In the pursuit of Paulaner

A premium taste of Bavaria is now on offer at the new Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant.

If music is the universal language of love, then beer could well be the language of friendship. How else can you explain the camaraderie and good times shared among a group of people over a pint, or several?

These days, with so many beer brands catering to discerning palates, beer drinkers are spoilt for choice. Among the many ales in the market is Paulaner, currently ranked No 8 among Germany’s best-selling breweries.

“Paulaner is the biggest wheat beer company worldwide,” reveals Peter Weiss, director of Paulaner Malaysia. “Wheat beer is a Bavarian specialty, so if you’re No 1 in Germany, you’re automatically No 1 worldwide because there is no other country where more wheat beer is brewed than Bavaria or Germany.”

With Singapore’s popular Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant having opened an outlet in KL this month, beer fans can look forward to indulging in a collection of Paulaner’s coveted brews at Mid Valley Megamall’s boulevard. Translated as “bread time”, brotzeit is a familiar expression among Bavarians, referring to a hearty meal enjoyed with a few great beers in a beer garden.

Already a recognised name in Singapore with outlets at VivoCity, Raffles City and 313@Somerset, Brotzeit is set to add colour to the KL scene with its authentic Bavarian cuisine and Paulaner beers. It will offer four types of beers on tap — Weissbier, Weissbier Dunkel, Original Münchner Lager Dunkel and Original Münchner Urtyp.

Weissbier (natural wheat beer) is an excellent choice. Paulaner’s No 1 bestseller, it boasts a refreshing taste and rich aroma.

“Wheat beers have become quite popular in Malaysia because they are fresher, bubbly and sparkly, and loaded with more carbonation. In Bavaria, we call wheat beer a typical summer beer — it keeps fresh for longer, you get long foam on it,” Weiss explains.

For something a little more potent, try the medium-bodied Weissbier Dunkel. Made from dark wheat malt, it boasts a cloudy, chestnut-brown colour and has a tasty caramelised sweetness with fruity notes.

“Asians normally don’t like a strong yeastiness — it’s unknown to them. That’s why the beers we bring to Asia have complex caramel, malt or fruit flavours,” observes Weiss.

Fans of dark beer can also opt for the Original Münchner Lager Dunkel draft, which comes in a mahogany brown and reddish tint, and possesses chocolate-like notes. Then there’s the stronger Original Münchner Urtyp with its golden tint and full-bodied taste.

With a history that dates back to 1634 when monks in Munich first started brewing their version of “liquid bread”, Paulaner boasts smooth, exceptional brews. In addition to its superb draft beers, Brotzeit also serves specialty bottled beers like Hacker-Pschorr, Thurn und Taxis and Hopf.

With Brotzeit’s opening coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest, the famed German beer festival held in Munich annually, it’s no surprise that the outlet is proudly offering Paulaner’s seasonal Oktoberfest brew on tap. In addition to enjoying this special concoction on draft, patrons can also purchase the beer in its characteristic one-litre can, poured in an equally attractive one-litre mug — a souvenir that customers can take home.

But what is Oktoberfest and the pleasure of beer without a carte du jour of gastronomic delights?

At Brotzeit, there’s a variety of signature meat dishes like the super-indulgent Pork Knuckle, the must-try Nürnberger (pork bratwurst with mashed potato and sauerkraut) and the ubiquitous Currywurst (sliced pork sausages with curry sauce).

There’s also a great variety of soups, salads, cold cuts, desserts and Bavarian bread to satiate any appetite.

Just as with wine, your beer experience can be heightened by the types of dishes it is paired with, so be sure to check with the Brotzeit wait staff for the right recommendations.

“It’s perfection and poetry in motion when everything works when your waiter gives you a recommendation. We have so many different beers and we try to make the story for the people interesting, understood and correct,” Weiss says.

“Our beers are of quality and have to come with a price. For Brotzeit and for us, it is important that we have the correct pricing and that we are strong in presentation, value and service quality. And this is what we understand and what is implemented from Singapore. It’s important to have a target market you want to serve. And the value is not having a target group that asks how much a jug is at happy hour,” Weiss declares.

“We give you perhaps the best beer in the market, and we hope that Brotzeit, in its segment of German hospitality, will be able to provide the customer with the best of both: Asian friendliness and quality with authenticity. We’re really looking along the lines of making beer interesting, making beer understood and letting people who drink beer have fun.”

And that’s something we should say cheers to … or rather, as they say in Bavaria, prost!

o Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant is at Lot G(E)-018, Ground External Floor, Mid Valley Megamall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, KL. Opening hours: 12pm-12am on weekdays, 11am-11pm on Sundays, and 12pm-1am on Saturdays. Tel: [phone]. Website: www.brotzeit1516.com.