Don’t try this at home: The hoppiest pool you ever did see
- December 17, 2014
- Pool Industry News and Tips,
Think you love beer? Enough to swim in it? Interested prospects can actually visit this Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for adults tourist attraction in Austria. It's a swimming pool full of beer, and you can actually HOP in.
Can you drink it?
As Atlas Obscura explained, the Starkenberger Beer 13-foot pools are comprised of some 42,000 pints of the brewed beverage, and a little water. But you might not want to gulp it down, as the pools are kept heated. Don't worry though, you can always grab a cold one within the vicinity or remainder of the country for that matter – it's Austria.
Just when you think this place can't get any cooler, Atlas Obscura reported that submerging yourself in beer is actually good for the skin. No, not because it'll imbibe you, but because it's rich in calcium and vitamins. Who knew?
After you're done freshening up in the pool of your dreams, you can walk around and explore the rest of the castle – where else would this godly pool be built?
Fermenting history
That's right, the Starkenberger Brewery castle isn't only rich in barley and malts, but history as well. As stated on the company's website, the first inhabitants moved in during the 12th century, a time when a gentlemen by the name of Michael of Skarkenberg became known as a prominent tournament rider in Zurich.
Fast forward centuries and you'll come across stories of emperors, aristocracy and lords. It was around 1837 that the property was described as a budding brewery complete with a beer garden, according to the Starkenberg site. Somewhere around the mid 1980s, the company began playing around with whiskey and malt liquor mash.
It wasn't until between 2003 and 2005 that the beer pool started getting built. When it first opened in June 2005, the company's website reportedly received more than 1 million hits – no doubt from curious naysayers, journalists, tourists and beer aficionados.
Getting there
Pretty much the only downfall of this place is the commute. Austria is more than 6,000 miles away from San Diego, about 5,900 if you're flying from Phoenix and over 5,400 from Fort Worth, Texas. Nevermind the quintessential bus, cab, train – what have you – other modes of transportation that typically accompany a trip from the U.S. to Europe.
If you decide that your love for beer and swimming pools is strong enough to propel you to hop a flight, you might only need a fraction of the spending money you imagined. As Inquisitr.com pointed out, it's not terribly expensive if you travel with a group of friends. As reservations run for around $300 a pool, you can split that with as many people as you can get to swim with you. Not to mention you get some accoutrements to accompany your beer bath like crackers and a meat spread.
When all's said and done, you really can't put a price on a once-in-a-lifetime experience like swimming in beer. Just be sure you don't try this at home.