A few weeks ago I introduced you to Sigrid Beer, a poltician from Paderborn, Germany, whom we met via a Facebook connection.  In an email, Sigrid mentioned that one of the things her city is known for is the Paderborner Brauerei, and she offered to send us some of its pilsener (the proper German spelling) to sample.

The beer arrived a couple of weeks ago and on a Friday afternoon as the clock chimed 5, Rob, our colleague Anica Butler, and I popped the top of a Paderborner Pilsener and poured some into our respective paper cups.  Our reaction to the beer was that it was pretty much like our American pilsners - cool, light and bubbly with a not-unpleasant bitterness.  It was also a little dangerous, but that probably had more to do with the fact that we were still sitting in the workplace when we drank it.

It will, however, remain for me one of the more memorable beers I've ever had.  And that's due to the special circumstances that brought it to me.  How often do you wind up with a beer in hand thanks to developing a chance overseas friendship via Facebook?  It's given me the opportunity to learn about Sigrid, about the city of Paderborn and its resident brewery.

Paderborn is a city of just under 150,000 in the North Rhine-Westphalia district of Germany.  The city, which was founded in the year 795, is home to a university and several theological institutes.  It's also home to the largest computer museum in the world.

Paderborner Brauerei dates back to 1852.  In addition to the pilsener, they brew Paderborn+Cola, a malt beverage, and several other varieties of beer and alcoholic drinks.  One of the things I really liked about the brewery's website is that it has a nifty little Flash "Spiele", or game, on it.  The objective is to move the little man with the beer case under the bottles of beer that are raining from above, so that they land safely in the box.  It's a great way to spend a productive hour or two.

Danke, Sigrid, for the beers and for introducing us to the charms of Paderborn.