Many students from abroad may have noticed – either by consuming or by watching people consume – that Germans are extremely fond of beer. Its tradition dates back to the ancient world and is still lived today. Since the “Reinheitsgebot” (referred to as the “German Beer Purity Law”) celebrates its 500th birthday, this week‘s :bsz is dedicated to the beverage that, in most cases, consists of only water, hops and barley.

However, this law prevents German brewers – especially in Bavaria – from experimenting and crafting individual beers which do not abide by the ingredients prescribed by this law from 1516. Thus, German Brewer Onkel Bier, for example, considered it necessary to proclaim the “Freiheitsgebot 2014”. This hails a free choice of natural ingredients that support beer‘s original taste, such as berries and herbs.  Consequently, he emigrated to Belgium, which he thinks benefits him best due to freedom of action and the possibility of expert advice. Brewers from other countries go even further when it comes to “refining beer”.

Very “intimate” beer

Wojciech Mann, a brewer from Warsaw, recently introduced his vision of a perfect beer. His product is supposed to contain vaginal lactid acid – taken from Czech model Alexandra Brendlova. Drinking this beer – which is poetically entitled “Bottled Instinct” – can be compared to “a date with a real goddess”. According to Mann, the bacteria called lactobacillus transfers several features a woman embodies, including allure, grace and glamour. On indiegogo.com, his kickstarter campaign achieved only one percent (roughly 1,500 euro) of its proclaimed goal in 23 days but is still ongoing. Therefore, the world probably has to wait a little longer before being able to taste Alexandra Brendlova.

Beer on beard basis

A rather less disgusting method of brewing stems from Oregon. Out of 1,600 yeast strains, brewer John Maier chose to grow yeast on the basis of his facial hair, since ordinary growing did not work out as supposed. What started as a joke now has become a brand named “Beard Beer”.