Yes, I’m German. So using beer and work in the same sentence is therefore absolutely normal, you say? Well, it may be more common and less frowned upon to have an alcoholic beverage during lunch time over here, but honestly, I don’t drink (alcohol) while working!! (Just liters and liters of water, tea and coffee.)

I still get to use beer and work together, though, because last week I got to interpret a guided tour at a brewery! Yes, you heard that right, a brewery. They had their four best US-salesmen (yes, they were all men) over for a few days, and part of the trip was a tour through the brewery.

I learned tons about the brewing process, both while preparing for the job and during the tour. The guide was an employee who has been with the company for 31 years and really knew his stuff. He was full of funny stories, and there wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer. I had quite a time trying to keep up with him and the questions from the very interested guys, and in certain parts of the brewery I had to employ every trick of projection I ever learned during my voice performance studies, but I had a great time nonetheless. 

The company is also very much connected with its employees, the facility to a large extent planned, built and financed by them, and very up-to-date and in part ahead of the times regarding both technology and sustainability, which is something that always makes me very happy.

Some friends had seriously asked me whether I would get paid in beer (?!), and the tour actually ended with a beer tasting, but since I still had to interpret during the tasting and then drive home afterwards, I had to content myself with a non-alcoholic Weizen, instead of trying the Export, the Pils and the regular Weizen. O well. I can buy plenty with what I earned… 😉