Beer ship to dock in city harbour

Beer drinkers will be pleased to know that a beer ship, otherwise known as MS Rigi, will be docking at the city harbour next month in order to enable them to try out a number of types of ale.

For ten years now ships have been docking in the harbour to allow wine lovers to taste a number of different varieties. Now beer lovers will have this opportunity, too, with no fewer than beers from 17 different breweries to try.

The idea for such a beer ship came from Kurt Petak (photograph), who experienced a beer ship on Lake Thun last year. He enjoyed it so much he thought it would be a good idea to introduce one to Lake Zug.
With an admission price of just CHF 20, visitors are presented with a special glass and can try three beers (one decilitre each time) of their choice.
 
When the Zugersee Navigation company heard of the idea, they were very keen to get involved, after all, there are no fewer than ten breweries here. In fact with as many as 1,000 breweries nationwide, there are more breweries per head here than in any other country.

Petak has ordered 1,500 of these special glasses and just hopes this will be enough. Not that the sessions are just confined to trying different types of beer; local food, including a beer fondue, will be available in the ship’s restaurant, with the Chicago Hot Club jazz band and the Hajo Commes from Walchwil performing. Helping, too, with the organisation of it all is the Innopark Zug.

If all goes well, Petak hopes to make this an annual event. Some breweries who cannot make it this year have already expressed their interest to take part next year.

The beer ship will be anchored in Zug harbour (Bahnhofsteg) on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 April, with visitors allowed on board between 4 pm and 11 pm.
 
Further information can be found on www.zugerseebierschiff.ch.