Bayernbiere Bought and Drunk (2020)

Trying a new beer that was launched this month at the monopoly. Aldersbacher Kloster Dunkel. 5.3% abv, 12% plato, 16 IBU. The color is as expected, a beautiful dark reddish brown. The aroma is a mixture of caramel malt and the roastiness of color malt. Other than that it is very clean smelling. The flavor is mild with a caramel malt flavor and a roasted flavor, with a mild bitterness. It's a dry beer despite the caramel malt flavor and the body and mouthfeel is average, it's not thin. The aftertaste is dry. The beer is very clean tasting.

It's very much a standard Dunkel with the emphasis on the caramel and color malt. I think I would prefer it with some extra body and a more bittersweet flavor profile. A more rustic taste to go along with the color of the beer and the tradition-heavy marketing.

 

nice little selection arrived today!

 

some all time favorites of mine among these.
I'd love to know how many bottles of huppendorfer I've emptied throughout my time living in franconia...

 

I came across an old favorite this afternoon, it had recently arrived but sadly not too fresh with just two months left on it. The girl (I use to trust her) told me the beer was fine though, and as Augustiner doesn´t show often I couldn´t help myself and took one. To my surprise for a beer this delicate, it was not only flawless but actually delicious, with maybe some faded aromas but yet a more than decent bitterness and pretty tasty malts. One of the most drinkable beers around? Certainly up there with the very best helles imo (f not the best). I really wish I could get it fresh more often (or even not that fresh!).

 

I´ve been thinking about that but forgot to ask, as I´ve been told Ayinger 'does the same' recently (true?), and had some Weissenohe beers last year actually doing it as in their website (6-9 months IIRC).

That would explain it if the export dates follow that rule, as the Augustiner was definitely fine. Thanks!

 

where you able to finish it?

 

I did not, the beer was intolerably cloying...

 

I'm drinking Egerer Gold Märzen, 5.5% abv, which was launched as a limited time release here in September. I've had their Edel Pils in the past when it was sold at the monopoly and I thought it was a really nice German pilsner. This beer is darkish brown in color. The aroma is quite clean with a mild malty aroma. The flavor is malty, with a mild caramel malt flavor and a mildly bittersweet flavor overall (IBUs are probably around the 20 mark). The body and mouthfeel is medium. It is very clean, with no houseflavor to speak of. The atertaste is lightly bittersweet.

I think it's quite tasty, and compared with the Aldersbacher Kloster Dunkel it has more of that heft that I want in a dark lager beer.

 

as it says on the bottle, ein schluck bamberg, and it does remind me of talking to franconian weirdos in the courtyard at fassla, nice and malty, a decent bit of bitterness, 6% abv, only complaint is theres a slight butteriness

 

It's been over 5 years since I had this beer but I can still recall it tasting of diacetyl. I was surprised at the time to come across a German beer with that flavor. I imagine it must be due to their fermentation process (perhaps in part due to them sticking to more traditional, i.e colder, primary fermentation temperatures?). These days I doubt I would mind it, but I recall not being a fan of this beer when I had it because of that butteriness.

 

yeah i must admit that the diacetyl would probably stop me from drinking more than one, fassla do some much better beers in my opinion

 

I think the only Franconian weirdo I ever talked to, at Klosterbrau (IIRC), turned out to be an American ex-pat whose German was only slightly better than mine. He was trying to pass as a local, but his accent gave him away.

He was a little surprised when I called him out. Turned out to be an ex-army vet who liked Bamberg so much he wanted to stay.

 

I noticed you posted a picture with a bottle of Fässla's lagerbier above, was that beer devoid of diacetyl to your taste?

 

theres a few ex army americans knocking around, the guy who drives the little sightseeing bus around is ex american army, he has a very good franconian accent though

 

from what i remember there was maybe a slight hint, but nowhere near as much as in this. their gold pils is my favourite. i do like the vibe of their pub too

 

Could be the same guy and he's just been there long enough to catch on!

 

I swear, no matter how much someone practices, there’s always going to be a tinge of Americanism in their German!

 

Drinking Hofmark Märzen, 5.6% abv. Another Märzen released here in September as a limited time release. The beer is listed at 5.8% abv on their website, and 13.5% plato. Not sure why they would lower the abv slightly, unless there was an abv cap in the tender. Anyhow. The color is amber. The aroma is fresh and hop aromatic and it reminds me a good deal of the German brewed Urban Chestnut Zwickel as well as of Hohenthanner Kellerbier Hell, all three have a similar hoppy aroma to them, although the Zwickel was probably the most hop aromatic of the three. The flavor is also hop forward with a pleasant, bright and fresh hop flavor. There's also a maltiness/malt sweetness but I can't really make out what malts are used. With the color, particularly of the foam, one would suspect some medium colored caramel malt. The bitterness provides balance, if it is in fact merely 17 IBUs they do a good job of balancing the sweetness of the beer. There's no bitterness in the aftertaste however, which hints at it being low hopped as far as bittering goes. The body and mouthfeel is on the fuller side.

This is a really nice beer, it is rich in flavor from both malt and hops. It tastes like a well made beer and I would be curious to try their other beers.