Zwickelbier
Bolten Brauerei

Zwickelbeir aus dem Hause Bongartz in Aldenhoven, Germany, and brewed "nach alt-Monschauer Art" (in old Monschau tradition). This beer is actually out of the Hausbrauerei Bongartz, but this house brewery is likely operated by Bolten out of Korschenbrioch (since there is a reference on the back of its label referring inquiries to their website). I had first tasted this beer while visiting the small half-timbered wondertown of Monschau in the Eifel region of western Germany (minutes from the Belgian border) and brought back a couple bottles.

A zwickelbier, hefetrüb-dunkel. Unfiltered zwickel dark beer.

Pour: Swingtop bottle poured into glass a nicely cloudy, unfiltered medium brown ("bernstein" or amber). Its aroma was pleasant - a crisp malt, and pretty full.

Taste: Once this beer warmed slightly, was able to perceive a bit of hop character - but just a subtlety compared to other German zwickels I have tried which do usually express a bit more hoppiness. Big malt, though, predominates, and I did enjoy the malts incorporated into this offering.

Mouthfeel was pretty thin, despite being unfiltered. Perhaps thinner than some of the more southern of the style I have encountered. Zwickels are highly drinkable as a rule anyway, this really conveys it.

Nothing spectacular so far as beers go in general, though it is nice to enjoy a truly regional specialty. While in the region a few days, I did not notice many other regional varieties - just some of the big-named pilsner brewery bottles.