Joining forces to achieve something together. The meaning of such statements has once again been made clear with images of the devastating floods. In particular – and in the same way as in more normal times – a special connection and a collaborative effort to create something new play a major role. Whether they are the result of long-term planning or improvised on the spot, the inspiring stories behind these projects deserve to be told. Sometimes collaborations even end up uniting protagonists with surprises to offer.
Whisky and Wagner
“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.” This proverb is frequently quoted when referring to the outcome of a sporting event whose outcome hangs in the balance. While one of the earliest recorded incidents of this usage involved a professional basketball game in the 1970s, the ‘fat lady’ in question is actually the Valkyrie Brünnhilde in Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. It is her singing that marks the conclusion of his entire Ring des Nibelungen opera cycle.
While we do not know what Brünnhilde was actually drinking at the time, today it would have to be whiskey from the Orkney Islands, because the Highland Park brand has entered into a three-year partnership with the Bayreuth Wagner Festival. Every year, they will create a special bottling of Highland Park Whisky to mark this renowned musical event. This year there are two special editions: the first, christened ‘Erda – Earth Mother’, has a rich, sweet and spicy character and is limited to just 341 bottles, while the ‘Erda – Sleeping Prophet’ edition – limited to only 273 highly coveted bottles – is notable for its floral complexity.
It is Nordic mythology that brought these two disparate concepts together, and festival visitors are now able to sip whisky at the Ring Bar.
Beer and brewers
Particularly in the world of brewing, partnerships are frequent and well-loved phenomenon. Brewers love to get together to design their own original brews. Sometimes their creations are dedicated to friendship, while other times they are the result of something else.
Brewers recently undertook quite a journey to collaborate on a new beer. Master brewers from the Bitburger Brewery in Rhineland-Palatinate got together with their colleagues from the Sierra Nevada Brewery in California, and they each contributed a little piece of home to the beer that was created. The result: the ‘Triple Hop’d Lager’ brewed with hops from the USA and Germany. While the initial impression is lean, the brew has an intense hop aroma.
A love of beer is also evident in the world of music. Iron Maiden, Boss Hoss, AC/DC and Status Quo have all created their own beers, while in Berlin, the Brlo brand has already joined forces with the hip-hop artists from ‘Run the Jewels’ to brew a special beer on two different occasions.
