Oktoberfest gets underway in less than a week, and while it is typically seen as a great season for the beer industry, one German brewer is fighting off concerns over a bacteria found in their wast water that has infected more than 165 people and killed two.
Warsteiner beer is one of the top five beer brands in Germany and abides by the strict Reinheitsgebot first introduced in 1516, but their reputation is now at stake after the deadly Legionella bacteria was discovered in the waste water pumped out by the brewery. Now tourists wanting to visit the famous brewery are being told to stay away from the town in an effort to stop the disease from infecting more.
As soon as the outbreak occurred in the town of Warstein, a Warsteiner spokeswoman was quick to reassure the public that their “products are safe”, but have now grown quiet after it was revealed that the source was in their own waste water. Despite their quick silence, North Rhine-Westphalia environment ministry spokesperson, Frank Seidlitz, addressed the concerns and stated that “the Warsteiner brewery is not for the time being seen as the original source”
Whether or not the Warsteiner brewery is found to be the breeding ground for the Legionella bacteria, officials have been making it clear that the beer is completely safe to drink. Water temperatures reach a high of 100 °C (212 °F) during the brewing process, which goes far beyond the 60 °C (140 °F) killing temperature for the bacteria.