AFP — Germans want UNESCO listing for beer ‘purity’

German brewers say a five-century-old beer purity law deserves a spot on the UNESCO list for “intangible cultural heritage”. 

The law, called the ‘Reinheitsgebot’ in German, was introduced in Bavaria in 1516 and adopted nation-wide in 1906. It dictates that only water, malt, hops and yeast, and no flavourings or preservatives, may be used to make beer.

“If Germany is still regarded as the undisputed beer nation, that is due to the Reinheitsgebot,” said Hans-Georg Eils, president of the German Brewers Federation.

Its acceptance to the world heritage list “would be for German brewers and maltsters a sign of appreciation and an incentive at the same time,” Eils added.

The Federation calls the Reinheitsgebot the oldest still-valid food regulation in the world....

The Raw Story
Germans want UNESCO listing for beer ‘purity’
Agence France-Presse