Europe “tasting the revolution” in Palestinian Taybeh beer

Symbol of the Palestinian economy, Taybeh, the only beer of the country, has been available on the European market for four years now, with this very slogan “taste the revolution”. Though it was not that easy…

Julie Schneider - Palestine, Eurojar

Savoring a Palestinian beer in Germany or Belgium was a far-reached aim that became possible only 4 years ago. The House of Beer 131 in Germany, holding the license of the only and unique Palestinian beer, is responsible for marketing Taybeh, the golden pure beverage produced by Strubbe Brewery in Belgium. “It is hard to export. We (Palestinians) are obliged to get the consent of Israelis because we have access neither to an airport nor to a port. If I send my barrels to Europe via Tel Aviv airport, nothing guarantees that the products will leave on time from there,” explains David Khoury, the mayor of the village of Taybeh, a fully Christian town in the north of the West Bank. “The House of Beer 131 transfers back to us a percentage of the sales,” explains Nadim Khoury, the founder of Taybeh beer and brother of David. No further details about the terms of the contract were unveiled though.

Markt Strubbe, the director of the Belgian brewery thinks that “Doctors without Borders” (Medecins Sans Frontières) and Oxfam Belgium buy the largest part of the production. The remaining part is sent to Germany.”

Story of a beer
Behind the name Taybeh (meaning “delicious” in Arabic), there is a deep-rooted Palestinian family. In 1994, following the signature of Oslo accords, members of Khoury family got the blessing of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader at the time, to return to their land from the USA where they were settled. They sold their properties to buy the necessary material for the production of the beer: malt, hops and yeast. “We have a unique recipe,” explains David Khoury. Although he did not reveal much details about the production, he pointed out that “the capacity of production of the brewery is today at its peak.” Last year, despite the restrictions related to water consumption, 6,000 hl were produced from this small village. David goes on to say: “In summer, we get water only 3 to 4 days a week, as the three settlements around the village consume large amounts of water.”

Born in August 15, 1995, this beer resisted the second Intifada thanks to the strong will of Nadim. In 2000, just before the uprising, two new beer recipes were available in Palestinian bars: the dark and the light. Despite the ongoing battles, curfews and checkpoints, the family pursued the production and selling of the product. “In 1999, we had around 15 employees. With the breaking out of Al-Aqsa’s Intifadat, tourism has deteriorated in the country. Hotels and restaurants were deserted. In 2002, we were compelled to dismiss our employees from their jobs, being unable to pay their salaries. American Colony in Jerusalem was the only hotel still ordering from our beer,” remembers David Khoury. A long and painful journey began for us. Barrels were transported on donkeys to reach a van parked outside the village. At each and every checkpoint, the merchandise had to change the means of conveyance. “We had to spend a whole day to transport goods that normally need 20 minutes to reach the destination,” underlines Khoury.

Story of a success
Symbol of the Palestinian economy, this beer is the pride of the country. Rapidly, the beer was exported to the north of Israel, which constitutes now 30% of the annual turnover of the company, an amount that remains confidential. Would this be the symbol of an economic peace, so much promoted by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister? And David Khoury to respond: “Economic peace? What economic peace? We do not even control our frontiers, and have to scan our barrels close to Hebron (south of the West Bank) to be able to deliver them to Jerusalem!”

Since then, ideas began to flourish with the Khourys. In 2005, the amber beer was brewed. The same year, the town of Taybeh hosted an Oktorberfest celebration, an annual festival of beer organized every first weekend of the month of October. Last year, more than 12,000 Palestinians and foreigners gathered for two days in the small Palestinian town to get to know the Palestinian culture and discover the new non-alcoholic variety of the beer. “This beer is intended for Arab countries,” notes David Khoury. The markets of Iraq, Kuwait and even the United States constitute the next target of the Khourys. But new breweries need to be found to serve the new markets.