“Ein Bier Bitte!” (One beer please!) is a phrase you will need to memorise when you come to Germany.

There’s no denying that one of the first symbols to come to mind when we think of Germany is the German beer. Type ‘Germany’ into google images and there’s no doubt a few steins of beer will pop up!

So WHY is Germany so famous for its beer? Let me tell you about the extensive historical and cultural significance of beer in Germany.

First of all, Germany has purity laws to ensure the quality of their beer. The history of German beer dates back to 1516 when Duke Wilhem IV of Bavaria ordered the “Purity Law” or “Reinheitsgebot”, stating beer should only contain the purest ingredients: barley, hops and water.

Today the law is still used to regulate the production of German beer, however an additional ingredient- yeast, is also permitted.

Germany has the more breweries than anywhere else in the world. There are more than 1,000 breweries in Germany producing over 4,000 different kinds of beer!

Speaking of breweries, Germany is home to the oldest still-functioning brewery in the whole world! Located in Bavaria, the Weihenstephan monastery started making beer in the eighth century A.D! Now the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan (since 1921), the brewery continues to brew award-winning beer.

Oktoberfest originated from the celebration of the marriage between King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on the 12th of October 1810. A festive celebration marked the close of the royal event, which was celebrated again in subsequent years- marking the beginning of the Oktoberfest tradition.

German beer is undoubtedly reproduced in many forms, such as today’s version of Oktoberfest, for tourism. It is important for us to respect the history and cultural dimensions that make German beer the national symbol that it is!