Professor Fritz Briem 13th Century Grut Bier | Professor Fritz Briem
Brewed by:
Professor Fritz Briem
Germany
Style: Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.60%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Created by Dr. Fritz Briem of Doemens Institute ( http://www.doemens.org ), brewed by Weihenstephan & Doemens.
Added by Slatetank on 07-29-2008
Ratings: 300 | Reviews: 166
4.5/5 rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A beautiful beer in all aspects. Complex herbal bouquet - slightly perfumed and floral, smelling like spring, laurel & bay, rosemary and lemon balm. Flavor adds a mentholated winter green brightness, slight ginger bight, rustic wildness of sage. Slightly mossy and forest edge. Effervescent but not sharp; rounded and soft. All this makes the beer sound incredibly odd. The real accomplishment here is that it's not; its uniqueness is intriguing rather than in your face and challenging. To American palates unaccustomed to herbal drinks, only familiar with herbs as something in your occasional cough drop or medicine, sure; I can see how they may struggle to wrap their minds around this. But for anyone with a modicum of culinary sophistication, this is astounding.
768 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A beautiful beer in all aspects. Complex herbal bouquet - slightly perfumed and floral, smelling like spring, laurel & bay, rosemary and lemon balm. Flavor adds a mentholated winter green brightness, slight ginger bight, rustic wildness of sage. Slightly mossy and forest edge. Effervescent but not sharp; rounded and soft. All this makes the beer sound incredibly odd. The real accomplishment here is that it's not; its uniqueness is intriguing rather than in your face and challenging. To American palates unaccustomed to herbal drinks, only familiar with herbs as something in your occasional cough drop or medicine, sure; I can see how they may struggle to wrap their minds around this. But for anyone with a modicum of culinary sophistication, this is astounding.
768 characters
3.29/5 rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.7/5 rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4.39/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.82/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.5/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear golden pour with a white one-finger head. Very herbal aroma with a hint of honey and ginger. Taste has ginger upfront backed by tea leaf, straw and light lemon flavors. Anise and mint also stand out.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clear golden pour with a white one-finger head. Very herbal aroma with a hint of honey and ginger. Taste has ginger upfront backed by tea leaf, straw and light lemon flavors. Anise and mint also stand out.
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4.25/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.07/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
From a 500 ml bottle to a nonic glass.
A-The beer is clear, but I managed to let a few chunky floaties from the bottom of the bottle into my glass. Color is light yellowish golden; lager like. The head is short and white, and fades quickly. No lacing.
S-The aroma is very herbal with bay leaves and ginger being quite prominent. I also sniff some light pine (although the beer isn't bitter, per se) and caraway, as well as a bit of anise. There is a little bit of lemon-lime citrus tartness in there. Interesting and pretty appealing smell.
T-The taste, like the smell is very herbal with a lot of ginger. There is less bay leaf though, and the overall impression is more like herbal tea. Other flavors include juniper and pine, as well as some anise that gets stronger as the beer warms. A little bready-honey sweetness gives the beer some body against the herbs.
M-The feel is medium to light in heft with a nice, smooth, semi-creamy finish.
O-I wasn't sure what to expect with this beer, but it turned out interesting and drinkable. I don't know that I would pound this all afternoon, but with the right food, I could see this pairing really well.
1,158 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
From a 500 ml bottle to a nonic glass.
A-The beer is clear, but I managed to let a few chunky floaties from the bottom of the bottle into my glass. Color is light yellowish golden; lager like. The head is short and white, and fades quickly. No lacing.
S-The aroma is very herbal with bay leaves and ginger being quite prominent. I also sniff some light pine (although the beer isn't bitter, per se) and caraway, as well as a bit of anise. There is a little bit of lemon-lime citrus tartness in there. Interesting and pretty appealing smell.
T-The taste, like the smell is very herbal with a lot of ginger. There is less bay leaf though, and the overall impression is more like herbal tea. Other flavors include juniper and pine, as well as some anise that gets stronger as the beer warms. A little bready-honey sweetness gives the beer some body against the herbs.
M-The feel is medium to light in heft with a nice, smooth, semi-creamy finish.
O-I wasn't sure what to expect with this beer, but it turned out interesting and drinkable. I don't know that I would pound this all afternoon, but with the right food, I could see this pairing really well.
1,158 characters
3.88/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.51/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
500mL bottle poured into a mug.
A gentle pour creates a quarter finger of foamy, pale white head. Slight haziness dulls the golden body a bit and obscures the steady carbonation. 4
Such a strong herbal aroma emanates from this beer. It's clove-like, heavily woodsy like juniper or some other spicy and woody tree and has a resemblance to a strong herbal tea. There's a hint of tartness and something that suggest lemon to me. Smelling this beer blind, I'd think it was tea for sure. 3.5
Everything from the nose carries over to the palate, resulting again, in a tea-like flavor, but with more body and a spritzy carbonation. Each sip offers an herbal and slightly spicy spruce or juniper flavor that gives way to black tea. A light lemony character drifts in and out throughout this medley of flavors and then a menthol-like flavor drops in on the finish and lingers, numbing the tongue along with the flavor it provides. 3.5
Light in body, with a highly carbonated mouthfeel, tea-like in how it drinks at points, and at other times more like what you'd expect from a light lager. The finish will linger in a tongue-numbing fashion as will the herbs. It's a bit much for the mouth, I'd say. 3.25
I tried this over 2 years ago and was wowed. Drinking it now, I'm not as enamored, but I still find there's some appeal in drinking this for the sheer uniqueness of it all.
1,374 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
500mL bottle poured into a mug.
A gentle pour creates a quarter finger of foamy, pale white head. Slight haziness dulls the golden body a bit and obscures the steady carbonation. 4
Such a strong herbal aroma emanates from this beer. It's clove-like, heavily woodsy like juniper or some other spicy and woody tree and has a resemblance to a strong herbal tea. There's a hint of tartness and something that suggest lemon to me. Smelling this beer blind, I'd think it was tea for sure. 3.5
Everything from the nose carries over to the palate, resulting again, in a tea-like flavor, but with more body and a spritzy carbonation. Each sip offers an herbal and slightly spicy spruce or juniper flavor that gives way to black tea. A light lemony character drifts in and out throughout this medley of flavors and then a menthol-like flavor drops in on the finish and lingers, numbing the tongue along with the flavor it provides. 3.5
Light in body, with a highly carbonated mouthfeel, tea-like in how it drinks at points, and at other times more like what you'd expect from a light lager. The finish will linger in a tongue-numbing fashion as will the herbs. It's a bit much for the mouth, I'd say. 3.25
I tried this over 2 years ago and was wowed. Drinking it now, I'm not as enamored, but I still find there's some appeal in drinking this for the sheer uniqueness of it all.
1,374 characters
4.04/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16.9 oz. bottle poured into nonic
L: cloudy yellow, almost pineapple juice-like, pushes up a bit of a head, maybe 1/4-inch of white foam; lots of sediment and hard to keep in the bottle and out of the glass; relatively clear considering the amount of sediment, perhaps 70/30 clear/cloudy-misty; the yellow color has just the slightest hint of orange in it, almost peach
S: minty ... and sweet, like spearmint gum ... and it must be coming from a mix of things with ginger -- the ginger/minty aroma is so strong you can smell it as you pour; basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme with basil and rosemary being the most prominent; about as interesting as anything you could put your nose to, as many as 10-15 different notes at different times
T: ginger root ... very bitter, earthy, no sweetness whatsoever; a slight lemon tart note peeks in, offering a bit of a break from the bitter root taste, almost like chewing the bark of what we called "medicine trees" growing up; wow, the palette seems to be adjusting quickly, because some of the mint is showing, offering a bit more of a break from the bitter root, just a hint of sweetness; the aftertaste is still full-on bitter bland tree root; as it warms, the herbs begin to show up much more, rosemary and basil with the lemon/mint sweet/tart notes still in there
F: all-around solid, lightly carbonated but a good midweight heft ... comes off much like a standard lower ABV farmhouse ale and definitely feels like a beer
O: what an experience ... it's not for the light of heart, because that first sip tastes like liquified tree root, very dirty bitter and I don't mean English fuggle hops -- I mean stick your tongue in a dirtpile dirt; but as it warms and your palate adjusts, a slight lemony sweetness and mint help balance the strong ginger root presence and make it very drinkable; a truly herbal drink
1,863 characters
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16.9 oz. bottle poured into nonic
L: cloudy yellow, almost pineapple juice-like, pushes up a bit of a head, maybe 1/4-inch of white foam; lots of sediment and hard to keep in the bottle and out of the glass; relatively clear considering the amount of sediment, perhaps 70/30 clear/cloudy-misty; the yellow color has just the slightest hint of orange in it, almost peach
S: minty ... and sweet, like spearmint gum ... and it must be coming from a mix of things with ginger -- the ginger/minty aroma is so strong you can smell it as you pour; basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme with basil and rosemary being the most prominent; about as interesting as anything you could put your nose to, as many as 10-15 different notes at different times
T: ginger root ... very bitter, earthy, no sweetness whatsoever; a slight lemon tart note peeks in, offering a bit of a break from the bitter root taste, almost like chewing the bark of what we called "medicine trees" growing up; wow, the palette seems to be adjusting quickly, because some of the mint is showing, offering a bit more of a break from the bitter root, just a hint of sweetness; the aftertaste is still full-on bitter bland tree root; as it warms, the herbs begin to show up much more, rosemary and basil with the lemon/mint sweet/tart notes still in there
F: all-around solid, lightly carbonated but a good midweight heft ... comes off much like a standard lower ABV farmhouse ale and definitely feels like a beer
O: what an experience ... it's not for the light of heart, because that first sip tastes like liquified tree root, very dirty bitter and I don't mean English fuggle hops -- I mean stick your tongue in a dirtpile dirt; but as it warms and your palate adjusts, a slight lemony sweetness and mint help balance the strong ginger root presence and make it very drinkable; a truly herbal drink
1,863 characters
5/5 rDev +30.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
L: Pours straw with a slight haze under a thin, white foam cap.
S: A bouquet of spice, most noticeably rosemary, caraway, ginger and anise.
T: A lightly sweet with a hint of sour backgone provides a playground for the spice. Many are hard to pin down and come in and out of focus. Anise and rosemary definitely with a does of ginger heat and flavor that lingers long into the aftertaste. Some background chamomile.
F: Light, refreshing with some sparkle.
O: This is a unique, fragrant, perfumey, herby, light and real fresh beer, well worth hunting down and drinking.
573 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
L: Pours straw with a slight haze under a thin, white foam cap.
S: A bouquet of spice, most noticeably rosemary, caraway, ginger and anise.
T: A lightly sweet with a hint of sour backgone provides a playground for the spice. Many are hard to pin down and come in and out of focus. Anise and rosemary definitely with a does of ginger heat and flavor that lingers long into the aftertaste. Some background chamomile.
F: Light, refreshing with some sparkle.
O: This is a unique, fragrant, perfumey, herby, light and real fresh beer, well worth hunting down and drinking.
573 characters
4.43/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.28/5 rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.08/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.37/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Professor Fritz Briem 13th Century Grut Bier from Professor Fritz Briem
3.83
out of 5
based on 300 ratings.
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5