Bayernbiere Bought and Drunk

The Köstritzer Red Lager looked amazing, but tasted like Newcastle Brown Ale.

I enjoyed the Pale Ale though.

 

Okay... back to some form of sanity without pot-stirring and bull-headeness.

One local I've been hitting for 20 years always seems to have .5 liters of HB Helles and Weizen. I wish they had more, but I see they have the mixed 12 pack HB beers with the Helles, Weizen, and Dunkel 11.2 bottles.

But I digress -- I picked up a half liter of Helles and enjoyed it immensely. Great German malt character with just the right amount of spicy noble hops in balance. HB is fast becoming my favorite Munich beer -- especially since Spaten availability is fading.

 

The Hofbräu Original is my favorite of the Munich Helles that I have had, although I consider it the driest, most herbal alternative of Spaten, Löwenbräu and Hofbräu (haven't yet had Paulaner, Hacker Pschorr or Augustiner), which caters to my taste preferences.

 

I always liked HB's Original, although I often overlooked it in favor of Augustiner or Spaten (Löwenbräu wasn't available in Heidelberg, in bottles anyway). My opinion of that beer has gone way up since moving to the US, where quality Helle Lagerbiere aren't quite so prevalent. Maybe I'll make a trip to pick up some old dusty green HB bottles...dang, I had it OK in Deutschland...

 

Understatement of the year.

 

I was lucky enough to have very fresh HB Helles (Original) and unfiltered Original at the HB sanctioned pub in Chicago (since closed) a few years ago -- as much as I like the bottled HB I can get, this fresh-from-Munich beer was almost as good as making the trip across the ocean.

 

While I don't feel Helles is prevalent, there's been some good options popping up in my area this year. I really dug Ballast Point's Longfin Lager (this is new to me, not to my store this year I believe), Southern Tier's Where the Helles Summer, and Victory's Lager (rebranded and distributed again) in that order.

For what is distributed in my area, I actually feel German pils is less prevalent, or I should say acceptable versions. Perhaps brewer's take more care with the malt when brewing a Helles, or wait until they've truly nailed this style before they release their version, because the malts are the dominant characteristic in a Helles.

Maybe with a pils more brewer's will release one because they can always try different hops, different amounts, dry hopping....etc. and use that as the focus of the beer, because a pils is hoppier than a Helles by nature. I know if I was a brewer, that if I were to release a style first, or even "rush" a style out the door, I'd pick a pils. Especially if I'm already adept at brewing with hops. If you fuck up a Helles, there's REALLY nothing to hide behind, low alcohol and IBUs....a bad Helles isn't just "off" to me, it's flat out undrinkable.

I've always enjoyed Hobrau's Original as well. I love their Festbier, tastes like an amped up version of their Original.

 

Did you guys get their Maibock this year? Thought that was a really nice one too, similarly "amped up" and rich without going over the top.

Looking forward to the festbiers making their way here in just another couple months. I've made a big effort this year to drink as many German styles as possible, so I'm interested to see if/how my perception of those festbiers (which kinda started this journey for me last year) has changed.

 

I saw it but didn't buy it. I never really cared for HB's Maibock until I had their Ur-bock at the English Garden. I couldn't believe it was the same beer, and I think part of me still doesn't. But in any event I usually don't go for the bottled version.

 

I did -- it seemed very fresh this year. In fact, I saw a solitary remaining six-pack at that same store yesterday so I may have to snap it up.

 

Yes, well -- it is the Bayernbier Bought and Drunk thread...

To that -- see my praise about Urban Chestnut Zwickel in the Märican Biere Bought and Drunk... thread.

 

I was also amazed how the choc bock tasted like a Bock/irish dry stout crossover.Loved that one.
The Bavarian ale also differs quite a lot from usual Weizenbocks.
The Indian Ale wasn't for me though,too sweet for an IPA,but my brother loved it.

 

The Köstritzer PA is legit.I highly doubt theres a better IPA by a macro brewer out there atm.
Their Witbier was o.k
The Red Lager is o.k. if you judge it acc to the style (Vienna lager)

 

Grabbed a mixed HB 12 pack for the week: 4 each of Helles, Weizen, and Dunkel.

As I haven't had it in a while (and the 12 pack is completely covering the green bottles), so I'm trying the Dunkel now.

Wonderful, deep chestnut color with a tight, creamy, off-white head. DMS and bready malts in the nose, Pumpernickel bread crusts in the flavor. There's a nice molasses note in the aftertaste with lightly bitter hops balancing the sweetness.

This beer makes me want to pour the last three bottles into a Maß and drink on my patio. But for the rain. Maybe tomorrow!

 

HB is helping me keep this thread alive!

One of my locals seems to have a decent supply of HB Maibock, so I decided to grab another 6 pack tonight.

Typical of this brewery's take on the style, it pours a clear, deep, brassy golden (I guess that's just about amber) with a creamy, off-white head. 4.5

The aroma is sweet, bready malt balanced perfectly with spicy, herbal hops and some light DMS back. 4.5

Flavor is sweet and bready with great melanoidin character and spicy hops in the finish that fight with a dry alcohol pepperiness in the aftertaste. 4.5

Mouthfeel is very soft and smooth with a medium to medium-robust body. 4.5

Overall, I like this beer very much. It's a malt-lovers dream, but also such a clean, well-crafted beer that I can't think of any U.S. – brewed comparisons. I've often equated it to Märzen, but it's sort of a cross between Maibock and Amber Märzen -- as much as Wies'n Märzen is a cross between Helles and Maibock. Unique to the style, delicious to the palate. 4.5

 

Just a typical Tuesday night on the banks of the Isar.

 

Shouldn't you be on a raft?

 

Had the Kulmbacher Edelherb Pils yesterday.
Goes right into my Top 5 Pilsners

 

We have it on tap routinely here in Boston. Travels well. One of my favorites too.

Just don't confuse it with KROMbacher pils. I finally saw this up in Montreal at Biermarkt this past weekend. I'm not sure if I've ever had it, but I opted for Stiegl because I've never tried it on draft.

 

I found a particularly fresh batch of Krombacher a few weeks back (was not even a month old) and the malt character was very nice -- right in that bready range I love in lighter bodied lagers. Good spicy hops and very refreshing -- a nice Pils, if not the best Pils to be found.