Bamberg District Administrator Johann Kalb tapped the first keg – for good reason: This top-fermented stout was brewed especially for the district of Bamberg’s “International Week”. “It’s nice to see internationality practiced in such an enjoyable way,” says the District Administrator after his first sip of “Zapfenduster”. And brewery owner Oswald Kundmüller adds: “We wanted to brew an exceptional beer style that is not very common here and add a regional touch with a gentle smoked malt note. And it didn’t take long to find the right name for it. ‘Zapfenduster’ is both – it’s international with a regional twist.”
Guests who came to the first tapping at the brewery had a chance to “taste” it for themselves – some of them had even come to the brewing day event as part of “Beer & Samba” six weeks earlier. Brazilian brewer Alexandre Bazzo of Cervejaria Bamberg near São Paulo was also there. This is now the third international “friendship beer” that the Kundmüller brothers have created in collaboration with Bazzo.
As owner and master brewer Roland Kundmüller explains, they created the recipe together in advance via email: “An Imperial Stout is known for its coffee and chocolate notes, which come from the use of roasted malts. There is also a slightly smoky flavor packed inside this full-bodied brew and it warms you up from the inside – with a lasting effect. So ‘Zapfenduster’ is the perfect beer for cold winter days, especially with an alcohol content of 8.5 percent.”
