German Beer Appreciation 2025

I don't remember trying EKU 28, and JK has given a good historical note. EKU 28 is now made at the remaining big Kulmbacher Brewery (Kulmbacher, EKU and Monchshof labels), and alcohol is listed at 11%.It's been reviewed recently. Who knows, it might be better these days? My last taste of a Kulmbacker beer was Monchshof Schwarzbier, and I thought it was excellent, reminding me of the 70's Klosterbock that I had then. I'm not a fan of very high alcohol beers, so I don't think I'll be seeking it out.

 

I was told it was the proof -- as in distilled spirits.

 

Right -- but tell an 18 year-old (legal age at the time) his beer is 28 proof and watch him hyperventilate!

FWIW -- the liquor store proprietor also talked my friend and me into a six of Brand Beer from Holland because he said the EKU was better if you "cut" it.

We tried that at first then decided we wanted to drink the EKU straight... and were pretty sorry later.

 

In the mid 80's when I was stationed in Italy as a young buck sergeant we used to trick new arivals with EKU 28. You see there was this little bar that served EKU beer in bottles. It had red lighting and you could not tell the difference in the foil on the bottles if it was silver or gold. The EKU 28 had gold foil and the regular beer at 4.8% had silver. We would give the newbie the EKU 28 and we would drink the lager. It was great fun as we would say drink up. Hehehehehe. After three or four of those they were finished and we would all laugh and say that they could not handle the German beer.

 

The place I got mine at kept them in the cooler too. Didn't seem to help.

I won't ask if there was a BB date on the bottle because I think Ayinger still uses a secret dating code.

 

CREW Republic (Munich) ‘Trooper’ Progressive Lager

Here’s a nice 5% abv hoppy session lager, made in collab with Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden. Quite tasty, smooth, refreshing, and fully Reinheitsgebot. I could drink these all day!

 

Are you being chaperoned? I'm concerned that you might not make it back to the bus.

 

Are you comparing to Aventinus? Because that's really a Weizenbock and has a lot more character than a Dunkelweiß.

FWIW -- I saw you were headed to Würzburg, I spent a very memorable evening there with friends drinking a nice Dunkelweiß at a small street fest.

Apologies that I don't recall the brand, but I don't think there would be too many offered... and they're probably all pretty good.

 

Damn. Stranded in Germany, whatever will I do?

 

Okay, the Original? Not really a Dunkelweiß either, even though darker than most Weißbier. Definitely doesn't have that dark malt character most Dunkelweiß has.

 

Don't believe it ever was. It's based on an older Weiß recipe, so that's why it's different from what's expected from a Bavarian Weiß, but I don't think Schneider ever considered it a Dunkelweiß.