STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Workmen began installing fermenters and a brew house at The New Carnegie Brewery in Stockholm today. The project is a partnership between the Brooklyn Brewery, Carlsberg Sweden and a group of private investors.

“This is an important step forward,” said Fredrik Vogel, general manager of the project. “We also are pleased to announce we have hired the Swedish brewing team, which is training at Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, NY this year.”

Brooklyn Brewery’s Swedish subsidiary is the operating partner of the project and Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver and Vogel hired the Swedish brewing team. The head brewer is Anders Wendler, a graduate of Sweden’s Lunds University. Anders has worked at breweries in the Ukraine, Germany and Sweden since the early 1990s. He is passionate about beer and spends his spare time experimenting with home brews. He was Sweden’s “Best Home Brewer of the Year.”

“I am really looking forward to working with the New Carnegie Brewery,” said Wendler. “For me, beer is both my job and my hobby. So it is obviously very exciting to be involved in the creation of Stockholm’s new craft brewery.”

The New Carnegie Brewery is located in the Hammarby Sjöstad (Hammarby Lake City) neighborhood of Stockholm. It can be reached by car or by a free ferry boat. It is expected to open in early 2014. Wendler said the brewery will have a capacity of 300,000 liters in the first year and will be expanded to a million liters annual production.

Wendler’s team includes brewer Chris Thurgeson, formerly of Nils Oscar Brewery; microbiologist Josefine Karlsson and cellarman Karl Fornarve, formerly of Sigtuna Brygghus.

Carlsberg, a Danish company, is the #1 brewery in Scandinavia and the #4 brewery in the world. Carlsberg owns the brands of the Carnegie Brewery, a Swedish brewery with a 178-year-old history. Carlsberg also imports Brooklyn Brewery beers to Sweden. Brooklyn Brewery once distributed the classic Carnegie Porter beer in New York and Massachusetts.

In 2003, Carlsberg awarded Brooklyn Brewmaster Oliver its “Semper Ardens” medal, recognizing Oliver’s contributions to the world’s beer industry, notably his book, The Brewmaster’s Table, the definitive study of beer and food pairings. At the same time, Carlsberg began importing Brooklyn Brewery beers to Scandinavia.

The New Carnegie Brewery is a result of the friendship that has developed between Carlsberg’s Joakim Losin, Third Party Products Commercial Director, and Brooklyn’s Chief Operating Officer, Eric Ottaway. Brooklyn Brewery will continue to ship packaged beer and tankers of beer to Sweden, but will brew some special beers at New Carnegie. Oliver and Wendler plan to develop partnerships with the great chefs of Scandinavia and the world and showcase New Carnegie and Brooklyn beers with them.

“We want New Carnegie to be a beacon for craft beer culture in northern Europe,” said Oliver. “New Carnegie will produce craft beers with a Scandinavian accent.”

ReedPOP, the number one purveyor of pop culture events, and The Brooklyn Brewery today announce the launch of ‘Brooklyn Defender’ – an exclusive American Black Ale specifically created for this year’s New York Comic Con (NYCC). Designed to “strike fear into the heart of those who would forget the virtues of true beer” the latest addition to the Brooklyn Brewery roster has a dark malt visage and hoppy finish that protects the city from the scourge of tasteless beers. In a true nod to the comic book origins of the East Coast’s biggest entertainment celebration, acclaimed comic book artist Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman, Batman), illustrated the beer’s artwork. The ‘Brooklyn Defender’ will be introduced at a special release party September 21 and then make its’ way to select bars and restaurants. New York Comic Con takes place October 10-13 at the Javits Center.

“New York Comic Con is a celebration of all things pop culture and what better way to celebrate than with a beer. The Brooklyn Brewery has created a true gift for fans and has lined up some events and partnerships that will bring the magic of NYCC all throughout the city,” said Lance Fensterman, global vice president ReedPOP.

Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery added, “As a New York City native who grew up on 70s comics and later edited a science fiction magazine, getting to make the Brooklyn Defender for New York Comic Con is a massive honor for my inner geek.”

The ‘Brooklyn Defender’ will protect the drinkers of Gotham by allowing them to take refuge from bad beer and bad vibes at the following better beer bars:

RELEASE PARTY, September, 21 – 8:30 PM-midnight at Brooklyn Brewery (79 N 11^th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249)

Open bar, giveaways of ten (10) 3-Day Tickets to New York Comic Con, swag & special guests. RSVP through NYCC here: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Whats-Happening/Events-I-Q/NYCC-Beer/

PINT NIGHTS – Take home a limited edition ‘Brooklyn Defender’ pint glass with order of the beer (while supplies last). Giveaways of four (4) 3-Day Tickets to New York Comic Con at each event.

September 24 – Barcade Brooklyn (388 Union Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211), 5pm

September 26 – Pony Bar UES (1444 1st Ave. at 75th St, New York, NY 10036), 7pm

October 1 – Pine Box Rock Shop (12 Grattan St, Brooklyn, NY 11206), 8pm

October 3 – Flying Pig (70-28 Austin St, Forest Hills NY, 11375), 7pm

October 7 – Owl Farm (297 9th St Brooklyn, NY 11215), 7pm

October 10 – Beer Culture (328 W 45th St New York, 10036), 7pm

NEW YORK COMIC CON SPECIALS, October 11 and 12

Pony Bar West (637 10th Ave, New York, NY 10036) –Take home a limited edition Brooklyn Defender pint glass with order of the beer (while supplies last).

Beer Authority (300 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018) – Happy Hour 11-7, $14.95. After 7:00 PM, $19.95. ‘Brooklyn Defender’ and burger with bacon, onion rings, pepper jack cheese and BBQ sauce. Purchase of the combo comes with a limited edition Brooklyn Defender commemorative pint glass (while supplies last).

NY Beer Company – The New York Comic Con Combo (321 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036)

Chef’s special Chipotle Black Bean Burger and 16oz pint of ‘Brooklyn Defender’ for only $15. Purchase of the combo comes complete with a limited edition ‘Brooklyn Defender’ commemorative pint glass (while supplies last).

For more information on ‘Brooklyn Defender’, visit: http://brooklynbrewery.com/blog/news/the-brooklyn-defender-returns-new-york-comic-con-rises-from-the-brewery-921/ and check out the ‘Brooklyn Defender’ Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/73732509

For more information on NYCC please visit: www.NewYorkComicCon.com/

ABOUT REEDPOP

ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions which is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) Prime & East, Star Wars Celebration, and the UFC Fan Expo. In 2013 ReedPOP has added Star WarsCelebration Europe and PAX Australia to its rapidly expanding portfolio of international events. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion.  ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

ABOUT BROOKLYN BREWERY

Since its founding in 1988, The Brooklyn Brewery brews flavorful beers that enrich the life, tradition and culture of the communities it serves. Its award-winning roster of year round, season and specialty products have gained the Brewery notoriety as one of the top craft beer producers in the world. Brooklyn beers are currently distributed in 25 states and 17 countries, and throughout 2011 the brewery underwent an expansion that will double overall capacity by the end of 2013. In addition to facilitating community meetings at its event space, brewery employees serve on not-for-profit boards, including the Prospect Park Alliance, the Open Space Alliance, Transportation Alternatives and the Brooklyn Historical Society. Each year the company supports many charitable and arts organizations including BAM, Brooklyn Museum and MoMA, and partners with food purveyors across the country to produce beer dinners and tasting events. The Brewery is open to the publicMonday-Thursday from 5-7pm for reservation-only Small Batch tours, Friday evening for Happy Hour, and Saturdays and Sundays for Tours and Tastings. For more info, visit BrooklynBrewery.com and follow @BrooklynBrewery on Twitter.

Rich Buceta of SingleCut Beersmiths in Queens, NY. Photo courtesy SingleCut Beersmiths.

By Sarah Annese

When thinking about great beer cities in the United States, Portland, Denver, Seattle and San Francisco might come to mind. But New York? Probably not. At least not yet.

At the forefront of mixology culture and the setting of more than a few wine bars, New York has lacked in local brews. That’s not to say contributions from institutions like Brooklyn Brewery, Chelsea Brewing or the Heartland chain haven’t had an impact on the local scene, but for a long time they were the only names in the game.

Now, a spate of dedicated homebrewers are opening craft and nano breweries throughout the city, particularly in the outer boroughs. These brewers are so committed to improving New York City’s beer landscape that many fit brewing into the off hours from their full-time jobs.

Paul Sciara had been brewing with his brothers John and Jeff for years. Since the response to their beers was so positive, they decided to launch City Island Beer Co. in the Bronx. Their flagship pale ale is contract-brewed at Paper City Brewery in Holyoke, MA, while the brothers look for space for a brewery in their home borough. “We’re a local brand,” says Sciara, who works as an engineer by day. “Craft beer is a big growth area in the city. … It’s more exciting than you can imagine.”

Queens was a veritable brewing desert until 2012 when three breweries opened in the borough. Ethan Long and Marcus Burnett, friends and longtime homebrewing partners, led the trend with Rockaway Brewing Co. As California transplants, they felt New York City needed more local beer. “If Portland can have [more than 70] breweries, New York City can have more than a handful,” Long says. He works for a scenery fabrication operation and Burnett works as a cinematographer during the day.

Though the brewery takes its name from the Rockaway neighborhood, Long and Burnett brew out of Long Island City. Being a part of the brewing trend is “pretty amazing,” Long said. “I was calling it a small wave, but it’s really like a tsunami.”

Bridge and Tunnel Brewery opened in Maspeth, Queens, in late 2012. It’s a one-man nano brewery by homebrewer Rich Castagna. He manages to fit in brewing between family obligations (he has a wife and three kids) and a full-time job arranging exports for a shipping company.

In December Rich Buceta opened SingleCut Beersmiths in Astoria, Queens. Buceta began homebrewing in the ’90s. He aims for SingleCut to be a “true local brewery.”

With a focus mainly on lagers, Buceta takes inspiration from guitar and rock legends, such as Cult guitarist Billy Duffy, who has two of SingleCut’s IPAs named for him. The 19-33 Queens Lagrr is a shout-out to the year Prohibition ended. “I hold the standard very high,” he says. “My heroes are the brewers on the West Coast and in Vermont. Opening a local brewery isn’t good enough. It has to be great.”

This trend of homebrewers going pro in New York City shows no signs of stopping in 2013.

EST Brewing will debut in mid-2013 at the Brooklyn Flea’s Smorgasbar section of its summer food market Smorgasburg. EST is the brainchild of Erica Shea and Stephen Valand, owners of a successful homebrewing kit business, the Brooklyn Brew Shop, along with their production manager, Tim Evans.

“It’s the coolest thing in the world to realize that you can do this at home and serve your friends something delicious,” Shea says. “We like re-creating that experience for people, but we also really like drinking our beer.” EST’s beers will reflect food and flavors of the seasons, the first being a jalapeño saison.

Slated to launch in autumn 2013 is Finback Brewery, started by homebrewers Basil Lee and Kevin Stafford. Lee and Stafford are closing in on a location for their 20-barrel system. Meanwhile, the pair has been bringing beers to homebrewing events. “The homebrewing community is pretty awesome in New York City,” Lee says. “Everyone’s excited and fundamentally interested in making the beer.”

Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy, who was a Middle East war correspondent himself before going into the beer business, will interview Junger about his experience covering conflicts, his latest film, and RISC, the program that Junger founded after his friend Tim Hetherington was killed while covering the recent conflict in Libya. Proceeds from all ticket sales for the series will go to RISC to train and equip freelance conflict journalists to treat life-threatening injuries on the battlefield.

On June 12, the series will feature ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who was severely injured while reporting in Iraq in 2006 when the military convoy he was traveling with hit an IED (improvised explosive device). Freelance photojournalist Michael Kamber, a frequent contributor to The New York Times and founder of the Bronx Documentary Center, will speak at the Brewery on July 10. The New Yorker called Kamber’s new book “Photojournalists on War: The Untold Stories from Iraq,” a “monumental, eloquent, and devastating compilation of spoken testimony by photographers who covered the war over many years, along with their searing and, in some cases, never-before-published pictures.”

The “War Correspondents at the Brooklyn Brewery” series will run through December. Speakers in the fall lineup include writer Jon Lee Anderson of The New Yorker and photojournalist Robert Nickelsberg of TIME magazine. Evenings will include film clips, photography slideshows, book signings, and Q & A from the audience. Following the discussion will be a reception with the evening’s featured speakers and a variety of Brooklyn beers on tap.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.togather.com/community/details/32.

The series is produced in partnership with Togather, a new literary resource that connects authors directly with readers to fansource events and make great cultural experiences accessible to audiences everywhere.

Brooklyn, NY

A modern rendition of the “Light Dinner Ales” brewed in England throughout the 1800s. Brewed from English barley malt, which gives this light-bodied golden beer a fresh bready flavor. German and American hops lend a light, crisp bitterness and a citrus/floral aroma.

ABV: 5.0

ABW: 4.0

COLOR: N/A

BITTERNESS: 18

ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1044

AVAILABLE: CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT

So what about water?

Though less acknowledged today, since brewers can effectively alter it to suit their needs (more on that later), water is, in fact, primarily responsible for the development of the pantheon of classic beers. “It is really interesting to look at the variety of styles that popped up in different parts of the world and became popular and good because of the water they had available to them,” notes Harpoon Brewing’s vice president chief brewing officer, Al Marzi. “The ingredients were all the same, except for the water, and you’ve got completely different beers being made.”

The basic recipe has always been water, malt, hops and yeast. So, why did the darker beers develop in Munich and Dublin, the hoppy pale ales in Burton, England, the pilsners in Plzen? As Olympia Brewing Co. founder Leopold Schmidt, so astutely proclaimed at the turn of the 19th century, it’s the water.

The True Connection Between Hard Rock and Beer

Water is the medium in which all the magic in the brewing process happens. And as innocuous as it seems—it’s clear and, for the most part, tasteless—it’s not all the same. You may have actually noticed when traveling that the water in, say, Portland, OR, may smell (or even taste) a little different from the H2O that comes out of your own tap at home. You may even have to use more soap or shampoo to get a good lather depending on what the water is like. This is what’s referred to as water hardness. And this, specifically, is what’s responsible for the development of different beer styles.

The chemistry of turning malted grains, yeast, hops and water into a delicious, refreshing alcoholic beverage, is relatively straight forward: grains are transformed into starches that, with the help of water and heat, the yeast can consume and turn into alcohol. But a little something called “water hardness” complicates things. “Hardness is mainly due either to lots of calcium and magnesium in the water, so-called ‘permanent’ hardness, as it’s relatively difficult to get rid of,” explains Professor Alex Maltman of the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University in Wales, “or bicarbonate in the water, ‘temporary’ hardness, which can be precipitated out by boiling.

“There’s a whole range of taste effects [in brewing] that arise from the presence of these substances, such as calcium promoting the bittering contribution of hops, and magnesium enhancing beer flavor, like salt in food. But the main effect—certainly of bicarbonate—is to affect the pH, or acidity, of the liquid during brewing.”

Yeast, who, let’s face it, do all the heavy lifting in the brewing process, are particular about the environment they work in. So, if the pH is comfortable for them, they can do their job well. Now, before this chemistry was known to brewers, they simply had to adjust their ingredients to suit the water. Bicarbonate-rich water—such as that in Munich and Dublin—creates a high pH (too alkaline for the yeast to do their thing properly). But roast some of the grains nice and dark, and it lowers the pH in the mash; the yeast are happy and they make a tasty dark brew, such as a German dunkel or Irish stout.

We can thank the varied geology of this great blue marble we inhabit for the variety of beers we drink today, because the different dissolved minerals in water—depending on the source—have had a profound effect on the development of brewing beer. “Burton-on–Trent in England has very mineral-rich water, including calcium and magnesium,” says Professor Maltman, “so it produces a strong tasting beer. It is also rich in sulfate, which adds a characteristic flavor and improves stability. This why the style known as English pale ale originated there, and the stability enabled it to travel far in those colonial days, even as far as India, if brewed strongly—hence India pale ale.” A relative lack of dissolved minerals, or “soft” water, such as that in Plzen in the Czech Republic, was key in the development of pilsner.

So, yeah, it’s the water. But, really, it’s what’s in the water. That is to say, those dissolved minerals—calcium, magnesium, sulfates and bicarbonates—are really what affect the pH, taste and stability. Which begs the question, how did they get there and why do some places have more or less? The answer lies in the earth itself. “The chemistry of water is greatly influenced by the geology of the aquifer in which it has resided,” explains Professor Maltman. “As one example, the bedrock below Burton, England, consists of sedimentary strata formed around 250 million years ago—a time when what is now England was closer to the equator and in desert conditions. Saline lakes evaporated to leave the sediments—what is now bedrock—rich in minerals such as gypsum, also known as calcium sulfate, and Epsom salts, also known as magnesium sulfate. Just as they were originally dissolved in the ancient lakes, these minerals now readily dissolve into the local groundwater, which is why Burton brewing water is like it is.”

So one may safely draw the conclusion that since the geology of North America is equally varied, the water is too. True enough, and though it hasn’t exactly given rise to specific beer styles, the water available to brewers here has had a profound effect on them—from San Diego’s challengingly hard water to the surprisingly perfect-for-brewing Brooklyn water. The difference today is that with the advanced understanding of what’s in our H2O—most municipal water suppliers can provide brewers with an analysis of the water makeup—we no longer have to brew beers that suit the particular local hardness. Or as Al Marzi at Harpoon so cleverly puts it, “The brewer’s art can be expanded to create any type of water he’d like to have for a particular style.”

“What would you like?” asks the woman who owners the pub.

“I would like to have a beer,” my friend says, his tone suggesting he’d welcome some suggestions. But the woman just nods and is about to rush back to her counter.

I capture her attention again. “What kinds of beer do you offer?”

She says shortly, “Krombacher.”

That’s the biggest pils brand in Germany: not a bad beer, but since it seems to be the only choice in this supposed wine and beer bar, I’m a bit disappointed: “That’s all you’ve got?”

She is not amused: “Yes, that’s all. That’s the way we have it here. If you prefer something else you’ve got to go elsewhere.” She explains that she has a hard time finishing even one cask before it turns bad. Eventually she calms down: “Krombacher Pils and Weizen is all I can offer you on tap. Next week, we will also have the new Krombacher Dark.” My friend and I order a small pils, served in a slim tulip glass. As we drink, I read through the wine list, which is two pages long. We decide to go elsewhere as soon as we’ve finished our beer.

The next bar is modern, more stylish. Honey-colored lights, some tables, many stools, and mirrors all over the wall. Not exactly a beer bar, but a place for good drinks. We choose a table. My friend again, in his seemingly helpless manner, says, “I would like to order a beer…”

The waitress, assertively: “0. 3?”

We must have looked confused, because she quickly adds: “We have 0.4, 0. 3, and 0.25,” referring to the liter sizes that are available. We each decide on a 0.3 and are served another pils—this time, Radeberger. It seems the only skill you need if you want to drink a beer in a German bar is to know the exact quantity you want.

A Beer is a Beer is a Beer

Germany has more than 1,300 breweries (half of them situated in Bavaria) that brew at least 20 different styles and about 7,000 brands. However, in this country a beer will always be a beer. When you order one, you will get the main local brand that is on tap. It may vary from place: a Kölsch in Cologne, a helles in Bavaria, a Bavarian weißbier at the Karg Brewpub in Murnau near Munich, an alt in Düsseldorf and a smoked lager at Brauerei Spezial in Bamberg. But in most of the bars and restaurants in Germany, you will be served a pils from one of the big domestic brands like Krombacher, Bitburger, Beck’s, Veltins, Radeberger or Warsteiner. The only ritual you have master is to find a quick answer to the short question: “0. 3?” The rest is out of your hands.

Even though, after the Czechs and the Irish, Germans drink the most beer per capita, most German consumers don’t seem to think twice about it: a beer is a beer is a beer. It is as simple as that. Beer quenches the thirst and goes with almost all the food in your everyday life. (As soon as the meal becomes elaborate, wine is served.) In Bavaria, beer is even considered to be a staple food, which, of course, is to say that beer belongs to Bavaria like bread on the table.

However, most Germans, when asked what beer they prefer, will answer, passionately, with a brand name. This is the German paradox: we love beer dearly, it is an integral part of our culture, yet it has become a commodity.

Against this background, young people who seek excitement and diversity are drawn to wine, spirits or beer mixes—the German equivalent to American “malternatives” or British “alcopops.” These colorful drinks first appeared in the late nineties, and became very popular with young drinkers. While overall German beer sales fell about 3 percent last year, more and more beer mixes were being sold. The category gained 18 percent in 2007.

Putting the Beer First

Sebastian B. Priller, the junior owner and manager of Brauhaus Riegele, the foremost independent brewer in Augsburg, holds a clear opinion: “When it comes to beer, Germans focus more on marketing, branding, sponsoring, pricing and all that, instead of talking about the product itself. I think it is high time to put the beer first: its taste, its ingredients, the way it is brewed, the food it pairs with. And we need to live this culture and celebrate beer like they do with wine.”

It’s his mission that every customer in the bar makes a conscious decision about what kind of beer to drink. “Of course, people need help there,” says 32-year-old Priller, who holds a Diplom-Biersommelier—a certificate in all aspects of beer service—from the Doemens Akademy in Munich. Priller enumerates the requirements: the landlord, the waiters or a sommelier should know the beer list and be able to give recommendations. The beer list should be elaborated and contain a good description including style, alcohol content and food references. The right glass with the right beer should be obligatory.

Priller points out: “Consumers won’t ask for beer culture by themselves. We have to celebrate it and show them how much fun it is to enjoy beer like this.”

The Riegele in Augsburg does just that: recently, the brewery offered various beer cultural events, including brewery tours, beer tastings, brewing courses and challenging “expert events” for beer lovers who wanted to experience professional beer judgings. By midyear, Riegele will also be equipped with a pilot brewery to make specialty beers year round, “to show the people the variety of styles that are possible within the Reinheitsgebot,” Priller says.

In a bold step, he is also establishing a cellar in order to introduce vintage beers, which thus far are unknown to German audiences. Brauhaus Riegele, a mid-size brewery founded in 1386, offers 14 different styles, including festbier, kellerbier, weizen and strong beer. In addition, Priller also promotes northern German styles or Belgian specialties in his tasting classes, just to illustrate the enormous variety of beer.

Besides his Biersommelier education, what has most influenced Priller is the Slow Food movement and its attitude: “The enjoyment of good beer does not only depend on its taste. It is also due to where the beer comes from and who made it. It is due to the brewer’s philosophy and his commitment to the region as well as what he does to celebrate beer culture,” he says.

Bucking Tradition

“The variety is there, but it is not apparent to consumers,” states Frank Bettenhäuser, owner of the north-Hessian Hütt Brauerei in Baunatal near Kassel. Hütt is a mid-size brewery: with the recent purchase of the smaller Hessische Löwenbier Brauerei in the nearby village Malsfeld, it has become the biggest brewery in the region, with an annual production of about 69,000 hectoliters (about 59,000 barrels). The portfolio consists of two pils styles, a kellerbier, a black lager, several weizen styles and beer mixes.

The 50-year-old brewery manager goes on to say, “In Germany, beer is a thirst quencher, not a drink to be savored. We have to work hard to change this image.” As with most of his fellow independent brewers, he hopes to cultivate a new approach to beer: on his agenda this year are events to raise the sophistication of his employees and other culinary professionals, and beer seminars for the general public.

German beer drinkers might be conservative, but Bettenhäuser knows from events that his customers love to learn more: “People have a good time when they get more insights into beer production, and they love to explore the different tastes.” The Hessische Löwenbier Brauerei, with its small batches of 120 hectoliters (102 barrels), offers him new creative possibilities, like the malty Brauer Schorsch’s Haustrunk (a Märzen-styled house beer), which is only available at the site in Malsfeld.

But Bettenhäuser points out the pressures of a shrinking market: “Independent mid-size brewers have to think about quality and quantity likewise,” he states, “and bringing out a new beer is always a major effort.” Besides, he adds, beer is too cheap in Germany—creativity would not pay off.

Invention and Tradition

Brewing creative beer? Matthias Trum, owner of Bamberg’s Schlenkerla Tavern, is not too optimistic that brewers’ creativity would be welcomed by German beer drinkers at the moment. “The consumer is not ready for it,” the 32-year-old states. Yet, he is happy to see that beer variety has become an international trend and that craft beer is more and more sought-after, even in Germany. He points out that, with his rauchbier, he offers a niche product within the specialty niche, of which he would never be able to sell high quantities. Thus, it doesn’t make sense for him to expend effort on an ongoing invention of new beers.

Trum’s world-famous brewery, which has operated since 1405, produces 13,000 hectoliters a year (11,000 barrels), with less than 20 percent shipped abroad. With the barley malted over open fire like in ancient times, Schlenkerla’s is an historic approach to brewing.

The Weihenstephan-trained brewmaster remains faithful to this heritage even when it comes to new products: three years ago, Trum released a new fasting beer brewed in the smoked beer tradition and based on an historic recipe. It has less smoked malt than the renowned Schlenkerla Märzen and tastes refined and elegant. “It’s a beer dedicated to our local customers in Bamberg,” Trum states, as it is only available during Lent when not many tourists are in town. In terms of beer culture, Trum believes that the Reinheitsgebot can ensure the quality of German beer, and hopes to see the beer mix category fade.

Reaching Across Borders

Georg Schneider, owner of the Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn in Kelheim, doesn’t mince words: “The German beer market is deadly boring,” he says. “It is all very much the same. The tendency towards sameness is encouraged, for example, by our domestic beer tests rating beer only by its typicality and flawlessness. Creativity is only acted on in the beer mix category.”

The 42-year-old Georg Schneider IV, the sixth generation of his family to lead the business, is among the most eminent independent entrepreneurs in the country. In terms of beer culture, he is one of the most active German brewers: thanks to his efforts, Schneider Weisse has been recognized for leadership and sustainable management. With the brewery celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2008, Schneider Weisse is clearly one of the most traditional specialty brewers in Germany.

And yet, Schneider has embarked on one of the most forward-looking brewing projects in the country. Through the friendship between Schneider brewer Hans-Peter Drexler and Garrett Oliver of the Brooklyn Brewery in the U.S., the Schneider house hosted a collaborative brewing, probably the first in its history. Oliver came to Kelheim last May to concoct the Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse, a hoppy weizenbock, with Drexler. Most of the Hopfen-Weisse was shipped to the U.S. after its release in June, with only 200 cases sold in Germany. The unusual creation delighted the few German beer lovers and insiders who took notice of the event and tasted it. However, some customers who expected a regular weißbier were unenthusiastic.

Schneider is happy about this experience: “If you brew a beer that not everybody likes, you have the wonderful effect that people talk about it,” he says. His brewmaster adds, “We’ve got to take people by the hand and lead them to new worlds of taste. Customers, as well as chefs, culinary staff and traders, are searching for innovations.”

Schneider wants to continue brewing tasteful beers that are far from the mass market profile, one being the anniversary release Georg Schneider 1608, a full-bodied weizen with nutmeg and clove flavors and a grassy note from the hops. The beer is only available in a limited edition. Further, says Schneider, “We are looking for fellow brewers who are interested in doing a guest brewing with us. We are looking for them all over the world.” He insists on working together with foreign breweries because he expects the cultural exchange to be more fruitful than with a German brewer.

Diversity in taste does not, as one might think, contradict the Reinheitsgebot—Schneider and Drexler, like all other German brewers and brewmasters, claim to remain true to these premises. “The Reinheitsgebot is our unique selling point,” Schneider argues. But there is downside to it as well: The purity law not only helps sell the beer, it also reinforces the average German beer drinker’s conservatism. The first thing Germans object to when they hear about great beers from other countries is “But these beers are not brewed after the Reinheitsgebot, are they?” In this respect, the Reinheitsgebot leads them to make a quick but safe choice and insulates them from new beer experiences.

Things might change, though, as the taste for diversity is growing. One symptom of this trend is the great success of Bierclub.de. Frank Winkel and Matthias Kliemt founded the commercial beer subscription service in 1996. They started out with 200 subscribers. Today they count 5,500 customers who receive a package of nine regional beers each month, including beer descriptions as well as cultural and culinary information about the beers’ origins. The number of subscribers is constantly growing. According to Winkel, the motivation to become a member is a growing interest in specialty beers to which consumers otherwise would only have limited access. And subscribers to Bierclub.de do not only live in Germany. The Bierclub has to send out care packages to beer lovers in the U.S., Italy, England, Holland and Denmark.

With a German club helping provide beer diversity to enthusiasts in other countries, perhaps the future of German specialty and craft beer will surprise us yet.

Thirty years later, I was living in Brooklyn and dreaming of a brewery. It was not the most auspicious of times. Crime was rife and the “dese and dose” Brooklyn accent was the butt of jokes. But Brooklyn was the home of Norman Mailer, Walt Whitman, Mae West and Neil Diamond, and it was the town that gave Jackie Robinson a chance. I thought it was a great place.

On March 30, 1988, we delivered Brooklyn Lager to five customers. One was Teddy’s Bar in the Williamsburg neighborhood. Teddy’s opened as a tied house in the 1870s, and the stained glass windows still promoted “Peter Doelger’s Extra Beer.” It was owned by a former union organizer, Felice Kirby, and her husband Glenn, a plumber. Felice was involved in all sorts of local causes and we donated beer to help fight plans for a garbage transfer station and later a power plant.

During the day, Teddy’s had an older clientele of Italians and Poles. A bookie set up shop at the bar every morning. Eddie Doyle, the red-nosed bartender, believed in our beer, and made everyone try it. Families congregated at dinnertime. Later, a strange mix of people known as “artists” showed up, along with Spanish-speaking kids from the Southside. On some nights, Hassidic Jews would be there in their funny outfits. I felt proud to be part of the scene: I felt even better when someone ordered a Brooklyn Lager.

Pierogi 2000, an art gallery, served our beer at their openings. Eventually, we sold beer to Bamonte’s, a red sauce Italian restaurant where the feds taped John Gotti’s meetings. The President of Brooklyn appointed me to Community Board #1, the local governing body.

The prized local account was Peter Luger’s Steak House, founded in 1887 and well known to lovers of red meat. I visited Luger’s owner Amy Rubenstein and tried to sell her our lager. She turned me down.

“Mr. Hindy, we don’t change things very often here at Peter Luger’s,” she said. “The last time we changed our beer was when they started making Lowenbrau in Rhode Island. We dropped Lowenbrau and took on Beck’s.”

I think that was in the 70s.

I visited Amy once a year after that and told her of the medals we won and showed clippings about our contributions to parks, charities and arts groups. At that time, we were brewing our beer in Utica, NY. We had a large warehouse in Williamsburg.

One day, Amy said: “I read in the paper that you were going to build a brewery in the neighborhood.”

“Yes,” I said. “That is my goal.”

“Well, when you build your brewery, we will take your beer,” she said. OK, so all I had to do was invest a few million dollars in this struggling neighborhood, and Amy would try the beer.

In 1991, Mug’s Ale House opened a few blocks from Teddy’s. Then came the Thai Café, owned by a Thai man named David and his Italian wife Anna. From then on, it was a blur. Today, there are 300 great bars, clubs and restaurants in Williamsburg. There are dozens of art galleries and cool shops. Somewhere along the way, the “artists” became “hipsters.” Now there are apartment towers going up in every vacant lot.

On May 28, 1996, a proud day, Mayor Rudy Giuliani joined us in cutting the ribbon to open our brewery in Williamsburg. The day after, I got a call from Amy Rubenstein. “Mr. Hindy, do you remember 200 years ago when I told you I would buy your beer if you built a brewery in Williamsburg?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Well, I see in the paper that you did it,” she said. “Bring me five kegs.”