SALVATOR
Try some 'liquid bread' this March
Staff reporter
Posted Mon, 19 Mar 2007

In the heart of Cape Town’s Waterfront a German master brewer is continuing a centuries-old tradition started by monks in the 1630’s to sustain themselves during Lent.

Wolfgang Ködel of the Paulaner Braühaus, has brewed an extra-strength beer called Salvator.

Only brewed once a year for the Salvator festival, the beer is classified as a doppelbock, an extra-strength version of the Bock-style beer. It has a light foamy head and very strong, distinctive nose and starts at 7.5% alcohol per volume.

Also known as 'liquid bread', 'holy father oil' and 'gentlemen’s beer' by the monks who first brewed it, this special beer is the centrepiece of a celebration still held in Munich every March, when the locals take time off from the self-denial of Lent to celebrate what they call their ‘fifth season’.

When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Bavaria he gave the tradition of brewing a potent beer for Lent an unintentional boost when he expropriated Church land and gave it to local businessmen. Franz Xavier Zacheri, the new owner of the Paulaner Monastery, turned it into a beer hall and began mass-producing the monk’s beer, promoting Salvator as a cure for the winter blues.

But Ködel doesn’t see any reason why the tradition or festivities should be restricted to Munich or the northern hemisphere winter and has been brewing Salvator beer for a local version of this popular festival since the Paulaner microbrewery opened in the V&A Waterfront in 2001.

The traditional opening ceremony or anstich took place on Friday night when the first keg of this year’s Salvator was tapped to begin the festival. It runs until 25 March. In keeping with tradition the Paulaner Braühaus will be hosing live music evenings, including some German oompah brass bands, and serving special Bavarian fare.

For more information on Salvator and entertainment during the Salvator Festival visit www.paulaner.co.za.