photo: Chris Zukowski
“It’s all about the pour,” says Kevin Brady, founder of Brad-Bayern Enterprises, the exclusive North American distributor of Unertl Weiss beer.
Brimming with pride, Brady pries off the cap from the 1/2 liter bottle - glass weathered from its long trip across the ocean from Haag, Bavaria in Germany - and slowly begins the pour, allowing the beer to begin what will be one of the final legs of its journey, down the large neck of a wheat beer glass. Then the “swirl” of the bottle and the last ounce of remaining brew is delivered. We clank the heels of our heavy-bottomed glasses together and cheer, shouting, “PROST!”
Weiss (pronounced “vice”), beer means “white beer” in German. The name derives from the yellowish-white tinge imparted by the pale malted wheat from which the brew is made. There is a distinct flavor to weiss beers often described as clove-like, banana-like, phenolic, sour, spicy, or even bubblegum-like. And now, a small, handcrafted beer hailed by pre-eminent beer critic and author Michael Jackson as one of the best in the world, is available for you to enjoy thanks to Brady, right here in Tucson.
After being introduced to weiss beer (weissbier) by a business colleague in 2002, Brady first enjoyed Unertl (pronounced oon-er-tl) in 2007 during a trip to Rosenheim, Bavaria. He was blown away by its flavor and complexity. Devoting himself to the brand, he thought hard about how to get this traditional German weissbier to America.
Brady recounts, “At that time in my life I can honestly say I wasn’t looking for a business opportunity. What I did want to find was something that was mine; that I was passionate about.”
What followed was a long courtship of Unertl brew master Alois Unertl III, efforts that had been previously attempted by others in the American beer industry. “He’d always told them ‘no’,” Brady says.
Brady’s plan made sense to Unertl, a family business covering three generations and more than 115 years. Since June of 2009, Brady and his team have distributed Unertl to over 60 locations in Tucson and Southern Arizona and another handful in Phoenix. It’s also begun a journey to Michigan, Virginia and the District of Columbia after suitors discovered Brady’s website. Yet, not surprisingly, it’s been old fashioned marketing that has paid off the biggest dividends.
Brady elucidates, “At first it was slow getting that started, getting that fly wheel to start spinning. But once we started it growing, it’s grown exponentially. We’re not trying to create some aura or sell a lifestyle; we’re selling the quality of the beer. We really like that we’ve grown through word-of-mouth,” explains Brady.
Holding our glasses up high, we smile at the fine color and frothy head of our beer. It almost seems to smile back at us as we each raise our glass and enjoy that first, delicious sip of Unertl. The journey is now complete!
Unertl is available at over 40 locations locally. Find a location near you at Brad-Bayern.com; also visit Facebook.com/unertl.usa.
