Once upon a bottle …
It all started a long time go, like a script from a Hollywood film : Australian girl meets German boy at a party. A week later … Australian leaves for 6 months in Europe; German leaves for the US. Will their lives ever cross again, in a world without mobile phones or social media?
The answer is YES. The amazing story behind that is for another time …
Fast forward 20 years to Bad Breisig, a picturesque small town along the Rhine River in Germany, where a German-Aussie family is packing their worldly belongings to make the big move to Australia.
They will leave their home, their work, the beautiful countryside, the traditions and festivals, the culture … and their dear friends. What they take with them are memories, connections, experience, expertise and a passion – to bring back to Australia and share some of that culture and those traditions, combined with the mouth-watering lingering taste of local and regional delicacies – amazing food accompanied by beautiful wines, delicious juices, flavoursome beers.
… and so the journey to Australia began
Life back in Australia was different to expected. They soon realised that they needed to get back to basics – focus on what they know, their experiences, their connections and the cultural elements from Germany to create something new yet authentic to Australia, for Australians.
In 2008 the time was right. Together with two other German partners they started Oktoberfest Brisbane, but THIS Oktoberfest was to be different. It was to focus on the ‘truly authentic experience’ so that Australians felt like they were actually in Germany the moment they walked through the gates – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes. From 14,000 visitors at their first Oktoberfest Brisbane in 2008 it rapidly grew to become Australia’s largest and most authentic German Festival. By the time Louise & Reimer handed over the reins to the other partner, in 2016, Oktoberfest Brisbane had welcomed more than 42,000 visitors through their gates the previous year. And there the story ends …
NOT QUITE! Never ones to ‘do nothing’ for long, Louise & Reimer did NOT disappear off the radar to a deserted tropical island or retire. They decided to get back to basics again.
“Why not use our previous and new experiences, expertise, passions and connections in Germany & Australia to again create something authentic and new for Australians?”, they pondered.
Bringing back the bottles
Not only did they have strong contacts in the wine, beer and juices sector in Germany, but also years of expertise and a real passion for these beverages too. Wonderful local beer and wine specialties that are only found in the region; juices that taste like the fruit has been freshly picked and pressed that day. Their German hometown was at the epicenter of their search. Here they set out to find the perfect products for Australia and the RIGHT business partners with the same values, focus and dedication. In fact, three of the specially selected beverage partners are within a 30km radius of their hometown.
A business was born –
German Beverages Australia
– bringing the best traditions and delicious new flavours of ‘Germany in a bottle’ to tables and events across Australia.
However, this is not the END of the story … but only the beginning!
