That is the promise that was made by Philip van de Koolwijk, who is the initiator and coordinator of the Bunkerbier (Bunker Beer) project. This week, the beer was bottled and kegged. The beer still needs to labelled and then it’s a short wait until Friday the 13th of May, when the beer will be unveiled. This will be followed by a big party in De Bunker, the pub near the Dijkgraaf student flat.
The plan for developing a beer was presented last December. The call (which was advertised in such media as Resource) yielded eighteen entries. A committee of twelve people took these entries and subsequently gave the idea further consideration as to how it could be implemented. ‘The beer needed to be nice and refreshing and a little summery, and it had to be quite unique and easy to drink,’ sums up home brewer Van de Koolwijk.
Bright
From the two test beers that were made – a bright version and a brut version – the bright version was chosen. Van de Koolwijk: ‘Together with the Stadsbrouwerij (City Brewery), where the beer was brewed, the recipe was further elaborated and was put to the test a month ago.’ And it is even better than he had expected. ‘The beer is tasty, not too robust and easy to drink. And with an alcohol content of 6.7 per cent, it’s also really quite a unique craft beer.’
‘It’s the perfect beer to drink while you’re having a wild night on the town,’ is how the initiator sums it up. And that wild night can be had at De Bunker, the pub where it all began. For an entrance fee of €7.50, visitors can drink as much of the new beer as they like. ‘But only while supplies last,’ warns Van de Koolwijk. ‘And patrons will have to pay for the other beers.’
Label
Of the total of 1000 litres of Bunker Beer, 700 litres have been kegged. As well as being available at De Bunker, Bunker Beer is also available on tap at the Stadsbrouwerij. The remaining 300 litres of beer will be sold in 700 ml bottles at a number of pubs in Wageningen and the beer may also be available at The Spot on campus. These bottles will bear a label that has been specially made for the occasion.
The label prominently features a swan with outstretched wings. This bird alludes to the swans that can be found in the ponds on campus. In the background are the ingredients that have been used, along with the six-spoke Wageningen wheel. The label was designed by team member Sophie Giancoli. Van de Koolwijk: ‘During the project, we discovered that she is really very good at drawing. She’s quite the artist.’
