serving size beer glass (krug) is a Mass, which is one liter or about two pints.
Bavaria is also home to the oldest Brewery in Germany, it is still in operation and has its own Brewmaster degree programme. Founded in 1040 by the Benedictine monks in Freising, it is the Weihenstephan Brewery, and is possibly the oldest functioning brewery in the world!
Brewing beer was a specialty of monks throughout the ages as it was served with their meals, and they prepared special brews to drink during their 'fasts' because the beer's food and vitamin value helped combat 'fasting fatigue'.
And interestingly, for the monks, during the middle ages those who brewed the beer were allowed to drink five litres, about ten pints, of it each day.
A law guaranteeing the purity of beer was in force in Bavaria from 1516 until 1988, by which time it had been adopted, perhaps unwillingly, by the rest of Germany, and it was then lifted by the European Court of Justice. Called the Reinheitsgebot, meaning 'purity order', the law stipulated that only water, barley and hops were allowed to be used, with yeast not being added until a later date. Some traditional brewers stay with the original ingredients and their beers are highly valued, but most do not although they do not always admit this,
and now any permitted food additive can be allowed in the brewing process.It started out as protection against the bubonic plague and the periodic widespread invasions of flies, now the typical ceramic German Beer Stein is to be seen everywhere and is often used to symbolise Germany. The original 14th century beer stein had no lid, so in the early 16th century a permanently attached pewter lid was devised so the contents of the stoneware steins could remain covered and shielded from germs, flies, and anything else that was floating about in the air.
Even the smallest region will usually have its own brewery.
Which makes it easy to understand why Germany has 5,000 different breweries and can offer about 1,500 kinds of beer. It would take rather a long time to try all of them, and, although beer is not expensive to buy, often cheaper than some mineral waters, it would also take a lot of money. Incidently there are over 500 types of mineral water from which to choose.
Dark beer served colder than most beers is the preferred brew in Germany, but the variety available is broad, from the blond Pils, pilsener, type to the very dark DunklesBier, dark beer, and Schwarzbier, black beer.
There is also a popular beer mix called 'Radler'. The legend is that in the early 1920's the owner of a Bavarian beer garden was suddenly faced with a large group of cyclists, cycling being then as now a favourite pastime, and he knew that he did not have enough beer to serve them all.
Struck by inspiration, and although a recipe for the mixture had been known locally since the beginning of the 20th century, he said he had invented a drink for them which would not only quench their thirst but also be less alcoholic, so making it safer for them to continue their journey. The 50/50 combination of lemonade (lemon soda) and beer, then a dark beer but now a pale one, has from that time has been called Radler in southern Germany. A 'Radfahrer' being a cyclist.
German beer gardens, Biergaerten, date back to the Middle Ages, when brewers planted chestnut trees over their underground storage areas to shade the beer cellars contents from the sun. Some of the original chestnut trees are still in existence, and in spring,
summer or autumn, sitting in a shaded beer garden with a beer, and the local favourite specialty, in Bavaria a brezel (pretzel), some obatzda, a mixed cheese blend flavoured with paprika, and thin slices of white radish, is a favourite way of spending time.Beer is so much part of the culture in Germany there is even an expression: Das ist nicht mein Bier, 'That is not my beer', and it means, That is none of my business!
And it probably comes from 'that beer is not to my taste', which, when there are around 1,500 varieties to choose from, is quite possible.
'Tasting Beer' a different type of book for beer enthusiasts. With great pictures and art, it covers beer history, tasting and styles, as well as historical and regional facts, taste and aroma characteristics for everything from many of Germany's varieties to American craft brews and Belgian Dubbels
Courtesy de.Wikipedia: Photo Official Logo Tag des Deutschen Bieres from Deutschen Brauer-Bund e.V. scanned by Thgoiter, Beer stein by Wuselig, Advertising Poster circa. 1908 designed by Carl Moos, Max Liebermann Munich Biergarten 1884, in Neue Pinakothek, Munich,
And you can follow me on Facebook
