Munich, October 2012 – Twenty years ago, the Paulaner brewery took a brave step: it opened its first Bräuhaus outside Bavaria – not in Germany, as one might expect, or even in Europe, but in the capital of China, Beijing. Here, approximately 8,000 kilometres as the crow flies away from its ancient Munich headquarters, the Hotel Kempinski was looking for an attractive gastro-concept. The idea of establishing a Bräuhaus, a place where fresh beer would be brewed on a daily basis and where top notch Bavarian food would be served, went down well with the hoteliers, who had visited and enjoyed the original Paulaner Bräuhaus – founded in 1889 – on Kapuzinerplatz in Munich. But whether the Bavarian concept would also work so far away from home remained to be seen.
Nevertheless, Paulaner trusted in its strengths and its unique gastro-concept: best beer served with delicious food in an original Bavarian atmosphere – what was not to like? After all, the Chinese are renowned for their excellent cuisine and hospitality. And indeed: the Chinese guests immediately took to the new place. “This remains the case to this day – of course there are many more foreign restaurants in the Chinese capital today than there were 20 years ago, when the Paulaner Bräuhaus was truly exotic,” says Jürgen Schenk, manager at the Paulaner Bräuhaus Consult GmbH in Munich. Schenk knows the Bräuhaus in Beijing well – he was the first master brewer there.
Meanwhile, Wolfgang Sesser has taken on the job. Before he moved to Beijing, he worked in Shanghai, Nanjing and Wuxi. “My Chinese guests love to try something new. At the same time they are very intent on quality and want nothing but the original. This mentality suits us well here at the Paulaner Bräuhaus,” says Sesser.
All Paulaner Bräuhäuser brew on location in their own micro breweries, and to those who wish to know more, Sesser is more than willing to explain how the Paulaner beer is brewed strictly in accordance with the German beer purity law. Sesser admits that he is obliged to rely on an interpreter for his guided tours, but that may change soon: he is busy improving his Chinese.
Of a total of 19 Bräuhäuser that have meanwhile been established worldwide, Paulaner is running 14 in China alone. The one in Beijing is the model on which all others have been built. “I have to admit,” says Sesser, “I am rather proud to be the master brewer here.”
Hence, the 20th anniversary of the Paulaner Bräuhaus will be celebrated in style. During the past months, the place has been refurbished: now there are more seats, a new and longer bar with a shelf for all the glasses has been installed, and authentic Bavarian decorations makes for a cosy atmosphere. Celebrations will be held in the context of this year’s Paulaner Oktoberfest from Oct. 12-28. There will be freshly brewed beers, a special menu and an event programme culminating in a concert by the “Munich Symphoniker”.
For more information, please visit www.paulaner-brauhaus.com/beijing and our international website www.paulaner.com.
About Paulaner
The Paulaner Brewery was founded by monks in 1634. Originally, the clerics just brewed enough beer for their own requirements. The company’s headquarters remain in Munich to this day. In total, approximately 670 employees work for the company. With more than 2.2 million hectolitres of beer brewed every year, Paulaner is one of Germany’s and the world’s leading breweries.
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