In 1954 I was in North Germany, driving with friends from the Rheinpfalz to Belgium. We stopped for lunch at a local gasthaus (I have no idea of the town or gasthaus name), and enjoyed some of their own "bier".

It was billed as "Die Strengste Bier Die Welt" (The strongest beer in the world, for you non-German-speakers.) 17 percent!

It was good stuff, too, to the palate of a young American who, only about ten months before (pre-Germany) would have told you he didn't like beer. I had only begun my education in beer. I was happy, though, that I was not the one who had to drive from that point on!

Dave Oesterreich