Kaiser Von Schnitzelburg
Monnik Beer Co.

 

 

 

The time is right for all those fall festivals and the beer flavors that come with them. Traditionally, Bavaria was awash with a strong lager, malty in balance, elegant in its sweetness and with a kiss of herbal hops and a fine spicy bitterness to bring a semblance refreshment and satisfaction.

Pale amber and bright in its clarity, a heady froth builds and carries a breadth of malt aromatics. Bread crust, pecan, faint floral honeysuckle and a savory toasted scent bridges seamlessly into a sweet taste of angel-food cake and a hint of graham cracker.

As the taste steadies the course across the middle palate, the mouth is drenched in toasty malt sweetness. Off-caramel and lighter than honey, only the phrase "elegant maltiness" seems to fit. Candied nuttiness offsets the beer's grain character and the hop balance is herbal, mildly grassy and with a hint of peppery bite to sharpen the finish and to dampen the lingering sweetness.

Medium-bodied and continues savory but mild, the late taste is one of a malty-dry balance with the sweetness clearly in the forefront. Nearly minty in its herbal-ness, the finish trails with spice and grain in a medium-length afterglow.