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Photo: Andreas Gebert / dpa
For a long time people thought they were safe in Germany, but in fact the downfall of our community is apparently imminent.
"Theoretically, a crate of wheat beer could be three to four euros more expensive," warns Josef Westermeier, Managing Director of Marketing and Sales at the Erdinger brewery, in an interview with t-online.
The increased energy costs are "cruel".
What is needed now is a "paradigm shift" among brewers, retailers and customers.
Unlike Chancellor Olaf Scholz's much-heralded, but largely fizzled, »turn of the era« Westermeier's wake-up call will have immediate consequences.
Panic buying in beverage stores and panicky binge-drinking in beer gardens can be expected in the next few weeks, before the "explosion in costs" (Westermeier) tears the pleasant atmosphere to shreds.
And before things get worse, for example if natural gas is drastically restricted.
According to Westermeier, a "gas stop" would have fatal consequences.
"We would need a wheat beer triage," says the Bavarian manager: "We would have to decide which customer would still get how much of our Erdinger beer."
First a horrible explosion, then also triage: That's terrible!
Like the Ukraine crisis and Corona together, only worse!
Anyone who hears Westermeier talk like this can no longer be mistaken.
By now, at the latest, it must be clear to everyone how serious the situation is: upstairs at Erdinger.
