DAY 10: THE ART OF WHEAT BEER

I wasn’t sure whether I should believe my wife’s cousin Franz when he said he lived in a castle.  Sure enough, he lives in a castle, a one-bedroom suite in a castle, but still… a castle.  The notion is distinctly alien (and somewhat romantic) to us North American types.  In addition to his domiciliary good fortune he is also blessed with gastronomic good fortune because the main floor of the castle houses an excellent restaurant.  Want an amazing cappuccino?  No problem… it’s just a trip down the stairs.

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

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Day 9: BILLY-GOAT BEER

BOCK IS THE GERMAN WORD FOR BILLY-GOAT (Now I know why Bock beers often have an image of a billy-goat on their labels).

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

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DAY 8: THE MID-WAY DILEMMA

OK, I admit wavering on my goal; but only for the best of reasons – my health.  The steady, relentless consumption of beer has started to weigh a little heavy on me.

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...

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DAY 6: CHRIST-KINDLESMARKT

Christkindelsmarkt (Christ child market) is a long-standing tradition in Germany.  Christmas markets have been documented as far back as the 1300’s.  We were lucky enough to sample both the Frankfurt market and the Nuremberg market.  The Nuremberg market is one of the most popular in Germany attracting between 1.5 and 2 million visitors a year.

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.

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DAY 5: STARKBIERZEIT

Today’s beer tally:

21. Turmherren Urhell, b

22. Zirndorfer Kellerbier Naturtrub, b

23. Kulmbacher Monchshof Weihnachts Bier, b

24. Veldensteiner Festbier, b

25. Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock, b

26. Losch-Zwerg Wurzig Lagerbier, b

27. St. Georgen Bräu Buttenheim Helles, b

28. Gutmann Dunkles Hefeweizen, b

29. Felson Brau Solarbier Felsentrunk, b

*Note: b=bottle, d=draft

various "festbiers"

TODAY I HAD MY FIRST WEIHNACHTSBIER.  “Weihnachten” is German for Christmas.  Weihnachtsbier (sometimes called Festbier, Starkbier, Winterbier) is a seasonal brew intended to provide the winter-inflicted body with a more substantial quaff.  It’s normal for these beers to pack a 6 – 8 % alcoholic punch.  In Bavaria, winter is sometimes refered to as starkbierzeit – strong beer time.  You gotta love that!

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