Bayernbiere Bought and Drunk

Discussion in 'Germany' started by boddhitree, Dec 15, 2012.

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  1. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (970) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri


    I misinterpreted seanyfo's comment. Instead of 45 minutes until the next train, I thought he meant that the trains were crowded and he had to wait in line because he couldn't get on the next train.
     
    #801 spartan1979, Oct 9, 2013
  2. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,252) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah

    I did the Munich to Bamberg train via Nuernberg 6 weeks ago. There seemed to be a few options available, but most trains from Munich going that route were bound for Berlin and therefore you didn't have to change trains at Nuernberg.
    We ended up going on a Sunday and it was packed with almost no seats empty. The Rail Europe site wouldn't let us get reserved seats for some reason, but seemingly all of the locals had 'em. Our seats were 2 (of only about 10 on the whole train) that weren't reserved.
    Trains going that route seemed to be leaving every 90 minutes.
    On the way back we DID have reserved seats, but in spite of our train going all the way to Munich we had to change trains in Nuernberg and board a second train that was taking another route that tacked on an additional hour. We had 10 minutes to do our transfer, so it wasn't too bad.
    A few years ago we came back via Ingolstadt, which was much quicker. Apparently that route is closed for construction now, though.
     
    #802 Domingo, Oct 9, 2013
  3. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,839) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    October... another month, and another Pax Bräu beer from the Bierkalender. October's beer is the Verhopft noch Eins. On the FB page, it said it's already sold out. Damn I'm lucky to have 2 (!) 1L bottles of it delivered to my door.

    First, let's discuss the name, which is a word play in more than one way. Verhopft noch Eins, as maybe Stahlsturm can verify, is a play on the saying "Verdammt noch eins," which is similar to "verdammt noch mal." The Verdammnt noch eins is hard to translate but comes out like "damn it again," or "damn it plus one." So… in German it's a funny word play, then the fact that it's WELL hopped, or literally, "hopped plus one."

    I like the label, too. 2 "Bocks," or goats facing off in front of a target with what might be a bullet hole in it.

    [​IMG]

    It's a Weizen Doppelbock as you can see, at 9.3%, verging far into barley wine territory.
    Color is like a Märzen, light amber with orange tints under a white head.

    Aroma is strongly orangey with some bubblegum and a definite whiff of alcohol. Yes, it really smells like a Weizen with extra orange and citrus notes.

    The flavor is where things are a little different from your standard Weizen. In the front, I get a tad burning alcohol, a little orange and a little bitterness. I get some bubblegum, too, but not overpowering. In the middle, there's a slight tart and bitter note, and in the back, it's sweet, some caramel, but also a nice, sharp bitterness. in the back, I also feel the alcohol flavor rear up, but not overpower. For so much alcohol on such a young beer (filled only on Sept. 30 (2 weeks ago), and a best buy date of Dec. 30), it hides its alcohol really well. The aftertaste has a sherry tang as well as a wheat-induced dryness, leading to more sweet orange flavors. It almost reminds me of orange marmalade. This has to be one of the most interesting and best tasting Weizens I've had, ever.

    The mouthfeel is not thick at all; rather, it veers a little into thinness, but almost stays the course through the length of my glass to find a happy middle.

    Overall, a wonderful Weizen Doppelbock, with a little bubblegum to remind you of its Weizen roots, but lots of orange and some caramel sweetness with a sherry tartness to kick its way down to your gullet. Grade… 4.7.
     
    #803 boddhitree, Oct 14, 2013
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  4. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    "Verhopft" also translates to "overly hopped" (= hopped to absurd levels) so "Verhopft noch Eins" basically means "Overhopped and then some" which I'm sure is meant as a jab at all those overseas brewers possessed by hopper madness.
     
    #804 Stahlsturm, Oct 14, 2013
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  5. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,839) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks. :slight_smile: I thought that's what it meant, but I didn't want to presume, and my g/f had already gone to sleep by the time I started writing the review. So, it's a word play on more than one level. My g/f was knocked out by this beer, so I couldn't ask her for verification. I kept asking her to leave me some of the bottle to drink for my review, but she loved it so much she drank at least 70%. Remember, it was a 1L bottle at 9.3%. Shows how süffig it was, and how well it hid its alcohol; she just couldn't get enough.
     
    #805 boddhitree, Oct 14, 2013
  6. seanyfo

    seanyfo Pooh-Bah (1,718) Jan 2, 2006 Scotland
    Pooh-Bah

    Just had a Weltenburg Pils. Very nice indeed. Nice herbal aroma with hints of lemon zestiness. Delicate malt sweetness of a typical helles but with a nice punch of earthy hops in the lager clean finish. Solid creamy mouthfeel with subtle carbonation.A very nice example of a Bayern Pils!

    Prost!

    [​IMG]
     
    #806 seanyfo, Oct 15, 2013
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  7. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Spaten Oktoberfest, bottled on 19 July. So richly and beautifully balanced -- and satisfying.

    [​IMG]
     
    #807 herrburgess, Oct 15, 2013
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  8. Crusader

    Crusader Pooh-Bah (1,725) Feb 4, 2011 Sweden
    Pooh-Bah

    I really wish they would sell the amber Oktoberfest beers here. Going by appearance alone it looks quite tasty.
     
    #808 Crusader, Oct 16, 2013
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  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Oh man -- it didn't sour? I mean, pouring Spaten into a Paulaner Maß is near sacrilege! :grinning:
     
    #809 steveh, Oct 16, 2013
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  10. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,363) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    Glad you were able to find some! I agree that it's a very satisfying beer to drink. First impression, it struck me as being a touch too sweet, but it's (yet another) one of those beers that seems to get better as you drink it. As I look back on it, I'd probably put it about even with Augustiner and give both a slight edge over Hacker-Pschorr.
     
    #810 Gutes_Bier, Oct 16, 2013
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  11. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I'll send you some of the stuff being sold as Oktoberfest over here these days...

    I honestly don't find the Spaten (Amber) Okto "sweet." It's definitely not as dry as Paulaner or H-P, but it starts bready-sweet, not candy-sweet, and finishes smooth and dry. Been my favorite for many years and I'm glad InBev hasn't monkeyed with the recipe -- now, if my local distros can get their act together.
     
    #811 steveh, Oct 16, 2013
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  12. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,077) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    I can see where you might find it a touch sweet, actually. I found that that sweetness did mellow the more I drank of it. And, as Steve says, it's nothing compared to the sweetness in U.S. O'fests.
     
    #812 herrburgess, Oct 16, 2013
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  13. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,363) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    Me, too. Or rather, after finishing a liter of it I didn't care too much anymore. :grinning:
     
    #813 Gutes_Bier, Oct 16, 2013
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  14. danfue

    danfue Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2012 Germany

    The 2013 edition of Franziskaner Royal. This time a bit darker, more fruity and sweet. And with 6,0 % ABV also stronger than the last edition. It's quite good, it tastes a bit like a Weizenbock without the strength.

    [​IMG]
     
    #814 danfue, Oct 16, 2013
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  15. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,363) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    I had an irrational hatred for the 2012 Royal. Can't put it into words. To try the 2013 or not to try, that is the question...
     
    #815 Gutes_Bier, Oct 16, 2013
  16. danfue

    danfue Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2012 Germany

    Why not? Even if you don't like it, it's only a bottle of beer. And one of the better coming from the Munich big ones.
     
    #816 danfue, Oct 16, 2013
  17. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,363) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    No lie, last year's literally made me angry. Hard to explain. I do not want my beers making me angry!
     
    #817 Gutes_Bier, Oct 16, 2013
  18. einhorn

    einhorn Savant (1,175) Nov 3, 2005 California

    Is that the "Royal with cheese?"
     
    #818 einhorn, Oct 16, 2013
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  19. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I wonder if hopfenunmaltz got that joke!?!:wink:

    Cheers!
     
    #819 JackHorzempa, Oct 16, 2013
  20. boddhitree

    boddhitree Pooh-Bah (1,839) Apr 13, 2008 Germany
    Pooh-Bah

    Franziskaner…. one of the Munich big ones? Hello. They've been owned by Interbrew group since 2004, also known as AB-Inbev. There's nothing München about Franziskaner any more. It's become a horrible beer since then.
     
    #820 boddhitree, Oct 16, 2013
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