Brauerei Aying
Aying, Bavaria
Imported by Merchant Du Vin
Tukwila, WA
Available: nationwide
The Ayinger brewery is family-owned and operated, and was established in 1878. The village of Aying is about 45 minutes south-east of Munich, in the foothills of the Alps. Bräu-Weisse is fermented in open fermenters.
ABV: 5.1
ABW: 4.1
Color: 9
Bitterness: 13
Original gravity: 1047
This is one of the iconic Bavarian wheat beers, amazingly complex with an aroma of cloves, banana, Juicy Fruit and creamy grain. Gentle hop bitterness makes an appearance in the mouth, balancing creamy malt, fruit and herbal notes. The finish offers a peppery note, with ripe banana, delicious malt and hop bitterness—this is a hoppy interpretation of the style and all the better for it.
The hazy gold color trends towards orange and the beer raises a pillowy white head. The aroma is a bright juicy-fruit mélange of banana, bubblegum and yeast, with just the right clove note in the background. The bitterness is very low, but high carbonation holds the beer together as it moves through an off-dry fruity center and then dries into the finish. As the Germans like to say, alles in ordnung—everything in its place. This is an elegant classic weissbier that doesn’t put a foot wrong. It’ll be perfect with sushi, or even Italian seafood crudo.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.
