Hansa Malz
Dortmunder Actien Brauerei / DAB

I figured when the hell am I going to get to try a Malzbier again? So I picked one up at the Rewe grocery store below our room and here it goes... (On a side note, I'm not quite sure how to rate this, as I have no standard Malzbier with which to compare this).

A- Slightly lighter and redder than Coke, but pretty similar looking overall except for the thin tan head that lingers.
S- Sickly sweet; Grapenuts was the first thing that popped into my head; grainy; almost a farm-like scent, but I think that's just the grain smell.
T- For anybody who's ever brewed, it tastes like carbonated wort. For those who haven't, it's cloyingly sweet. The taste of cane and brown sugar hits your palate immediately. Nothing really complex, just sweet malt with a touch (and I mean just a touch) of hops in the finish.
M- On the thin side for a beer; typical of a cola.
D- I think I should be drinking this ice cold, which I'm not. As it is, I can't imagining finishing this 0.5L bottle.

Overall: I suppose it's worth trying as a curiosity if you've never had the style before. To that extent, I don't regret buying the bottle. But that being said, I can't imagine I'll ever buy this again. I'm also not sure if I'd ever try another brand of Malzbier. Of course, if it had more bitterness and maybe some roasted flavors, it might be a little more interesting. As such, I'm not entirely ready to condemn the idea of Malzbier.

On a side note, Malzbier is now being marketed as an energy drink. The bottle reads: "Erfrischender Malzdrink: more taste, more fun, more energy." How depressing that a country with such an incredible brewing tradition is turning to second-rate Malzbiers and beer cocktails such as Radler (Pils and Sprite) and Diesel (Pils and Coke) for their thirst-quenching needs.