Ettal Abbey and the discussion about beer – Bavaria

Anyone who opens a barrel either has something to celebrate or feels an urgent need for discussion, which is often a real celebration for them. In court, the second meaning prevails, just like at the Munich District Court. That has to be dealt with by a lawsuit from the headquarters for combating unfair competition – an association that specializes in the second sense of the word. Specifically, it’s about whether a brewery group based in Bitburg in the Eifel can advertise a few of its products that are brewed somewhere else with Bavaria’s mountains and Ettal Abbey in front of them. In any case, the monastery would actually stand in front of the Bavarian mountains, but not in front of those pointed peaks that the commercial artists have pushed together in some cases.

But that’s not exactly what it’s all about, it’s about the money, and the parties involved have to wait for the verdict, which is to be announced in mid-July. The complained beer is not really for local patriots anyway – in contrast to many others. Because there is hardly anything that some consumers willing to root themselves cling to as tightly as local or, if necessary, regional beer. As long as it tastes good, nothing speaks against this regional principle – if only because of the transport routes. In view of the astronomical diesel prices, some small breweries abandoned national deliveries altogether last year.

In the best marketing case, the brand name of the local beer is derived from the location of the brewery, so the Aldersbacher comes from Aldersbach, the Baumburger from Baumburg, and the Schönramer from Schönram. However, the principle only works if there is at most one brewery in the area and not a dozen, as was the case in every market town in the past.

The Ettaler would have their Ettaler anyway. This is brewed by exactly those Benedictine monks who have given parts of their range to faraway Hesse and have therefore never kept behind the mountain, behind whatever. In view of the campaign, the beer advertised with the monastery belongs more to those so-called TV beers that are often advertised in the context of sports broadcasts. Maybe it’s time to register another brand that remains completely authentic: “Bright TV” or – also good – “Dark TV”.

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