In what might go down as the longest brewery name on record, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan gives us tonight's beer, their Kristall Weissbier. As I'm sure you already guessed, the brewery name translates to Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan. Just rolls off the tongue when you say it in German, though. This classic wheat beer pours an effervescent pale yellow, and gives off faint aromas of bread and bananas. It's highly carbonated, and there are flavors of clove, banana, yeast, and a sweet malt. If you look up weissbier in the dictionary, you might find this as an example. Very drinkable at 5.4% ABV, definitely be on the lookout for this beer during your summer drinking months.
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| Crooked photo. What do you want, I was drinking. |
Clearly, a brewery advertising itself as the oldest brewery in the world has a story to tell. This one begins in 725, when Saint Corbinian and twelve companions founded a Benedictine Monastery in Germany. However, it took them until 1040 to get their license to officially brew beer, although it seems brewing was taking place before the license was issued. The monastery was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, until the monks were muscled out in 1803 by a secular government. I don't know if this is officially the oldest brewery in the world or not, but when you're going back almost 1,300 years, you've earned a little poetic license.
Thing to Think About Today:
While beer is obviously a phenomenal export from Germany, let's spend some time thinking of another phenomenal German export: the dachshund.
You may be aware of this breed's tendency to be noble, fearless, loyal, loving, and stubborn. But were you aware of their fondness for international diplomacy? Check out this art project featuring a United Nations staffed by doxies. Seems more likely to solve world peace than the actual U.N., actually.
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