World Beer Cup 2014 - German results

Discussion in 'Germany' started by danfue, Apr 12, 2014.

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  1. danfue

    danfue Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2012 Germany

    Category 25: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier, 60 Entries
    Gold: Pilsner, Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
    Silver: VIÆMILIA, Birrificio del Ducato, Roncole Verdi, Italy
    Bronze: Wilderer Dunkel, Brauerei-Gasthof, Böbrach, Germany
    I don't know the first two, but were there no Franconian entries for this category? Also, isn't Wilderer Dunkel rather a Dark Lager than a Kellerbier? Don't know, it's been a while since I've had this one. Seeing how many freaking categories this competition has, there would be room for one more: Franconian Dark Lager.

    Category 26: Smoke Beer, 54 Entries
    Gold: Smoke Signal, Swamp Head Brewery, Gainesville, FL
    Silver: Weiherer Rauch, Brauerei-Gasthof Kundmüller, Viereth-Trunstadt, Germany
    Bronze: Brewers Select Rauch Märzen, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant - Rockville, Rockville, MD

    Category 30: European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style Leicht(bier), 10 Entries
    Gold: Waldhaus Sommer Bier, Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid, Waldhaus, Germany
    Silver: Leichtes, Mahrs Brau Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
    Bronze: Stockholm Fine Festival Beer 3,5, Krönleins Bryggeri, Halmstad, Sweden

    Category 31: German-Style Pilsener, 71 Entries
    Gold: Schönramer Pils, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Petting/Schönram, Germany
    Silver: Alpirsbacher Pils, Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Glauner, Alpirsbach, Germany
    Bronze: Pils, Stoudt Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA
    Very nice! Schönramer is a perfect winner, that Pils is outstanding and Eric Toft made this brewery one of the best in the country. This Pils has been praised here before by a few of us. The same goes for Alpirsbacher Pils, a timeless classic.

    Category 33: Münchner-Style Helles, 64 Entries
    Gold: Müllerbräu Altbayrisch Hell, Müllerbräu, Pfaffenhofen, Germany
    Silver: Falter Export Hell, Privatbrauerei J.B. Falter Regen, Regen, Germany
    Bronze: Löwenbräu Original, Löwenbräu, München, Germany
    Only German winners in that German category. Probably not interesting enough for most American brewers. How the hell did Löwenbräu make it to #3 with 64 entries?!

    Category 34: Dortmunder/Export or German-Style Oktoberfest, 40 Entries
    Gold: Hirsch Gold, Der Hirschbräu - Privatbrauerei Höß, Sonthofen, Germany
    Silver: Special, Brauerei Gold Ochsen, Ulm, Germany
    Bronze: Schönramer Gold, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Petting/Schönram, Germany
    Strange category. I think there is a little difference between an Export and an (Oktober-)Festbier. Anyway, all three of them are really good.

    Category 36: German-Style Märzen, 32 Entries
    Gold: Mayhem Marzen, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO
    Silver: Ur-Saalfelder, Buergerliches Brauhaus Saalfeld, Saalfeld, Germany
    Bronze: Pöllinger Spezial Trunk, Brauerei Anton Pöllinger, Pfeffenhausen, Germany
    If they don't want Festbiers to be a category of its own, it would better be settled in this category. I must say, I've never heard about these two winners from Germany.

    Category 37: European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 34 Entries
    Gold: Munich Dunkles, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
    Silver: Chuckanut Dunkel, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA
    Bronze: Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Ayinger Brewery, Seattle, WA
    What is Ayinger Brewery in Seattle? Do they have an own brewery in the US? If so, since when?!

    Category 38: German-Style Schwarzbier, 47 Entries
    Gold: Black Bavarian, Sprecher Brewing Co., Glendale, WI
    Silver: BraufactuM Darkon, Die Internationale Brau-Manufacturen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Bronze: Black Thunder, Austin Beerworks, Austin, TX
    Enter Radeberger! I haven't tried the Darkon yet, but the other ones from BraufactuM that I've had were rather underwhelming. Real Schwarzbiere are an endagered species, Köstritzer is almost alone on the nationwide market.

    Category 39: Traditional German-Style Bock, 23 Entries
    Gold: Winter Bock, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant - Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
    Silver: Krieger Floriani-Bock, Brauerei Wilhelm Krieger, Landau an der Isar, Germany
    Bronze: Bock, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Phoenixville, Phoenixville, PA

    Category 40: German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock, 34 Entries
    Gold: MeyerBock, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Kill Devil Hills, NC
    Silver: Maibock, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
    Bronze: Ulmer Maibock, Familienbrauerei Bauhöfer, Renchen, Germany
    Never had the Bronze winner, Heller Bock is not very popular in Germany except for the time of year right now. Notice the correct spelling of Heller Bock in the category title. :grinning:

    Category 41: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock, 52 Entries
    Gold: Eisbock 2012, Brauhaus Faust, Miltenberg, Germany
    Silver: Hot for Teacher Ms. Doppelbock, Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
    Bronze: Saxonator, Jack’s Abby Brewing, Framingham, MA
    Gold for Faust! Reason to celebrate at the BA-meetup next week!
    I think Doppelbock really is a category that hasn't really changed over the last few years or decades. Being a specific "German-Style" category, I'm sure there were a few decent entries from Germany. If American breweries are still on 2nd and 3rd, something is strange.

    Category 47: German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch, 65 Entries
    Gold: White Street Kolsch-Style Ale, White Street Brewing Co., Wake Forest, NC
    Silver: I’d Like to Buy the World a Kölsch, Old Town Brewing Co., Portland, OR
    Bronze: Endless River, Mother Earth Brewing, Kinston, NC
    There's been a lively thread about Kölsch in the main forum lately. There is no such thing as "German-Style Kölsch", there is only Kölsch from Köln or it's not a Kölsch. I wonder if any of the breweries from Köln entered or if they just don't care for such kinds of competitions.

    Category 48: German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier, 36 Entries
    Gold: Altitude Amber Ale, Altitude Chophouse and Brewery, Laramie, WY
    Silver: TAPS Alt, TAPS Fish House & Brewery - Brea, Brea, CA
    Bronze: Balt Altbier, Union Craft Brewing, Baltimore, MD

    Category 49: German-Style Sour Ale, 40 Entries
    Gold: The Dare, Druthers Brewing Co., Saratoga Springs, NY
    Silver: Signature Gose, Choc Beer Co., Krebs, OK
    Bronze: Schell’s Framboise du Nord, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN
    This may be the only German category in which I understand that all winners are not German. Bayerischer Bahnhof from Leipzig is the only brewery to be taken seriously. Others attempting at Berliner Weisse or Gose are yet too small, but I think these styles may see a revival (not commercially, but for us geeks at least) within the next few years.

    Category 50: South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier, 78 Entries
    Gold: Friedenfelser Hefeweizen Hell, Schlossbrauerei Friedenfels, Friedenfels, Germany
    Silver: Fujizakura Kogen Beer Weizen, Fujizakura Kogen Beer, Yamanashi, Japan
    Bronze: Ladenburger Hefeweizen Hell, Brauerei Ladenburger, Neuler, Germany
    Important category, but once again I don't know about the German winners. I wonder if I'm just more clueless than I thought or if maybe some possible winners either didn't enter the competition or the jury just didn't vote for them.

    Category 51: German-Style Pale Wheat Ale, 16 Entries
    Gold: Kristallweizen, Brauerei Gold Ochsen, Ulm, Germany
    Silver: Belle Gueule Hefeweizen, Les Brasseurs RJ, Montreal, Canada
    Bronze: Hirsch Sport Weisse, Hirsch-Brauerei Honer, Wurmlingen, Germany
    Kristallweizen is not really a favorite of mine. Sport Weisse is an epic name! That sums up of how Germans think about Kristallweizen.

    Category 52: German-Style Dark Wheat Ale, 22 Entries
    Gold: Störtebeker Roggen-Weizen, Störtebeker Braumanufaktur, Stralsund, Germany
    Silver: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel, Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, München, Germany
    Bronze: Schwarzbräu Weissbier Dunkel, Schwarzbräu, Zusmarshausen, Germany
    A Roggen-Weizen may not be the classical Dunkles Weißbier, but still it's a deserved winner. I liked this beer very much and Störtebeker is the only "craft"-brewer in Germany that is more or less available throughout the country at reasonable prices. I'm surprised about Franziskaner on 2nd though, that's just not a good example of its style.

    Category 53: South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock, 32 Entries
    Gold: Schneider Weisse Tap6 Unser Aventinus, Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn, Kelheim, Germany
    Silver: Ladenburger Weizenbock hell, Brauerei Ladenburger, Neuler, Germany
    Bronze: Dunkler Weizenbock, Privatbrauerei Loncium, Kötschach-Mauthen, Austria
    Aventinus as usual. And that Ladenburger once more! Never seen that anywhere before.


    So, what do you think about this kind of competition? From my German point of view, some of it might be quite far from reality. Nevertheless, it's interesting to follow this and read through the results. The full list of winners is here.
     
    #1 danfue, Apr 12, 2014
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  2. Gutes_Bier

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

    Thank you for taking the time to write this up and this...

    ...made me smile.

    Eck Brau Wilderer Dunkel is a wonderful beer, but it is not a Kellerbier. Also, the Seattle/Ayinger thing must be a misprint.
     
    #2 Gutes_Bier, Apr 12, 2014
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  3. JackHorzempa

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

    “Category 31: German-Style Pilsener, 71 Entries
    Gold: Schönramer Pils, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Petting/Schönram, Germany
    Silver: Alpirsbacher Pils, Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Glauner, Alpirsbach, Germany
    Bronze: Pils, Stoudt Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA
    Very nice! Schönramer is a perfect winner, that Pils is outstanding and Eric Toft made this brewery one of the best in the country. This Pils has been praised here before by a few of us. The same goes for Alpirsbacher Pils, a timeless classic.”

    Stoudts Pils is a tasty German style Pilsner. Maybe Troegs Sunshine Pils was unavailable for this competition since it is a seasonal (just now being released)?

    I have been on the lookout for Schönramer Pils; it is imported to the US. I have yet to see it but I will certainly buy/drink it once I do find it. In the meantime I will be drinking Troegs Sunshine Pils, Neshaminy Creek Trauger Pils, Sly Fox Pikeland Pils and indeed some Stoudts Pils. I will also be buying a new seasonal from Straub Brewing: Straubs Pilsner.

    Oh, and Victory Braumeister Pils when I find it on tap. I found it last night and enjoyed two pints. Yum!

    Cheers!
     
    #3 JackHorzempa, Apr 12, 2014
  4. reddomino

    reddomino Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2008 Germany

    Nice to see Weiherer take home a medal. Their Urstöffla has become my go-to as of late. I have BrauFactum's Darkon in the cupboard as well, waiting to be dug into. I hear good things.
     
    #4 reddomino, Apr 12, 2014
  5. JHDStein

    JHDStein Zealot (579) Aug 16, 2013 Germany

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    I can't shed any light on most of the others, but the Ladenburger beers are both well-known to me, since they are available in Heidelberg (if you know where to look...). Both are exceptional. The Weizen is a touch creamy, and really packed with aggressive banana, citrus and clove spiciness. Wonderful summer beer. The Weizen Bock, though, is one of my personal favorites: typical cloves and banana, but also some black pepper and even floral and mint notes. And a luxurious mouthfeel (on the edge of too syrupy at times). They also make an Alt Schwäbisch Dunkel that is excellent, though a bit harder to find. Happy (and slightly sad) to see they are getting some notice...
     
    #5 JHDStein, Apr 13, 2014
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  6. Gutes_Bier

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

    Do you mind sharing where these can be found? I don't think I've ever seen Ladenburger.
     
    #6 Gutes_Bier, Apr 13, 2014
  7. jonb5

    jonb5 Pooh-Bah (1,745) May 11, 2010 England
    Pooh-Bah

    I picked up a bottle of Wieherer Rauch on my last Bamberg visit. A pale Rauchbier, very enjoyable.
     
    #7 jonb5, Apr 13, 2014
  8. JHDStein

    JHDStein Zealot (579) Aug 16, 2013 Germany

    No problem:

    Getränke Fein, Im Sändel 8, Heidelberg (Wieblingen) - http://www.getraenke-fein.de/

    Aside from an excellent selection of Ladenburger, they also generally have numerous Faust offerings (including their 0.75L offerings), and I even ran across a Schneider Tap X the last time I was there. I never got around to writing up a review of it (it was just before I went on vacation), but I bought a Nesselwanger Bock (0.75L) there that was superb. Very good selection overall for a normal Getränkemarkt.
     
    #8 JHDStein, Apr 13, 2014
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  9. Gutes_Bier

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

    I know of that place but have never been. It would require a trip on the 34 bus, but I have certainly done dumber things. The Faust offerings might be the clincher. Thanks for the tip!
     
    #9 Gutes_Bier, Apr 13, 2014
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  10. JHDStein

    JHDStein Zealot (579) Aug 16, 2013 Germany

    Not sure which is most convenient for you, but you could also take the tram: the 5 goes to Taubenfeld, which is just around the corner. Regardless, it is well-worth the visit, I think. For me, it's perhaps not the largest selection in Heidelberg, but it is certainly the most interesting. Good luck!
     
    #10 JHDStein, Apr 13, 2014
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  11. Gutes_Bier

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

    Quick word on this, I bought a a Störtebeker mixed six pack in Berlin once and for the most part their beers were not to my liking, but the Roggen Weizen stood out as one I thought was very good. Congrats to Störtebeker!
     
    #11 Gutes_Bier, Apr 13, 2014
  12. herrburgess

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

    I've had the Ur-Saalfelder. Used to have a brief layover in Saalfeld when commuting by train from Bamberg to my job in Erfurt. It is a decent beer. I typically tended to drink the Jahns beers (from over the border in Franconia) when I was there. Generally found them markedly better than the Saalfelder.
     
    #12 herrburgess, Apr 13, 2014
  13. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (970) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri

    Congrats to Faust!

    A few of these are within driving distance of here. Road trip!!
     
    #13 spartan1979, Apr 13, 2014
  14. -N8

    -N8 Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2014 Germany

    As a recent Burqueño who used to be a semi-regular at Marble Brewery, I've had this pils several times and it was always just a pilsner. I'm confused.

    What differentiates a pils from a kellerbier? Labling?
     
    #14 -N8, Apr 13, 2014
  15. danfue

    danfue Initiate (0) Sep 16, 2012 Germany

    Is it clear or cloudy? Most commercial Kellerbiers aren't anything else than unfiltered Pilsners.
     
    #15 danfue, Apr 13, 2014
  16. -N8

    -N8 Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2014 Germany

    Cloudy, now that you mention it. To me, it wasn't memorable compared to the other really great beer the Duke City has to offer.
     
    #16 -N8, Apr 13, 2014
  17. Gutes_Bier

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

    Eck Bräu's Wilderer Dunkel is also unfiltered, I think. Perhaps that's the qualifying characteristic for the Keller/Zwickelbier category?
     
    #17 Gutes_Bier, Apr 13, 2014
  18. steveh

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

    H-B serves a Kellerbier at its franchises around the U.S. It's based on their Helles and you can taste big differences side-by-side, so I don't discount "unfiltered" as being no different.
     
    #18 steveh, Apr 14, 2014
  19. steveh

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

    Doesn't surprise me in the least. I just tried New Belgium's take on Helles and it fails like most other micro attempts at the style. How did Löwenbräu make it to 3? German brewing.

    Heh -- laughed when I saw that too. I'm sure they mis-credited the importer, Merchant Du Vin.

    Very nice. One of my first micro-brews in back in 1985 and maintains its goodness decades later.

    I wonder if they really used an entrant from a restaurant or direct from the main brewery? This is A very under-rated and delicious rendition of the style from the G-B micro.

    All this said, but we have to add the caveat of this being officially sponsored by the Brewers Association… those trying to tell us how to define craft brewing.
     
    #19 steveh, Apr 14, 2014
  20. Domingo

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

    The HB Sommerbier is a kellerbier and it's 100% different from their helles. Not sure if that's the same beer they're serving in the US, but it's certainly different in Munich. It's extremely hoppy and bone dry with distinct herbal notes...aka. nothing like their helles :stuck_out_tongue:
    I have side by side photos somewhere and even the coloration is 3-4 shades off.

    At the same time, I know some beers in that category are simply unfiltered versions of other beers. The Prost Keller Pils that got a GABF gold is.

    I'm pretty sure that Marble Pils is just always unfiltered.
     
    #20 Domingo, Apr 14, 2014
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