Tasting Notes: Sampling Bavaria’s Best

May 1, 2006 By Staff

Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier, Bamberg (4.3% ABV)

None dare call this Rauch Lite. It’s a pale-gold Helles—not available in the States—made with the same malt that goes into the brewery’s rauchs. The balance of aromas shifts from hops to hardwood as the head subsides. And that’s just a sample of the soft, but insistent smoke that follows, riding soft-shod over the dry malt underneath. Not as chewy as its far bigger siblings, but there is a bite. (RG)

Weltenburger Asam-Bock, Weltenburg (6.9% ABV)

Here is a very good reason to go on brewery tours: a chance to sample this world-class brew right out of the tank at the monastery where it is made. All of the deep, lovely goodness of the bottled version is present—from deep cocoa and coffee notes to accents of dried fruit, especially raisins—but there is an extra something here. This beer is alive. If the monks here need recruits, they should offer newbies all they can drink. (RG)

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock (6.7% ABV)

Only half of the 12 beers this small Bavarian brewery produces are exported, including this great beer, perhaps the flagship of the line. With a lagering time of 16 weeks, Celebrator Doppelbock is a very well-attenuated brew. It’s known as a Dunkles Bayrisches Starkbier in Germany. The beer is a deep reddish brown in color, with a creamy mocha head and a sweet malty, toasted-grain nose. Very complex flavors of malt, toffee, caramel, and cocoa with a balancing hop presence. Medium-full bodied, lighter than many doppelbocks, it finishes very elegantly with a gentle lingering sweetness. (AM)

Ayinger Winter-Bock (6.7% ABV)

Deep mahogany brown, big foamy tan head with medium-size bubbles. Very clean, malty sweet nose with caramel notes and a slight fruitiness. Big toasty malt flavor, full-bodied with some aromatic hop character. Well-balanced and rich, finishing with a tangy, lingering sweetness. Complex and delicious. (AM)

Mahr’s Bräu Winter Bock (on draught, 7% ABV)

A Helles Bock poured fresh for us by its Bamberg brewer, this beer was deep golden in color, with a very fresh, malty aroma, It was bold and exciting on the palate, with a definite hoppiness and a big, semi-sweet, warming finish. Excellent. (AM)

Schneider Aventinus (8% ABV)

Ruddy, cloudy dark brown with a huge, dense head. Fruity, spicy clove nose. Great depth of fruit (figs, prunes, bananas) and sweet malt on the palate, well-integrated alcoholic fullness with a smooth and satisfying finish. A world-class Dunkel Weizenbock. (AM)

Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock

Deep amber, cherry wood color, big, dense beige head with fine bubbles. Malty sweet with nutty filbert aroma. Medium-full body with toasted malt, caramel and a hint of bitter chocolate flavor. Well-integrated alcohol. Soft and rounded in the finish, quite smooth. A very good, eminently drinkable beer. (AM)

Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lager

This golden lager, refreshing but flavorful, was one of the hits of our trip. The brewery, Brauerei Heller-Trum in Bamberg, claims that it doesn’t use any of its trademark beechwood-smoked malt in this lighter beer. But the pungeant smoked grain has apparently permeated the brewing vessels, as there is definitely a light smokiness even in the Helles. Lew Bryson comes up with the best taste descriptor of the trip when he refered to this beer as tasting like “ham-flavored Tang.” (GK)

Augustiner Edelstoff

This beer is to Bavarian lager what the perfect baguette is to French bread: a food that is divine in its simplicity. Four simple ingredients—pale malted barley, water, yeast, and only a whisper of Hallertauer hops—come together to make a subtle, crisp, finely carbonated beer. Augustiner’s one of the few large breweries in Bavaria that is still independent, i.e. hasn’t been bought by a global brewing conglomerate. (LC)

Mahr’s Pils

A standout, characterful pils from the Mahr’s Brewery in Bamberg. Unlike a lot of Bavarian pils, in which the hops are used mainly for balance and to create a long, dry finish, Mahr’s pils has a prominent hop aroma and flavor from three different German varieties: Hersbrucker, Tettnanger, and Perle. (LC)

Schlenkerla Helles

Apparently and tragically, this beer is not exported to the U.S. It was my favorite Schlenkerla (aka Heller Brewery) beer. Made in the same vessels as the rauchbier but without actual smoked malt. Result: A very nice, only slightly smoky, unique

helles that, for me, was a welcome departure from the too-bacony Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. (LC)

Augustiner Dunkel

Like the Edelstoff, this is a prime example of the style, a brown beer that is melt-into-the-tongue malty, but neither sweet nor heavy. (LC)

Klosterbrau Schwarzla

Chocolatey in color and flavor, with a creamy head. Subtle roasty flavors with some hop in finish and a very slight (not unpleasant) sourness. Slight tingle in the carbonation. (LC)

Monschof Schwarzbier

Notes of bittersweet cocoa define the malt character of this mahogany-colored beer. Medium-bodied and dryish with only a very subtle roasted flavor. (LC)

Kloster Weltenberg Asam Bock

A clean, light-amber bock with the slightly honey-like, floral quality that characterizes the style. Named after the Asam Brothers, the architects famous for their Rococo

churches, including the Kloster Weltenberg monastery/brewery’s chapel. (LC)

Mahr’s Bock (6.5% ABV)

Deep gold-colored strong lager with the perfect balance of sweet malt and strength and a gorgeous, meringue-like head. (LC)

Schneider & Sons Edelweiss (6.2% ABV)

A delicious, strong-for-the-style hybrid Bavarian hefe-weizen—“hybrid” because it not only uses substantially more hops than traditional weizens, but because some of those hops are U.S. Cascades, distinctive for their citrusy aroma. (LC)

Spezial Weiss (smoked wheat beer)

The characteristic banana notes of the Bavarian weisse style sit discreetly in the background, and the smoke is pleasant, not overpowering. Compare to Schlenkerla rauchbier, which can be downright bacony. (LC)

St. Georgen Kellerbier

Unfiltered, conditioned in oak barrels, and heavily hopped, kellerbier is the German cousin of England’s cask-conditioned ale, and the St. Georgen Brewery is an expert

producer. A pleasantly astringent hop bitterness is present from start to finish. Traditionally served in a curved ceramic mug that kellerbier drinkers turn on its side to signal to the waiter that they’re “on empty.” (LC)