Special Products
Bavaria has several special products to contribute to the foodstuff
and beverage industry. First of all there are the 40 or more
different kinds of beer, brewed with hops from Bavaria's Hallertau -
the largest hop-growing area in the world - and also the Spalt in
Franconia. Bavarian beer is brewed according to a purity law passed
by Duke Wilhelm IV in 1516. Ever since, German and Bavarian brewers
have made certain that their beer contains only water, hops and
barley.
Wine was grown all over Bavaria during the Middle Ages, but today
the industry is mainly limited to the Main region of Franconia. A
special characteristic of Franconian wine is the flask-shaped bottle
from which it is served, known as a Bocksbeutel. The local vintners
gained the right to use this trade mark from the European Union
together with a handful of other regional wine areas in Europe.
The Bavarians were also the first Germans to plant potatoes for food
rather than just decoratively - the event took place in
Pilgramsreuth, Franconia, in the year 1647.
Asparagus is a seasonal product that is harvested from early May to
June 24. It is primarily grown in the sandy soil of Upper Bavaria
and Swabia.