AVENTINUS WEIZEN EISBOCK ALE  (Germany)

Extra strong beer

12% alc/vol

500ml

This is a heady, sweet, malty, beverage!  Not for the feint of heart and many, many kilometers away from everyday beer avenue!  The gorilla in the room, Mr. Alcohol, was very present – in fact he was breathing in my face like a hairy lineman, but I was ready, having come to the playing field with a killer defensive play – something I like to call the meat and cheese blitz. Yes, a pairing was necessary for me to slide into the end zone of delectation.  I just can’t picture Joe Schmo sitting in his barca lounger enjoying this beer without some sort of food complement – it’s that demanding.  But, I confess the combo of European sausage, herb spiced aged cheddar and picaunte moza cheese turned this bock wheat beer experience into an enjoyable, if intense, event.  This ain’t no Margaritaville with Mr. Buffett – this is Pink Floyd at the laser dome!  In fact, drinking some Aventinus before going to Floyd at the laser dome might not be a bad idea… crap.. . I think I’m a little buzzed – Mr. Alcohol delivered a few sucker punches while I wasn’t looking!

Make sure you pour it properly – must be prepared like a wheat beer.  For specifics visit my earlier post:

http://blabbersaurus.wordpress.com/2009/12/25/day-10/

Extra Strong Beer!

Bingo!  My Beer Jihad was certainly vigorous.  A tiny barley kernel of an idea that grew into a whirlwind of activity: researching, seeking, purchasing, tasting – and not just by myself – for it was a hardy team effort:  My hat’s off to the wife’s family and the inestimable energy spent proving the Rhineland’s foamy worthiness.  Additionally, my hat’s off to all of Germany; the natives embraced my labor and lent their spirited encouragement and assistance.

Emotional?  Certainly.  What is euphoria, suspense, disappointment, inspiration… if not emotional?

Crusade?  The romantic in me is particularly fond of this word – but feel free to substitute:  goal, challenge, mission, what have you.  The point is, as we go through our individual lives, we all undeniably stumble across opportunities to engage in a crusade.  I say to thee: “take up the sword and charge into the fray!”  What better way to learn of oneself, what better way to improve oneself?

Idea or principle:  My beer challenge was:  Could I taste 100 beers in 14 days?  I’m not quite sure that has anything to do with principal.  Now if someone had said to me: “Dark–haired men cannot drink as much as light-haired men,” then I may very well have taken up the venture merely as a matter of principal.

Hmmm, I wonder what a study of hair-color and one’s propensity for beer drinking would show?   No matter, I have encountered the Holy Grail and have found myself worthy.

Today’s beer tally:

108.  Licher Premium Biere Pils, d

109.  Licher Premium Biere Export, d

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

The establishment:  Hausbrauerei Altstadthof

Location:  Nürnberg (Nuremberg in English)

Our guide:  Cousin Franz

An upper-end establishment amongst the trendy shops in the center market area, Hausbrauerei Altstadthof had great service, pleasant atmosphere, wonderful regional food and one of my favorite beers: Hausbrauerei Altstadthof RotBier.  Note that “RotBier” is not recognized specifically as a type of beer – literally translated it means red beer.  I also sampled their DunklerBock and SchwarzBier – both admirable, but for me, the halo shone over the RotBier.  Online reviews mention earthy, toasty, sweet, hint of smokiness… my review: yummmm (I know what I like – I just haven’t developed the vocabulary necessary to properly share my observations!)

The delectable surprise came in the form of bieramisu.  I can see it now… the house chef startling awake in the middle of the night struck by a thunderbolt of inspiration:  “I will take my tiramisu… and I will add beer!”  Brilliant.  And it was brilliant – cool and creamy with a tantalizing hint of beer.

It appears that the famous German priest and theologian Martin Luther was a huge fan of beer.  We began talking about him because the pub had one of his quotes on the wall.  I suppose his fondness for beer is not so surprising – beer in his day was essentially a food staple.  He was a very smart man – apparently, he married a woman who brewed beer!

Today’s beer tally:

101.  Hausbrauerei Altstadthof DunklerBock, d

102.  Hausbrauerei Altstadthof RotBier, d

103.  Hausbrauerei Altstadthof SchwarzBier, d

104.  Engel Aloisius, b

105.  Wallburg Hell, b

106.  Wolfshoher Pilsner, b

107.  Marke Original Oettinger Export, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

A note on “Export” beers:  As you can see beer number 107 is Marke Original Oettinger Export.  But why is it called Export?

Beer fact: purchasing an export beer will usually guarantee you a slightly higher alcohol percentage.  This is a bit of an old-world carry over.  Alcohol acts like a natural preservative so in days of yore, the smart brewer would bump the alcohol percentage for any beer that needed to be transported any distance.  Nowadays, any beer can be labeled an “export” – pilsner, helles, dunkel – as long as it is brewed stronger than its foundation brew.

Who knew?  Until the 70’s, Export beers used to be Germany’s most common beer style.  It has since been usurped by the current reigning champ – Pils.  Pils holds approximately 60% market share.

Useful links:

http://www.hausbrauerei-altstadthof.de/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hausbrauerei-Altstadthof/118478354855097?filter=3

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:

93. Rothenburger Anno 1631, b

94. Spielbacher Spezial Hell Gold-Ochsen, b

95. Engel Keller-Dunkel, b

96. Schlosser Alt, b

97. Konig Pilsener, d

98. Enger Keller-Hell, b

99. Engel Landbier Hell

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.

Day 11 of my venerable campaign was a substantial day. I climbed into the auto with the Pussycats (my wife, her sister and two aunts) and we scooted out to the Bavarian countryside – first stop: The Town of Rohr.

Christmas ornaments outside the restaurant

Rohr was petite, charmingly rural, and intriguing – with a strange, random smattering of creative totems hinting at the existence of tormented sculptors and exiled poets. But its epicenter, as far as we were concerned, was the Gasthof Böhm restaurant.

This restaurant is well known for its traditional fare.  Its cuisine (and selection of beers) was the reason we had come.

Check out the beer choices on the menu. Vom fass means draught, altfränkisch means Old Frankish, alkoholfrei means without alcohol, radler refers to a shandy (beverage made from beer mixed with lemonade or lemon soda) and cola-weizen means cola mixed with wheat beer.  Apparently, radler and cola-weizen are typical Bavarian drinks.  In retrospect, I wish I had tried them (but they just sounded so awful!).

It was a lovely sunny day, the food was great, the Pussycats were entertaining, I managed to sample another four Barley Boys – what more could an amateur beer hunter ask?

Next, we piled into the car and headed for the city of Schwabach.

Schwabach is renowned for its crafts made of gold – particularly gold foil.  I was hoping that it would also prove proficient in my favorite type of gold – liquid gold!

Schwabach town hall with gold roof

The city did not disappoint; after diverting ourselves with Schwabach’s architectural intricacies, the cobblestone led us to Privat-Brauerei Leitner.  If you ever find yourself parched in the city of Schwabach, this unassuming red brick building is the place to be!

While it’s definitely not the norm in North America, it’s not uncommon in Germany, particularly in smaller towns, to locate a bar or restaurant that serves its own beer.  (I guess it’s not so much a restaurant that serves its own beer, as it is a brewery that also happens to have a restaurant attached.)  Apparently, this brewery opened in 1530.  They brew nine different types of beer.  I sampled their Hell, Pils, Schwabacher Weisse and Zwickel Bier.

This was it!  I had reached beer hunter Nirvana.  When the idea first came to me – about attempting a German beer safari – this is exactly what I had imagined: a captivating town, good company, an ancient brewery… and damn good beer.  Here I was living the dream: this wasn’t bottled beer that I could order in a Toronto sports bar – but rather, beer that had been carefully crafted in the same place and in the same way for centuries – beer that not only gives the tongue hops and barley, but infuses the entire body and spirit with the essence of beer culture and history.  Everything becomes a part of the experience – the exotic language, the ample scent of Franconian cooking, the cigarette holder in the urinal – everything. Today, in this little German city, my senses marveled at the differences, embraced the similarities, and feasted in the adventure.

See what I mean about Day 11?  Substantial!

Today’s beer tally:

80. Tucher Altfrankisch Dunkel, d

81. Tucher Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel, d

82. Lederer Premium Pils, b

— Zirndorfer Hell Landbier vom fass, d

83. Leitner Hell, d

84. Leitner Pils, d

85. Leitner Schwabacher Weisse, d

86. Leitner Zwickel Bier, d

87. Kitzmann Helles, b

88. Kitzmann Edelpils, b

89. Friesisches Brauhaus Jever Pilsener, b

90. Bitburger Premium Pils, b

91. Unser Paderborner Pilsener, c

92. Carlsberg Elephant, c

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft, c=can, “—” before the beer means an accidental repeat and thus the beer cannot be counted! Aargh!

Useful links:

http://www.gasthof-boehm.de/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gasthof-Bohm/124472274273928

The plan on this particular eve was to dine in Franz’s apartment with fine German cuisine supplied by the main floor tenant.  Dinner was superb, with various pork, sausage and game meals as the star attraction.  While most paired their meals with wine (oh wine, how I miss thee) I, of course, stuck to beverages of a more barley persuasion.

I had almost given up on Weissbier (wheat beer) as a personal choice when I was given an important lesson by our host: Pouring wheat beer is an art-form, with specific rules, admired techniques and contests of skill – the outcome of which greatly affects the enjoyability of the drink.  Who knew?

Wheat Beerish things to keep in mind:

- Ensure your bottle of wheat beer is vertical in the fridge – preferably at a temperature around 8°C.

- Make sure you use a proper wheat beer glass.

- Never use a dishwasher to clean your glass.

- Before pouring, rinse the glass well in cold water.

- Hold the glass at a slight angle and pour the beer slowly along the side of the glass.  Do not empty the bottle - leave about a finger’s width at the bottom.

- Swirl the bottle gently in order to agitate the yeast. Then pour the remaining beer swiftly into the center of the glass.

- Following these steps will ensure that the yeast sediment is now evenly distributed throughout the glass and helps form the perfect frothy head.

After pouring my bottle of Unertl Weissbier properly – I was surprised how much more I enjoyed the taste of wheat beer.

What exactly is Wheat Beer you ask?

BEER FACT: In Germany, Wheat beer is a top-fermented beer that is brewed with a large proportion of wheat.  Wheat beers often also contain a significant proportion of malted barley.

Honestly, I get a little confused with all the different ways they refer to wheat beer in Germany.  So far I have had Weissbier, Hefe-Weissbier, Weissbierpils, Hefeweizien, Dunkles Hefeweizen, Kristallweizen, and Weizen Dunkel.  As I understand it Weissbier, Hefe-Weissbier and Hefeweizien are all the same style.  Adding Dunkles or Dunkel means it is a dark, stronger version.  Kristallweizen refers to a filtered version of wheat beer which removes the cloudiness and Weissbierpils is a mix beer made up of half Pilsner and half Weizen.

Today’s beer tally:

73. Rittmayer Hallerndorfer Kellerbier, b

74. Pyraser Schwarzbier, b

75. Augustinerbräu München Lagerbier Hell, b

76. Brauerei-Mälzerei Lindenbräu Vollbier, b

77. Leikeim Premium Pilsener, b

78. Unertl Weissbier, b

79. Karg Murnau Dunkles Hefe-Weissbier, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

A hilarious Bock Beer label. Source: NoRelevance.com

Bock beer is said to have originated from the German town of Einbeck.  According to my research on the internet (sarcastic voice: thus it must be true), the town’s slogan is: “Without Einbeck, there would be no Bock Beer.”

BEER FACT: Bock beer is a very strong lager traditionally brewed in the fall and aged through the winter for consumption in the spring (source: wordnetweb.princeton.edu). When I climbed the Wikipedia mountain and consulted the Wiki-Guru, he had this to say: Bocks have a long history of being brewed and consumed by Roman Catholic monks in Germany. During the spring religious season of Lent, monks were required to fast.  High-gravity Bock beers are higher in food energy and nutrients than lighter lagers, thus providing sustenance during this period.

Another hilarious label. Source: NoRelevance.com

Bock beers come in several varieties: Maibock, Hellerbock, Weizenbock, Doppelbock and Eisbock. Today I had the privilege of sampling Felson Brau’s Felsator Doppelbock, a very enjoyable, smooth-tasting beer.  We can thank the Bavarian monks of St. Francis of Paula for originating this version of bock beer.  Doppelbock or double bock has an alcohol content that ranges between 6% to over 10% by volume.  Historic versions had lower alcohol content and higher sweetness, and were considered “liquid bread” by the monks. Technical observations that I have read mention the flavor as very rich, malty and sweet, with toasty flavors and noticeable alcoholic strength.

But what I find really cool are the names!  Apparently it is traditional to have the names end with “ator”.  So we have beers like: Maximator, Optimator, Troegenator, Bajuvator, Salvator – and yes, there is even a brewery in the US that has named their version Procrastinator!

Felson Felsator Doppelbock

Today’s beer tally:

61. Stadtbrauerei Roth Kellerbier, b

62. Loscher 1881 Premium, b

63. Echt Veldensteiner Landbier, b

64. Felson Felsator Doppelbock, b

65. Felson Kellerzwickl Lagerbier, b

66. Felson Bräu Hefeweizen, b

67. Holsten Pilsener Premium, b

68. Hofmann Hopfen Gold Pilsener, b

69. Oettinger Winterbier, b

70. Benediktinerabtei Plankstetten, b

71. Kloster Andechs Andechser Dunkel, b

72. Die Franken Halbe Pilsner, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

But first, let me describe the self-imposed rules of the endeavor:

– It is 100 different beers; repeats don’t count toward the total.

– It must be an honest taste, not a sip.  This means at least a 1/4 of a beer (German beers are usually .5 liters).  On average, I have been drinking between 3/4 to a full beer at every go.

– Research is an integral part of the process.  If I don’t know what it is, I must find out.

– At all times I must strive to not get drunk.  So far so good… although I have been borderline “tipsy”.  The key to maintaining this point is pacing (starting early) and eating (consuming above-average quantities of food).

So back to my dilemma.  I can feel my body struggling a little.  Surely this is not healthy.  And what about my previously svelte waistline?  Will this lead to American mid-westernizing of my stomach?  50 beers in 7 days is still a victory is it not?

But that’s the rub… 50 beers in 7 days just doesn’t have that ring to it.  One of the reasons I committed to this undertaking is my respect for stories. When I am old and grey, what else will I have?  How else will I define the years?  Isn’t the past but a vast library populated by average books?  Isn’t it our duty to insert as many great tales as possible?  I think so.

But I wax poetic.  Thankfully, while I wavered on the fence my wife came along and pushed me over:

WIFE: “You cannot be a quitter.  If you set a goal for yourself you must accomplish it, no matter how foolhardy.  Imagine this task as if it were every task you set yourself.”

And so, we push forward…

Today’s beer tally:

50. Franziskaner Weissbier Naturtrüb, b

51. Eku Pils, b

52. Kapuzinier Weizen Dunkel, b

53. Warsteiner Premium Verum, b

54. Felson Bräu Weihnachts Bier, b

55. Aktien Zwick’l Kellerbier. b

56. Kulmbacher Edelherb Premium Pils, b

57. Hetzelsdorfer Weihnachts-Festbier, b

58. Die Franken Halbe Helles Vollbier, b

59. Neumarkter Lammsbräu zzzisch Edel Pils, b

— Loscher Premium Pilsner, b

60. Spalter Bier Helles Vollbier, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

The cataloguing continues...

…followed by a day trip to Bamberg.

Bamberg

I THINK I TOOK A BAZILLION PICTURES IN BAMBERG. It made my top ten list of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited. Bamberg is embraced by charming landscape, populated by amazingly preserved buildings and blessed by graceful architecture, but the one quality that left the strongest impression on me was its “livability”. Yes, people actually live there. Children walk the streets, choirs practice, elders sip wine in their favorite watering hole. It didn’t have that touristy, I-only-work-here feel to it like some other places I’ve been. But hey, this blog isn’t called MY BAMBERGIAN ADVENTURE so let’s get to the meat of it. In this case… Rauchbier.

BEER FACT: Rauchbier is defined by Wikipedia as “smoked beer” – a type of beer with a distinctive smoke flavor imparted by using malted barley dried over an open flame. The Rauchbiers of Bamberg in Germany, Schlenkerla in particular, are the best-known of the smoked beers.

After a day of exploring the city (a world UNESCO site by the way), we were exhausted and hungry.  It seemed every eating establishment we tried was closed.  Finally, we stumbled across a small, unassuming tavern that was serving food.  At that point they could have served us warmed-over roadkill and we would have been happy.  Lucky for us, we had unwittingly discovered an eating venue that would perfectly exemplify the best of regional food and drink.

My glorious meal

I ordered pork belly with Sauerkraut and potato dumpling… and of course, my first smoked beer: Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier

Today’s beer tally:

39. Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel, b

40. St. Georgen Bräu Kellerbier vom fass, d

41. St. Georgen Bräu Pils vom fass, d

42. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier vom fass, d

43. St. Georgen Bräu Hefeweizen vom fass, d

44. Weltenburger Urtyp Hell, b

45. Krug-Bräu Breitenlesau Weihnachtsbier, b

46. Engel First Lady Spezial-Bier, b

47. Engel Weissbierpils, b

48. Engel Bock Hell, b

49. Brauhaus Altenkunstadt Steinbier Original, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

By the way – the wonderful tavern is called:  ”Kachelofen” and their link is here:

http://www.zumkachelofen.de

Nuremberg Christkindelsmarkt

OK, enough of the Wikipedia regurgitation; here are my first hand observations: Jam packed with Glühwein-guzzling Germans and tourists it’s really something to see.  Most of the booths are authentic – selling traditional treats, drinks and crafts.  Very few sold anything that felt cheap or “commercial”.

I was surprised how “social” it all felt, like it was just some great big excuse to meet, drink and be merry.  I was particularly amazed to notice barely a phone or PDA in sight.  Had this been a Toronto event, half the revelers would have some techno-device attached to their face.  I actually felt a little self-conscious brandishing my iPhone – like some crass “Ami” (American).

Tucher’s addition to the merriment comes in the form of their Christ-Kindlesmarkt Bier.

Today’s beer tally:

30. Loscher Pils Premium, b

31. Spalter Premium Pils vom fass, d

32. Spalter Export Dunkel, d

33. Zirndorfer Landbier, b

34. Tucher Hefeweizen vom fass, d

35. Tucher Kristallweizen, b

36. Tucher Pils vom fab, d

37. Ubersee Export vom fab, d

38. Tucher Christ-Kindlesmarkt Bier, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

BOOZE FACT: Glühwein is popular in German-speaking countries.  It is a traditional beverage offered and drunk during the Christmas holidays. It is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar.