First test, then drink, with this offer a brewery lures you to its extensive grounds in the south of Berlin. Because where else in the huge bar room and beer garden parties and varieties with such idiosyncratic names as “Punk IPA”, “Hazy Jane” or “Kiez Keule” are tried, there is currently a yawning corona void. Adrian Klie, CEO of BrewDog Germany, explains that the test idea came about as a result of the situation. “Yes, so in principle we have been thinking about how we can support the fight against the pandemic. And yes, we came up with the idea relatively quickly that we set a small motivation incentive. And of course we have the space out here to set up such a test center. So it was relatively fixed. And, yes, as an incentive to add a beer or a soft drink, of course also fit. We have everything there in our gastronomy.”The pandemic has not affected all business units equally,” says Klie. “One is the food retail business. Of course, this continues smoothly. Our own e-commerce business in our online shop is going great, even in the pandemic. However, of course, we also have supporting pillars with our own bars, but also with our customers from the bar area, whom we cannot supply right now, who cannot sell beer. That’s why this hits us enormously hard. And when I say that this hits us enormously hard, then that, first and foremost, it hits our employees, who are now on short-time work in the catering industry, very, very hard. And of course we are fighting with all means to get back into operation as soon as possible and hope that it will start again soon.”And what are the prospects? The head of BrewDog Germany sees hops and malt not lost. There is currently a kind of possible blueprint for reactions to opening steps in the UK. “So we have a live case study from the UK. Since we see that the people storm with all their strength into the gastronomy and the beer was partially all on the island. And of course we hope the same. And I think when I look at my own circle of friends, people really, really want to go back to the gastro, to eat well, to drink together, to have a good time. And we assume with all firmness that people will take this intensely for the first few months. And we are really looking forward to it, maybe to the little Roaring Twenties here in Berlin and in Hamburg, everywhere we have the bars – and then not only for us, but also for all the restaurateurs out there who, I think, can all use it well.”It remains to be hoped that the concept of” testing and drinking ” will prove its worth – and perhaps quickly become superfluous as the vaccination campaign progresses.
