+

© Koschowski

Kenyans and Germans alike love beer, our columnist Dinah Koschowski reveals ahead of her second visit to the beer fair.

This weekend, I will have the pleasure of attending the Bierbörse in Hamm. This is a beer convention, attracting both large and small brewers from all over the world. I am excited to try different brands, and at least I won’t have to worry about the small brewers, like in my home country, Kenya.

Sie wollen diesen Text auf Deutsch lesen? Klicken Sie hier!

Kenyans and Germans have something in common – they both love to drink beer. It is customary for Kenyans to meet at the local bar after work and kick back a couple of beers. The weekends are spent watching sports, eating roast meat (nyama choma) and drinking beer. 

In Kenya, there is one distiller that dominates the region. Established in 1922 by two British brothers, East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has grown to become the largest brewery in the region. The leading beer brand is called Tusker, named after an elephant, that trampled and killed one of the founders of the brewery. They offer 13 different brands of beer, but it’s nothing compared to what we have here.

Germany is beer country

I knew Germany is the land of beer, but I was pleasantly unnerved at the varieties of beer available here. Walking into Trinkgut (a bottle shop), you can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the diversity of frothy ales this country offers. Germany has over 1,300 breweries and produces over 5000 brands of beer, all differing in taste, body and flavour. Only a small number of breweries sell their products at Trinkgut, but the variety is mind blowing. It is difficult to decide what to pick. Should I choose beer based on whether I can pronounce the name or because the label looks cool? What flavour should I try? It’s too much.

Last year, I got the opportunity to attend my first Bierbörse and it was delightful. With every stand, it felt as if we were making a beer tour around the world. I used to think Guinness was the only dark beer until I was introduced to Altbier and Doppelbock at the event. A few stands away, I discovered that beer can be a meal after having the Erdbeer-Porter beer with giant strawberries from Bergquell. I fell in love with Grimbergen’s Rouge Intense beer from Belgium that tasted like malted barley and raspberries had a spicy baby! That remained my drink for the rest of the evening. I had no idea beer could taste so good.

All beer is good beer in Deutschland

What’s amazing in Germany is that all beer (even those made at home) are safe to drink. This is because anyone who brews beer must adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Law) which dictates that German beers must only contain hops, malt, yeast and water as the main ingredients.

In Kenya, it is safer for you to only drink branded beer. There are kiosks and tiny outlets that sell the so-called traditional beer. Do me a favour: If you ever travel to Kenya and walk into a small bar where they offer you ‘traditional’ beer in a cup or glass, and you‘re not absolutely sure about the brand: Don‘t drink it! Some of the brewers have been known to include toxic chemicals into their beers to make them stronger, and this has had some terrible consequences. There have been incidences of people drinking at a kiosk and thinking that the lights were turned off, only to realize later that they had gone blind. Tragically, people have also died from chemical poisoning. Nevertheless, there are still some areas you can go to, where you would have to tuck in your trousers into your socks before ordering a traditional beer. This is because you might lose control of your bowel movements, and the establishment does not want to clean up after you.

I am looking forward to the 9^th Hammer Bierbörse that has promised over 300 beers from around the world. Although you can get international canned beers in Kenya, every good beer drinker knows that it’s always better when poured from a tap. Kenyans and Germans would have a fantastic time, challenging each other on who can drink whom under the table. They would definitely appreciate a Bierbörse. As for me, no more bland beers. I am excited to try out more fruity beers.

Prost!