Germans and beer are twin brothers, and it is this country that is distinguished by a special culture of consumption of the foamy drink and has a long tradition of its production. The history of beer in Germany goes back about thirteen centuries, and for the first time the documents of the 8th century from the German city of Geisingen mention "barley juice".
National treasure
Here are some interesting facts about brewing in Germany:
- The decree on the purity of beer issued by Duke William IV in 1516 is still valid in Germany. It documented that brewing any type of beer is allowed from water, yeast, malt and hops.
- It is possible to import beer that does not meet these standards only with an indication of the ingredients used.
- Even small increases in beer prices in Germany are perceived very negatively. In 1888 in Munich, new prices caused unrest.
- The Germans produce about 15 types of beer of various brands, the most popular of which are bottom-fermented pilsner, dark and filtered weissbier, hop-flavored altbier, high-strength bokbir and many others.
- The Germans brew a dark red Christmas beer especially for folk festivities during the winter holidays. The alcohol content in it reaches 7.5%.
In national breweries, you can try zwickelbier - a cloudy and unpasteurized drink that contains a lot of yeast. It is rarely bottled and is usually served fresh in German pubs. Zwickelbier is especially dangerous for the figure: beer has a high nutritional value due to the high concentration of yeast.
Legends and traditions
In Germany, there are many legends associated with beer and the art of making it. For example, the black beer Schwarzbier, the drink of the mountain masters, as the old legends say, appeared in the silver mines of Thuringia and Saxony. Gnomes lived there in mysterious mountain caves, and beer, according to the brewers, absorbed their magic and magical abilities.
It is not the first year that Germany has been brewing rauchbier, which has a special smoked taste. It is popular in the fall and winter, as is the specially invented festbier served at Oktoberfest. This festival is the main event of the year for German brewers, which attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. The Oktoberfest is held in Munich in Theresa's meadow and lasts more than two weeks. Only Bavarian companies brew beer for the festival.
