TODAY WE VISITED ROTHENBURG, a charming, old-world city imbued with the spirit of Christmas. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday so most of the famous shops were closed. The flagship store, Kathe Wohlfahrts Christmas shop, has a neat trick however: in order to get around the no-stores-open-on-Sunday-decree, they open as a museum – and as a museum they are allowed to run a gift shop. Clever eh? Needless to say we took advantage of the retail loop-hole and purchased various “weihnachts” ornaments and trinkets.
Of course the enchanting town of Rothenburg was merely the backdrop for this amateur beer bloggers agenda: the tasting of new and exciting beers. And boy, did I find a winner! Rothenburger Anno 1631 is one of the best beers I’ve tasted on this trip and definitely a beer that I will miss dearly. The sad thing is that no amount of research has enabled me to discover anything about this beer. It is truly a local phenomenon. I guess I will have to plan another visit to Germany for its sweet nectar to touch my lips again. The restaurant was called RatsStube Restaurant & Cafe. The food wavered between decent and horrid (I had a foul rabbit) and the service was typical German mediocre. But hey! you can always go just for the spectacular beer!
Rothenburger Anno 1631
Today’s beer tally:
94. Spielbacher Spezial Hell Gold-Ochsen, b
96. Schlosser Alt, b
97. Konig Pilsener, d
100. Karg Murnau Helles Hefe-Weissbier, b
*Note: b=bottle, d=draft
One of the eight beers I quaffed today was a “Landbier”. If you have read my earlier posts you may have noticed the occasional Landbier mixed in with the daily tally. What is Landbier? I’m glad you asked.
Beer Fact: Landbier translates to “country beer”. Landbier is a general term denoting a simple everyday session or quaffing brew. As an easy-drinking beer, it is usually not too hoppy. Its other characteristics, however, are fairly undefined. A Landbier is usually golden-yellow, but it may also be dark; it may be filtered like a Pils or unfiltered like a Kellerbier, and its alcohol by volume level may range between 4.8% and 5.3%. For many breweries, the term Landbier has more to do with branding a particular line of beer than with brewing a beer according to a style definition. Landbiers are made throughout Germany. (Source: German Beer Institute. This is a fantastic site – see my favorite links)
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO SEE BEER NUMBER ONE HUNDRED!
I gaze sadly into the depths of my empty wheat glass. I feel no joy, no elation at my achievement. The task at hand has been accomplished… what now? I think tomorrow I will have to taste more beer… just to cheer me up.
