German Beeradvocates, what do you drink on Christmas?

Perfect for the season: Lakefront Brewing's My Turn Series: David.

It doesn't mention it in the BA description, but here's some more info and why it fits into the season well: http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/beer/my-turn-series/david

 

I'm sure it doesn't fit the bill in terms of correct style for the season, but for me it doesn't get much better than Mahrs Ungespundet. It would be swell if there were more reliable stateside versions of this style.

Perhaps more appropriate for the cold weather outside will be sitting by the fire with a roasty rauchbier as well.

 

I have a single bottle of 2008 vintage Aventinus in my fridge, I may end up finally consuming this jewel...

 

Jewel is a good word here.

About 3-4 years ago I found a local bar that had two cases of the Eiskeller aged bottles, one about 3 years IIRC the other about 5 years IIRC at that time. The bar kept the cases in their cold case. Over the course of the next few weeks I had lunch there once a week just to have and repeat each of those.

My final judgment on the aging of this beer is that this will be a good year to have it and that you are in for a real treat. It has become even more subtle, balanced and complex. (Which if someone had told me in advance I'd have doubted and tested it out for myself... )

Enjoy!

Edit: Some of my reactions to this beer aged are captured in the review I did for this site.

 

I have a near case of the Reichelbrau Eisbock* in storage -- from the last run originally brewed by Kulmbacher before they brought it back (don't really know the full history of why it was discontinued and re-released). I have to wonder how close it is to vinegar by now.

*If you look at the bottle at the profile page you can just make out Vintage 1996 on the extra red label.

 

Maybe its time to give one a test? (If anything I'd predict Cardboard rather than Vinegar. :-) )

 

I would, but they're buried deep!

Probably right about the cardboard, but I'll see if I can excavate deep enough the next time I'm in the unit.

 

I had two, opened one two years ago and was pleased to say the least. The bottles have been stored upright, and when I tried to get yeast back into suspension, it was just loads of hard sediment instead of yeast & proteins. I will avoid that this time, unless you can tell me that I should attempt to get it back into suspension.

 

I personally would also do it without the sediment in that beer

But I should say that with the exception of something like an Hefeweizen I'm a fan of leaving the sediment behind in almost everything. If I know that the same yeast was used in brewing and conditioning I'll occasionally do what I've seen a number of Belgians drinkers do, i.e., pour the dregs into a small glass on the side and drink it as a shot, but for me mixing the yeast back in changes the taste and conceals some of the complexity.

 

Well, it is a wheat doppelbock so my all technicality it should be reintroduced.

 

Well, by the same argument neither you nor the brewery should be aging it so long that the sediment solidifies before drinking it....

 

I still have one more day to work (or maybe half a day), but I bought some Trumer Pils today for the rest of the holiday. Having one now and the flavor balance is so good. I've been abstaining from beer over a period of days each week in order to re-set my palate -- I think it's working. The Trumer is a perfect Pils to me right now. Prosit!

 

All the Germans must already be on holiday

 

I'm assuming that most Germans are using their "bridge days" (7 days vacation) to take 2 weeks off.

 

Maybe. As said, been cutting back, but I have some leftovers I could pull out if needed. My wife and I will probably pop a bottle of wine for Christmas dinner.

To the leftovers: H-P Animator, the aforementioned Weihnachtsbock, Anchor Dark Wheat, and (@bergbrew) some Schell's Chimney Sweep Rauchscwarzbier. Probably good enough to last me 4 days... provided we don't have to work Friday.

 

Been on a steady diet of Flensburger (now in 0.5 l Buegelflaschen), Rothaus, Wolters, and Erdinger. Other seredipitous finds include a revived version of Braunschweiger Mumme (very "modern" interpretation...still a decent rich maltiness), Pfefferbrau Berlin pils (quite nice with some intensity of both malt and hops), and my first truly fresh Jever in a couple of years. Also, I take back every negative thing I ever said about Krombacher; the spiciness and earthiness of the hops are unique and quite delicious. Finally the yeast profile in a fresh Carlsberg I drank on tap with some Indian food last night was a minor revelation. Prost, and Frohe Weihnachten all!

 

I'll interpret for those not in the know -- HerrB is in the Old Country for the holiday... taunting us all with fresh-brewed German (and Danish) beer.