Lifestyle briefs

Oct 6, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin brewery launches papal beer

Berlin (dpa) - Pope Benedict XVI's recent state visit to Germany inspired a Berlin brewing company to bring out its very own 'Pope Beer.' The ecologically friendly lager was played recordings of Gregorian choral music as it matured, according to its makers. 'I swear that's true,' says Helmut Kurschat, the manager of brewing company, Sudstern Brauhaus. He describes his beer as a 'lovely, bitter pilsner.' The company is just a stone's throw away from the Papal Nuncio's home in the district of Neukoelln where the pope stayed overnight while in Berlin. 'You don't see that everyday,' he says. The beer is meant to be a 'symbol of neighbourliness,' according to Kurschat. A 0.4-litre glass costs the equivalent of 4.60 dollars. Benedict will not be trying the brew, however, as he's a wine drinker.

Online platform collects YouTube videos

Berlin (dpa) - YouTube fans are familiar with the problem of finding and playing consecutive sections of a video that have been broken up into different files. The US Network Awesome takes care of that by placing six shows a day on its server that 'stitch' together the various files and present them linearly to viewers. The website has an eclectic library covering movies such as Planet of the Vampires and public information animated films promoting nuclear power. www.networkawesome.com

October Festival in Vienna

Vienna (dpa) - Austria is famed for its Alpine culture with its love of lederhosen and the traditional dirndl dress. If that was not enough, Vienna has decided to import another ritual from neighbouring Bavaria and has instituted its own Oktoberfest beer celebrations. The focal point of events is the giant Ferris wheel in Prater Park where three large marquees, lots of stages and the obligatory beer stein glasses are on hand to get the mood right. A specially designed dirndl dress has been created to mark the Austrian capital's first official Oktoberfest.