May 13, 2005
Pope
Benedict XVI's
Picture on Beer Label?
The following
is a transcript from the
MSNBC program "Countdown" (May
11, 2005: 8:00 PM)
"To Rome, where the new Pope Benedict XVI is beginning to
define his papacy, and there are some slight changes from the last guys ....
for instance, rule
number one, more papal booze endorsements.
"German
brewery Stuttgarter Hofbrau says it was having trouble selling its wheat
beer until it discovered that back in his cardinal days, it happened to
be the new pope`s favorite brand. So they put him on the label. And now the
beer is flowing like wine. The pope actually gave his permission to use
his image. And in return, the brewery this week sent 185 gallons of it to the
Vatican.
"It`s good to be the pope."
CFN comment: At first we thought it was a gag, but upon checking the context of the transcript, it would appear that "Countodwn" reported this as a true news story. Can anyone out there either confirm or deny the veracity of this?
RESPONSES:
I think they got their stories intertwined. I have been trying to look on German websites and on the beer company's own website, they don't have the pope's picture. This is the story I found about Stuttgarter Hofbräu: Roughly translated, in 2003, Ratzinger bestowed the Maltese Order to the brewery and gave them the world-wide distribution for the Maltese-Weißbier (I think white beer). They sent the 24,000 bottles of beer to the Vatican. No where does it say they were allowed to use the pope's image.
- 24 000 Flaschen Bier: Darf ein Papst Bier trinken? Die Mitarbeiter der Stuttgarter Brauerei Hofbräu gehen fest davon aus und schicken einen Laster auf den Weg in den Vatikan. An Bord: 24 000 Flaschen Malteser-Weißbier. Joseph Ratzinger hatte den Bierbrauern 2003 ein Treffen mit den Obersten Souverän des Malteserordens in Rom vermittelt. Bei diesem Treffen hatte Stuttgarter Hofbräu die Rechte für den weltweiten Vertrieb von Malteser-Weißbier erhalten
In Ratzingers Heimat lässt sich alles verkaufen | ||
| ||
|
On german eBay, they are selling Papstbier with his image and without. I don't know why some have his picture and some don't. They seem to be from the Weideneder Tann Brewery.
Die zahlreichen Fotos von Kardinal Ratzinger mit Weißbier und Maßkrügen haben
die örtliche Brauerei inspiriert, die flugs ein "Marktler-Papst-Bier" kreiert
hat. Gebraut ist das Papst-Bier nach dem Reinheitsgebot von 1516, also noch vor
der Reformation. Erst im Jahr 1517 begann mit Martin Luthers Thesenanschlag an
die Wittenberger Schloßkirche die religiöse Spaltung Deutschlands. Katholiken
sind im Genußfall demnach in doppelter Hinsicht auf der sicheren Seite.
http://www.welt.de/data/2005/04/22/707962.html
translated by google:The numerous photos of cardinal Ratzinger with white beer and measure jugs inspired the local brewery, which created immediately a "Marktler Pope beer". Brewed the Pope beer is after the purity requirement of 1516, thus still before the reformation. Only in the year 1517 thesis notice began religious splitting of Germany to the Wittenberger castle church with Martin Luther's. Catholics therefore are in the case of benefit in double regard on the safe side.
This doesn't really clear anything up but I hope this helps a little.Best regards,
K.
Mr. Vennari:
Greetings in the Sacred Hearts. This is a Photo i've found of the brewery of the story.
Thanks and may God bless You.
J.

Posted by
Catholic Family News
MPO Box 743 * Niagara Falls, NY 14216
905-871-6292 * cfnjv@localnet.com
CFN is published once a month (12 times per year) •
Subscription: $28.00 a year.
Request
sample copy