Prost Miteinand! Or as we would say Cheers to all! It is one of the most popular Bavarian phrases that accompanies Paulaner beer, a quality German beer made from wheat and yeast with a long craft tradition behind it.
Currently, it is one of the most prestigious brands in München or Munich and also one of the main protagonists of the mythical Oktoberfest and Biergarten all over Germany. The Paulaner is by its own merit one of the most consumed beers worldwide and according to data from the beer company, year after year thousands of hectoliters are exported to more than 60 countries.
To pay a small tribute to this beer that we serve at our irish pub in Barcelona, we have prepared a small article to its most relevant curiosities, which no self-respecting beer lover can miss.
Los!
The origins of Paulaner beer
As in the case of the Belgian beer Grimbergen, the Paulaner has its origins in the Neudeck ob der Bau Monastery in Munich, where the order of Minimal Monks (Paulaner) settled in early 1634. In the depths of the monastery, the monks built a small room as a distillery, a space where they began to make their own beer.
The craft beer they made had the function of being used as food during fasting days when solid food could not be eaten, and in fact many times the monks shared the leftovers with the population. This was because beer could only be produced at specific times of the year.
Years later, one of the monks, known as brother Barnabas brewed the original Paulaner recipe, which is still used today as the basis for making it. Thanks to this fact and through the mediation of royalty, the monks began to distribute it officially from 1780.
In 1806 and after the secularization of the monks, the monastery next to the brewery passes into the hands of a businessman (Franz Zacherl) that turns it into an industrial plant known as Zachelbräu, thanks to business investment, beer sales increased thanks to the Oktoberfest. This success was thanks to the use of the first Carl von Linde brand ice cream makers that allowed beer to be produced regardless of the time of year.
And in modern times...
In 1944 the original facilities were destroyed by bombing by the allied forces, causing the plant to remain unusable until 1950. Once the post-war period was over, the company was acquired by Schörhuger, a group of German companies that modernized and expanded it with the opening of new breweries throughout Germany until its subsequent sale.
Today the company is owned by the Brau Holding International and Heineken group and its headquarters are located on the original site of the Neudeck ob der Bau monastery in Müchen.
The hit of the first Ocktoberfest
Have you ever wondered what the origins of the popular beer festival were? According to the story, in 1818 the ceremony was held Wedding of Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria with Teresa of Saxony and as a tribute to such an important occasion there was a horse race and a party where different breweries performed.
The guests of the party were hooked by the taste of the Paulaner and with it it obtained one of the first places among the favorites of the event. Later this celebration would give way to what we know today as Oktoberfest.
Currently only 6 traditional Munich breweries have the category of being recognized for complying with the Purity Law and, therefore, can sell their beers for consumption at the Oktoberfest: Augustiner-Bräu, Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner-Bräu, Spatenbräu, and Staatliches Hofbräu-München.
How is the degree of purity of Paulaner beer measured?
Believe it or not, one of the elements that defines the taste of craft beer is the quality of the water used to make the mix. It is for this simple reason that it is not uncommon to find subtle differences when we try water that we are not used to.
The case of Paulaner beer and according to the company itself, the drink is made with groundwater in a tank located 190 meters below ground. The purity of the water is an aspect to take into account for quality controls, since if it is not in good condition, the entire flavor experience can be altered.
The company's commitment to football
The Paulaner beer brand is one of the sponsors of the Bayern München football team, the The company itself has an agreement with the club’s official German fans in which it promises to give away 100 liters of beer to the fans for every goal the team scores in the Bundesliga.
Sounds good right?
That is why it is very common to find this beer among the fans when an important match or match is played… If you are also a Bayern fan, you can also taste an authentic Paulaner beer at Temple Bar.
A beer for the German tapas
The fruity and sweet taste of the Paulaner pairs very well with all kinds of first courses and desserts. Although in many German bars known as Biergartens it is very popular to accompany it with a starter known as Brotzeitbrett.
It is a slate of cold meats, cheese, sausages and some specialties of the region during the Oktoberfest celebrations, it is very popular and can usually be accompanied individually or collectively. Bavarian tradition suggests that during the feast they toast several times saying the phrase “Prost Miteinand” out loud.
