Recently, Bjórmenningarfélag attended the 69th EBCU Delegates Meeting (March 7-9) and this time we travelled to Vienna, Austria. The meeting was hosted by BierIG who planned a very fun and busy schedule full of wonderful beer and lots of Weiner schnitzel!
The meeting unofficially opened on Thursday, March 9 at Bräuhaus Ten.Fifty. (https://www.tenfifty.at/) where BierIG graciously shared their regulars table. The official opening took place the next day with a meeting at Del Fabio Kokarik (https://delfabrokolarik.at), a drinks distributer and the exclusive importer of Budweiser (CZ) in Austria. The major business of the day included the adoption of the EBCU Code of Conduct (https://www.ebcu.org/code-of-conduct/). This was in important step in recognizing the diversity of people and voices within the EBCU and member organizations. Our delegation also shared some of what Iceland’s craft beer scene has to offer – Grugg og Makk! A crowd quickly formed at the close of the meeting to sample the wild ales and the bottles were emptied within minutes!
Following the meeting, BierIG organized three different activities to choose from – a guided city walk through Vienna’s 1st District, attending a Raspberry Cheesecake IPA release for International Women’s Day at the Schnauzer & Beagle (https://www.schnauzerbeagle.com/), or a visit to the wine tasting room at Heurigen Kierlinger (https://www.kierlinger.at/). Bjórmenningar’s Secretary Valberg chose the Raspberry Cheesecake IPA release and Co-director Beth chose the guided walk. Valberg also got a slice of cheesecake with the IPA. Beth got tired feet!
Saturday’s meeting was held at Brauerei Schwechat, home of Weiner Lager. Before we could take a beer and pretzel break, delegates discussed the potential for sharing member benefits between member organizations. For lunch, delegates enjoyed Weiner Lager and Weiner schnitzel at Brauhaus Schwechat. After the meal, Brewmaster Andreas Urban provided a tour of the brewing facility.
Following the tour our hosts had one more treat for us – an antique tram ride through Vienna with two rounds of beer tasting! In one round we sampled newly developed lager from Ottakringer Brauerei (https://www.ottakringerbrauerei.at/en/) and their Brauwerk Porter (https://www.brauwerk.wien/). In the other round we tried Strizzi Weiner Lager and Schani Golden Ale from Rodauner Biermanufaktur (https://www.rodauner-biermanufaktur.at/).
On Sunday, even though our meetings were done, we had one last beer with our hosts and EBCU friends at Salm Bräu (https://www.salmbraeu.com/home/). There we were treated to a tour by Salm Bräu ’s Czech brewmaster Jakub and he gave us a close look at the brewing equipment which Salm Bräu also manufactures and sells to other breweries.
The 69th EBCU Delegates meeting proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable event and we’re looking forward to the next meeting in Norwich, UK in October! Skál!