In the Thuringian town of Weissensee, a corpse is found three days before the traditional beer festival commemorating the oldest German Beer Purity Law from 1434. The fact that the deceased is a Bavarian, with whom the residents of Weissensee have been disputing the oldest beer rights for years, makes the situation even more explosive. Chief Inspector Friedhelm Bernsen and his young colleague Timo Kohlschuetter find themselves caught between the Bavarian-Thuringian beer factions, steeped in tradition, pride, and long-held secrets.