Fuller's Vintage Ale

Fuller's Vintage Ale 

Limited Edition 2012

500ml 8,5%

Happy 2014 dear readers...Let's just say that 2013 wasn't exactly my year but that's a story best told somewhere else. The New Years Eve beer I picked is Fuller's Vintage. I got this very nice bottle from the world leading shop when it comes to beer, Maruhn in Darmstadt. I have had this bottle waiting for something special for over half a year and though it should stay drinkable another decade or so, I decided that it is a valid reason to start 2014 with. I'm a fan of Fuller's and their Vintage Ale always is a highlight in my year. The last time I had this gem was in Feltbay my local bar in Ruskeasuo ... Let's see whether the 2012 version of the bottle conditioned beauty is as nice as I remember it.
It comes in a carton package with a little leaflet describing the last years editions of it.
I wonder whether this 8,5% alcohol liquid will make me fall asleep before midnight.. Anyways, the bottle and the package look very nice and add to the whole experience of a great beer tasting.
The glass I chose out of a whim... somehow didn't want to use a big glass for it.

It pours all nicely, alas the head is very disappointing and dissipates rather fast. It has a light red color, almost oink and sorta reminds me of a Belgium pink beer I once had. It's a bit like a reddish Fanta.

It smells very little, though I find very fruity tones. The alcohol can be smelled, which, as you know, is usually a very bad sign for me... but as I have waited for this so long I shall not allow this to diminish my experience. The smell funnily reminds me of 'Pfläumchen' which is a very bad plum alcohol thing from my early alcohol days..... *shudder*

Amazingly the foam is still present with a slight layer. Let's try this baby.
This is a great example of something you treasure and once you open it you lose all your fascination about it. The alcohol is very present in the taste, mixed with dark, bitter fruit aromas. It's rather syrupy with a strong alcoholy aftertaste. Actually the taste reminds me of a wine that went bad.
Maybe that sums up 2013.... great wrapper, rotten inside. Let's hope 2014 will be better.

I hugged thee all my dear readers!

Prost!

DMW

Stefan's Indian Ale

Stefan's Indian Ale
0,75l
7,3%

Ho Ho Ho!

And to start the Christmas season I have another little extra that is not belonging into the Dr. H. Series. It's another of the triplets of the Maisel and friends series, this time it is an IPA. Stefan's Indian Ale.

RateBeer gives it a 74 on Overall and as I do like my IPAs I'm looking forward to try this. With 7,3% this is leaning towards the stronger beers, which is why I decided to wait with testing this till I had some days off. As this is -price wise- on the high end of German Beers, the packaging is nice and hihg valued. A nice bottle, classical label and the attempt to give it a personal touch. As I have no frakking idea what glass to use I went for something simple. The tulip I have brought from the US where I got it in Asheville NC, the beer capital of the US.
It pours nicely, with rather big pored, slightly cream colored foam, which dissipates rather fast.

Instead of the IPA smell I expected, it smells very fruity, with hints of orange and grapefruit. This might be interesting. Gawd this makes my mouth water....  Let's give it a try then..
A very, very decent IPA. Not too bitter, but nicely bitter enough, mainly in the aftertaste. The carbonation could be a bit higher for my taste but that's not bad enough to value it less. The grapefruit tones in the beginning are there and recognizable on the tip of the tongue. The only thing I sorta dislike is the fact that I have a lingering alcohol aftertaste and those of you who follow my ramblings should know that I'm not too happy about actually tasting the alcohol in my beers.

All in all surely the Best IPA there is from a German brewery currently, alas some minus points for the lacking carbonation.. it's great but lacks a certain sting.
 Anyways... Merry Christmas everyone!

Prost!

DMW

Leffe

Leffe Royale
0,75l
7,5%

//
Right....... I KNEW I knew that bottle... it seems I wrote about it on April 2nd this year...
I guess take it as .. does his taste change... I decided to let this entry stay anyways... Just human I am..
//

And another part of the Doc H. series... a classic Belgium Beauty, this Leffe Royale comes in a very classy black bottle with cork and golden tones. Ratebeer has it in the upper middle class of their system.

I didn't plan for this, which is why this article might get a bit shorter... I just had a meh day at work and would love some nightcap... what's better than a 7,5% beauty.

I chose my Corsendonk glass for this though it only holds 0,33l. I brought it with me from Belgium so I guess it's a worthy choice.

As I mentioned, the bottle is black-matte. You can't see through it. Though I like it for advertisement and looks, it's a tad bit sucky as I like to see whether there is yeast on the bottom that I'd like to mix into my hoppish brew.. alas I can't.

Haptic-wise it always is something special to uncork a beer... gives that special champagne feeling.

It pours light and copper-gold ... looks really nice. Just a hue redder than your around the corner waterhole beer.
The foam is pure and white with big bubbles, alas they dissipate rather fast.

The olfactory experience is mediocre... huge yeast tones mixed with slight citrus and berry tones. Alas, the yeast is hovering above all.

It's mildly carbonated -just about right- and nicely sweet... maybe a tad bit too sweet for my taste.. a fate that some stronger beers sadly have. The malty sweetness mainly appears on the back of the palate, while the side of the tongue play with bitter side tones. One can guess slight cinnamon and spice tones.

This is a well made, round craft beer, alas it's missing the special something. I'd have it any day in a bar but it is a generic strong Belgium Blonde. Not bad at all, rather good even... but not special.

Prost!

DMW

Marc's Chocolate Bock

Marc's Chocolate Bock
Brauerei Gebr. Maisel Bayreuth (Link in German)
750 ml 7,5%

This family run brewery which is currently operating in the fourth generation (They are mainly known for their Weissbier Maisel's Weisse) recently started producing a line of high quality craft beers aimed at people like me.... the 750ml bottle costs around 5€ which is an OK price for me, but when you consider that you can get a 500ml can for cheaper than a Euro in any supermarket in Germany, it does put things into perspective.

This is a short interlude to the Dr. H. series as this was brought to me by my brother who already gave me an Indian Pale Ale from the same series, alas I was lazy and didn't blog about it.

The nice bottle looks well worth the money. It has a normal cap and not a cork like the bigger Belgium ones which miiight make it look a tad bit less worthy but seriously I don't care that much about it. The 2 part labels are classic and a bit minimalistic with the rear one offering taste descriptions. (Which I tend to evade as I'll auto-magically start tasting what I read...) It also shows the printed signature of whoever in an attempt to make it look more ... I dunno what. :P.

With the 7,5% of it and the effect the small Chimay had on me a few days back I expect to end having a nap later on :P. I do like my Chocolate Stouts so I'm looking forward to this Chocolate Bock.

I chose a 0,4 l Pils 'Tulip' glass for this, simply as I have no idea what glass would be fitting for it.
Likewise I was unsure what a good temperature would be for it... so I had it first in the fridge at around 8 C and then put it outside for 30 min at 1C... I chilled the glass as well as I realized that the same beer often has more than one taste sensations when tried in different temps.

It pours very oily and the very light caramel colored head is very fine and also very long lasting.
Fine bubbles from below fuel it and I wonder how the carbonation shall be. I noticed a nice warm smell already while pouring though now that the foam is covering it, the olfactory sensation isn't the strongest. I catch distant tones of dark chocolate, roasted malts and very faint hints of berries. A soft sweetness that reminds me of slightly burned caramel.

As the head still hasn't faded I'll enjoy a little beard in addition to my Movember one..

Dark chocolate and cacao are also what sticks out taste wise. The carbonation is good, maybe a bit too strong for me but that might also stem from the fact that I just smoked a pipe.
The taste is very full and rich and lingers on the tongue for quite a while, in which softer nuances mix into it like the burned caramel I mentioned before.

As in with the Chimay I can't taste the alcohol which always is a good thing, though I can feel a warmth in my tummy that must stem from either the percentage or the chocolaty goodness.

One of the best Chocolate themed beers I have had. It stays beer without aiming to be liquid chocolate... something other Chocolate beers fail.

I must say I am a big fan of the craft line Maisel is producing!

RateBeer seems to like it too.

The brewers themself say the following: http://www.maiselandfriends.com/en


Thanks to my brother for carrying the bottle to me.

Prost!

DMW

Chimay Bleue

Chimay Bleue
Bières de Chimay
0,33l   9%

Part 3 in the Dr.H series and the last of the smaller bottles before I hit the biiiig babies.
I'm really looking forward to this because it is basically leading Rate Beer with a straight 100.

I remember that I have had that beer before and that I did share the high rating but it was before my writing times. Maybe this is a great off-work beer as I just got home. I love Trappist Beers and have had most of them ... Argh it's one of these days when i just wanna drink and not write that much. I did chose my Westmalle Trappist Glass for this beauty.
As all trappists this is top-fermented and bottle conditioned. The blue Chimay is the strongest in the Chimay series and if my typing slurs at the end.. well you know why :).

The label is classical just showing the Chimay letters and blue color that identify it as the strong version of the series. It's a small bottle with the name of the abbey on it.
Some pages say that the yeast in trappists should be mixed in later but I usually just mix it in from the beginning on. According to the label the surplus money the monks make with the beer is put to charity.. drinking with a great conscience YAY.
I made a bit of a mistake when pouring so the head ended more like a cappuccino....
The head is full, caramel colored and lasts relative long. The bubbles are bigger than I usually see em. 
Color wise this is dark red like coke held in front of a light bulb but cloudy. The yeast can be seen.

It smells like a very rich bread, the yeast is noticeably there, which isn't a bad thing. There are very slight tones of lemon peel and pepper present.

It starts with a tickle, a fruity rich sensation on the tip of the tongue that then explodes throughout the mouth. Once oxygen is let into the mouth, a rich bitterness mixes with the combination. Carbonation is perfect and there are new aspects with every sip. It starts with nice fruit tones and ends with peppery coffee taste. The alcohol is not noticeable at all, it doesn't linger nor is it overly detectable.

I know why I liked it back then, I know why this leads rate beer and I need to keep in mind to get this more often. Again thanks Dr. H!

Prost!

DMW

Rodenbach

Rodenbach
Palm Brewery
250ml
5,2%

Day two of the Dr.H. series. After yesterdays iron, sugar, color beer we continue with a Flanders Red Ale and I am _really_ looking forward to this. 

The classic red label which appeals to me nicely, just because it is very simple, states that this was matured in oak casks and a mixture of 3/4 young beer and 1/4 2 year matured beer.
Wikipedia has something more to say about this kind of beer and details on how it is fermented with different organisms than your around the corner waterhole beer.
Ratebeer also knows something about it and it has been described as lambic without fruit. As I am known to drink even Berliner Weisse without the syrup because I like the crisp tartness of it I am very interested. Already sad that this comes in a 250ml bottle... partly as I'm not sure what glass to use and partly because well it's just half a pint and I'm a big boy :P. Alas, the next 2 parts of the Dr.H. Series will feature da big bottles so my liver can enjoy the holiday.... for now.

As I already mentioned I do like the label. It's a bit retro but very clear with a high recognition value.

As I still had the glass from yesterday around (freshly washed of course) I shall use this one, after I left it outside for a while to get nice and cool.

It pours a nice red almost like watered down Coke a nice red-brown. The head was difficult to produce and dissipated rather fast, leaving a very thin brownish foam layer.
It looks strongly carbonated but that we shall find out when tasting.

I can definitely smell the oak barrel in it, a muskiness I know from when I used to visit our vintner. Slight iron tones and a strong plum tone are persisting.

The label states added sugar which usually makes my alarm bells ring but I guess those nasty bacteria friends need something to eat too.. Soooooo let's drink friends!

Now the taste is something really special. It's sour with a distinct plum tone though that's only the first sip. It also has sweet tones in it which are cleverly hidden and can be found dancing on the tip of ones tongue. The carbonation is just perfect and it's a perfect harmony between sugar, tartness, fruit and spice. Maybe a tad bit on the tart side. The taste changes with the amount of oxygen allowed in the mouth and every sip allows new explorations. The oak barrels can be very softly found on the back of my palate but is not very strong and makes an overall perfect piece.

I truly like this one! Uncle Dirk gives his approval! Thank you Dr.H. - a lot!

Prost!
DMW

Diekirch Grand Cru

And then there was real life... and conventions and laziness and I dunno... less beer.. but now the days are getting shorter, the coldness is creeping into my bones and I had Dr. Henry A friend of mine present me with a bag full of beery goodness to write about. Give Beer, will write about... that's a great slogan.... if anyone wants to donate something....

But ähm yeah.. after I got to introduce Dr. H. to some Finnish beerses he decided I need to get to know some other stuff so here we are the Dr. H series!

Kicking it off today is the

Diekirch Grand Cru
330 ml
5,1%

I instantly disliked the color... it's a dirty brownish and a glance at the ingredients indeed show that they use a color in their beer.. something I am a tad bit sceptical about.. why does a beer need a dye to make it appealing. Anyways besides the happy addition of E150c the head is nice and it comes with a fine cream colored foam which is stronger on the outside and less persisting towards the middle of the glass. I chose a classical Kellerbier glas for it... mainly because it came in a 330ml bottle and I don't own too many of those.

It's not having a very strong smell, really just very fine and hidden fruity notes, mixed with the presence of yeast. Some cinnamon and wintery spices maybe... but as I said.. it's so decent that I might imagine those.

Now for the taste...

It's crisp, bitter but also has some sweet tones... sadly as the ingredients show the sweetness comes from added Invert Sugar which lingers over the good beery taste. It's not bad though. The slight taste of Iron forms a nice combo with the existing bitterness. It ends with a fresh, crisp aftertaste.

I like it, but as I already mentioned I'm not sure why it needs sugar and colorant.
A nice start for the Dr.H. Series!

Prost!

Faust Jahrgangsbock 2008

 Faust Jahrgangsbock 2008

0,75l 7%
Bottle 343 of 742
www.ratebeer.com/beer/faust-jahrgangsbock/162350/

Apologies again, dearest readers. Life is a bitch and then you die.. and thus work and life has kept me from beer. BUT, good things come to those who wait. So today I am trying a very rare speciality which I got from my esteemed coworker Felix... as he got a promotion (and I didn't but that's a story that has to be told at another time..:) )

I am not sure with whom Felix had to sleep to get this bottle but I am sure happy as hell he did and then gave it to me.

The baby in question is a numbered 2008 Faust Jahrgangsbock and holds the number 343 of 732 filled bottles. It comes in a nice bottle including a little booklet that explains that they brew this baby at Juhannus... the Summer Solstice each year, with a lot of dark malts and a bit of hops (Hallertauer Perle is the one they use).
This might be the highlight of my Faust series... though I hope that Felix can keep those babies coming each year for which I'd be eternally grateful to him... :P


In any case, the local waterhole keep told me that he tried last years Jahrgangsbock and liked it a lot so my expectations are pweeeeeettty high as I love everything coming with a Faust label...

So Felix, this one's for you!

Though I usually take pics with the malty goodness in a glas, I decided for my Stein today. Though It doesn't show the color, I figured that something more rustic is fitting for this potion of the Gods... The Stein used to sit in Leppävaaras William K. for me whenever I came there while I was still living in Lepuski and I bought it from the beer brewing Franciscan friars in  Kloster Kreuzberg.


The red, amber liquid pours nicely with decent light cream colored foam that stays happily even after in my Stein and waits for me.

The olfactory pleasing tonic smells of cognac, coffee, toffee and slight chocolate tones. Some dark fruity aromas are also present, altogether producing a very fine, tart-sweet combo. The Marzipan smell mixes with faint citrus.

Carbonation-wise this could use a bit more sparkle in my opinion as it is a tad too stale for me.
Tastewise, however, it makes up for it by far. The dark fruity sweetness is present and fills ones mouth nicely with bitter sweet aromas. The sweetness is way more present in the beginning and wains to bitter malty tones in the aftertaste. One doesn't really taste the 7% which is a good thing, also it misses the uber sweet tones that some Bockbeers have (which also is a good thing).

A true rare gem.

DMW

POMP seductive blanc

POMP seductive blanc 
0,75l 10%

My Boss surprised me with a not beery but grapey - appley beauty.
This Sparkling wine is made out of 80% Sparkling wine out of Riesling wine from the Rheingau -  The Rhine District. It is topped of with 20% cider made out of Reinette apples out of ecological growth. I do like my dry wine but I have to admit that sparkling wine is something I usually just drink at parties or family celebrations so this will be a novelty for me. I have been looking forward to this ever since I got it. Though the drink itself is clear, the bottle seems almost black and looks very luxurious / high class. I like both, Riesling and the local variety of cider, Apfelwein so this might be totally along my road, BUT don't count your chicken till they are hatched so time to tackle a new thing and try this baby. As a sworn in beer connoisseur, I sadly don't have designated champagne flutes so I improvised with my party wine glasses...
Pouring without foam, this fine liquid of a pale golden color, has a very fine, delicate, fruity smell. The apple parts seem to be so fine blended in it that you can guess the smell if you know it but it isn't very strong. The tart smell of champagne mixes with very fine yeast notes.

Taste wise this surprises me as the apple isn't very strong but mixes so well with the grapes that it forms a beautiful composition together. I wonder why no one got the idea before.. or why I haven't heard of it. The apple helps to give it a very full taste that holds many aspects. The tartness is coupled with a slight sweetness that is existent but decently in the background.

This proves to be a very worthy addition to the Sparkling Wine scene. Thanks for discovering this golden ambrosia for me!

DMW

Leffe Royale

Leffe Royale


0,75l 7,5%

My often mentioned brother returned from a trip to Belgium with this dark bottle as it was handed to him by a shady drinks dealer in a back alley when he asked for 'something special'.. So I am looking forward to this. I also have to apologize if this isn't getting a daily update at the moment but I am desperately trying to lose some weight and my diet basically only allows me those beery carbs with my middle meal.. and as that's usually at work .. well figure out the rest.
So today, one of my 2 days off, I bring this to you.

I chose one of the 2 belgium beer glasses I have, and decided against the one I use for trappistes and went for the other one instead.. originally a Corsendonk glas.

Out of the deep darkness pours an amber liquid with loads of very fine pored foam which takes its while to dissipate. Amber really is the best color I could come up to describe the color of the 0,75l ambrosia I'm about to try.

A very yeasty, sweet scent awaits me with tones of cinnamon and spices, maybe even some pepper. The yeast is, however, the most dominant tone.

The carbonation is perfect and the sweetness that I usually dislike on strong beers is really about on the perfect level too, I can still taste cinnamon and sugary tones, which vanish with malty bitterness. On the other hand the bitter tones are definitely there as well and this forms an almost perfect whole. Absolutely drinkable and a very nice gem. I was a bit sceptical as Leffe wasn't my favorite but this is really good.  There is nothing that would make it SUPER SPECIAL but that isn't necessary as even as a 'normal' beer this is amongst the leading ones. A fine blonde baby, hiding in a black bottle.

DMW

Paulaner Salvator

Paulaner Salvator
0,5l 7,9%
As winter is still here though theoretically we are in Spring, it's time for yet another Bock. Though the last one did indeed sorta knock me out and I in my biblical age am not a huge fan of strong percentage beers anymore as well... they knock me out, I am yet again willing to try this beer for you, beloved readers.

It pours dark brown with red hues, I guess it's save to say that it has a rich chestnut color. The foam isn't very strong and dissipates very fast, being of a rich creamy color, unlike the usual white one from Pilsners.

The label is sorta cute (which is why my bros bought it for me).. thanks Frank! It shows a monk handing over a beer to a noble in almost comiclike fashion.

By now all foam has dissipated and it could be mistaken for a Coke, wouldn't there be the distinct smell of a bock. It's very full, very fruity, very malty in the smell and I expect the increased sweetness and heaviness that I like and hate in Bocks. Tart tones of alcohol and chestnut are also present.


The carbonation is pretty perfect, it's a bit stronger than I expected but that's a good thing in this case. It starts with fruity floral tones and ends with bitter malt tones and even hues of savory meat that makes your saliva flow. It's neither as sweet as I expected not too bitter and it doesn't show the almost 8% which is another good thing. The aftertaste, however, shows the typical bitterness.

A nice bock for the cold winter days.. now I just need to lose some weight so I could drink more of those...

DMW 

Faust Pils

Faust Pils
 0,5l 4,9%

And as everything comes to an end so does my Faust designated week. RL is still being a bitch at the moment so I can't promise the daily updates I'd like to write. I can't even make it to the drink shop of my trust to buy more of the stuff that dreams are made of.

Anyways, I kept the Pils till the end.. as most of you should know by now, I am not a huge fan of Pils... not that there is anything wrong with this bottom-fermented stuff... but as it is the most commonly spread beer around Germany, it rarely is 'special' anymore.

The Faust version of Pils pours nicely with a niiiice huuuuge head of foam that dissipates very slowly. (In Germany we tend to say that a well poured beer needs 5 minutes so if you get it faster from a bar it's a rather bad sign)
It leaves an uneven surface of foam, big and small bubbles happily mixed in unison. If only the world would be as peaceful as the surface of this beer. (Gee I'm getting philosophical)
It's very yellow and filtered clear. Maybe a bit more yellow than I thought it would beer. But yeah not much else to say about that..

It's smelling very lemony and doesn't have the usual Pils smell I expected. Floral tones mix with the scent of cane sugar and it's a nice surprise not to smell the tangy smell I thought it would have.

The carbonation is a bit on the low side but surprisingly seems to get more in the aftertaste. (Talking about the tongue sensation here) It has a nice floral tone in the taste that mixes nicely with the hoppy after taste and it even reminds me of some IPAs I have had... funny.  Not as bitter as most Pilsners, the mix of the fruity tones with the bitterness is interesting, alas nothing super special...

All in all concluding the Faust week showed me that I really was never disappointed by them or their pieces of brewed art. If you ever get your hands on their stuff, don't hesitate to try. You can taste the love they put into it.

DMW

Faust Doppelbock

Faust Doppelbock 
0,5l 7%


Sorry for the delay in the continued Faust Week. Those of you who know me irl, know that I am currently having a multitude of issues to deal with.

But anyways, after my liver recovered from my aunts 75th bday I am ready to tackle the goodness that has been waiting in my fridge for a while now.
The dark brown goodness poors with an abundance of big-pored foam, which, however, sadly dissipates quickly and leaves an even, constant layer of bubbles.

Colorwise it reminds me of Coke mixed with Sprite. As I used to be a huge ass (pardon my french) Bock fan I am looking forward to this baby, even though I am pretty sure that the 7% will catapult me into a nice nap.

It's smelling very fruity and fresh with the distinct malt tones being omnipresent. Malty like a Finnish Kotikalja it smells less sweet than that and the fruity tones remind me of a brandy... whyever.

It's a nice mixture of bitter tones with sweetness and a definite present alcohol. I'd suggest this to heavy meals like game. The bitterness is the first present taste but as soon as it mixes with oxygen it turns into a nutty, heavy bitter-sweetness that is worth trying. A worthy Doppelbock!

DMW

Stadin Panimon American Barley Wine : 0,33 : 8 %

Kevätauringon hivellessä silmälumpioitani päädyin kevät-bipolarian maanisuusvaiheessa painaltamaan linja-automobiilin pimppanappulaa jo kauan ennen kotikontua; sain yllätysherätyksen laatuolutkeikalle Kauppakeskus Ristikon Alkoon. Harmi vaan että muistin jo liukuovilla ettei heidän olutvalikoimansa ole erityis-kummoinen, mutta jotain löytyi kuitenkin. Nimittäin StaPaa, pitkästä aikaa!

BW ei ole koskaan kuulunut henkilökohtaiseen oluttyyppien top 5:n, perusteluna seuraava: ei tarpeeksi kirpakkaa kirpakaksi, ei tarpeeksi tuhtia tuhdiksi.

--

Viilennys, tuopin kastelu, korkkaus, kaato. Vaahto hävisi vikkelästi, ja väri on upea.

Ohraneste vaikutti lähes tahmealta valuessaan tuopin reunoja pohjalle, joten ensi_huikassa lähes poissaolollaan loistanut makeus yllätti positiivisesti. Humalointi iski seuraavaksi kuin .. kuin jokin kovaa iskevä asia, ja otti koko kitatilan haltuun. Nad tuu bäd.

Runkoa, tai jotain, on melkoisesti ja muutaman kulauksen jälkeen makeuskin löytyy; suorastaan tahmeus.

 Äh. Ei oo beer-geek-fiilis, ja kahdeksan tehollista volttia alkaa hiipiä ohimoon.

Mainittakoon siis että kivan värinen, tahmea, joikaavasti humaloitu töttöröö, lähituotanto ja pienyrittäjyys suurena bonuksena.

Ostan uudestaankin, jos haluan vahvaa olutta ilman banaania. Kiitti hei!

-T

Kapuziner Kellerweizen
0,5l
5,1%
Kulmbacher Brauerei

My brother who knows of my nice hobby and has helped with a lot of my beauties, brought me this today and I figured that it's a nice thing to try after a stressy day. Normally I don't do the wheat beers but as you all know that I'm the hugest Kellerbier fan, this had to be done.
I absolutely LOVE the label on it. The retro design is just really cool and would be one of the reasons why I'd try and buy the bottle.

It pours with relatively little foam for a Weizen and is nicely dark cloudy like a dark Weizen... The foam has dissipated by now and it holds the typical smell of a good yeasty Weizen. There is a lot of tartness in it and fine salt notes in the smell.
Sadly I couldn't manage to take a nice or good picture of it as either the label was too dark or the beer ended looking yellow .. as I am a label collector I went for the label.
I haven't been a huge fan of this particular kind of beer but I guess today is the best day to try one again as I used to drink only those.

The carbonation is a bit on the high side for me and it could go with less. The taste is very unusual and interesting. It's filling the mouth with many aspects, a woody, smoky aftertaste among them.
The tartness isn't as bad as on most other Weizen beers and the aforementioned smoky tones coupled with a fine bitterness makes this one of the better Weizens I have tasted. Some gold stars to my brother for finding this baby in the shelves of his local beer dealer.

DMW

Alsfelder Landemmer

Alsfelder Landemmer
0,33l
5,1%

Tonight a short break from Faust...

I stumbled over this when i went to the shop 5 min before it was closing and they had it in their "cheap and take with u" corner for 50 cents as it is expiring tomorrow.

I recently did an article about Emmer already.

And this reminded me of it when I saw it.. God knows maybe it even was the same but I cant be bothered to check.

So yeah it pours slightly cloudy with visible flakes of yeast and with little foam that dissipates rather quickly and is only visible around the points where the glass meets the liquid. It's clear otherwise and bright yellow if not for the yeasty goodness. The smell reminds me of freshly baked bread or maybe the smell of putting a bit of beer into the water tossed on a sauna stove. There are floral tones in it too and a certain tartness.

The carbonation is nice and so is the bitterness that initially strikes but then quickly vanishes. I do like the slight hoppy taste mixed with fine yeast tones. It's very fresh and delicate with loads of aspects on the tongue. A great beer to drink that leaves the craving for more. Sadly I only found the 0,33l bottle.

DMW

Faust Schwarzviertler

Faust Schwarzviertler
0,5l
5,2%

As I heard that a good friend of mine died, this beer is for him, thank you Taneli for the years of friendship and the conversations we have had. I drink for you!

Another day, another Faust. Today I chose their dark beer specialty which I remember drinking when visiting their brewery but can't remember the taste.
Like all their labels this one comes in their uniform design, this time maybe a bit darker to represent the dark beer. It advertises with dark malts and roasted aromas... let's see.

For once this is a beer that almost has a bit too much foam for me.. if you have to wait till you can drink it without getting a mustache it can be bothersome.. The foam itself is nicely cream colored and consists of nice small bubbles, paired with bigger ones.

It's not smelling very intense but there are noticeable yeast tones in it, paired with fruity, roast aromas.

The beer itself is clear but dark brown with red hues but well yeah mainly dark brown.. reminds me of something nutty why ever...
Time to taste... Taneli... for you!

Its very nutty with decent smoke aromas around the palate, a bit like a smoke beer but more decent and not that prominent but yeah definite smoke aroma there. Carbonation wise it's perfect, it tickles the tongue a bit but doesn't hurt the mouth. its slightly sweet in the beginning with very decent bitterness tones in the end. The yeast isn't really taste-able, instead there are fine fruity tones in it.

As I personally am not the greatest fan of smoke beer it gets a 'Oh Well' on my scale though it is definitely a well made solid beer and I can imagine some nice evenings with friends and a case of it.

DMW

Faust Festbier

Faust Winter Festbier
0,5l
5,5%

And part 2 of the Faust week. As Spring starts or has started it is high time that I open  the Winter Beer... It deviates from the usual Faust labels a bit and depicts a fluffily cute Christmas Village.

So time to bring summer into life. It pours nicely clear and amber colored with a nice foamy head and loads of yummy white foam. (It's funny that in Finland eg. the Bartends tend to get the foam out of the glass when I order a beer.. over here in Germany I'd prolly return the beer if it wouldn't have any foam..

It smells very fresh and fruity with light malt tones that are very sublime. The yeast also is noticeable but blends in nicely with the fruity tones. All in all it does smell very appetizing.

It's nicely sweet and slightly yeasty, it could go with a bit more hoppy bitterness but as it's a Christmas beer that's OK as it should help warming your insides on a cold winters day. The carbonation is about perfect and it leaves a pleasant warm, slightly yeasty aftertaste. This is good drinks definitely and another great brew by Faust. Slight honey aroma tops off the whole composition

DMW

The Faust Series... kicking of with Kräusen

Faust Kräusen
0,5l
5,5%

Apparently Blogger found my Cherry porter so bad that it automagically deleted the post.. or I managed to click a wrong button... SIGH half an evening in vain.... alas see the Strawberry Porter and You should have the article... replace strawberry with cherry though..

Right after that unsuccessful flirt with the porters I was looking forward to start my FAUST week.
To honor someone, I herewith dedicate the Faust week to Felix, a friend who grew up next to the brewery.

I picked the first one because I never heard of 'Kräusen' and the cloudy unfiltered part sounds very interesting.
Wikipedia states:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewing#Conditioning 

Kräusening is a conditioning method in which fermenting wort is added to the finished beer.^[80] The active yeast will restart fermentation in the finished beer, and so introduce fresh carbon dioxide; the conditioning tank will be then sealed so that the carbon dioxide is dissolved into the beer producing a lively "condition" or level of carbonation.^[80] The kräusening method may also be used to condition bottled beer.

So yeah let's see.
All Faust beers show the same design for their labels which is a good idea as it keeps corporate design going.. I like the bit old fashioned way they design their labels.

Pouring very bright and only a tad bit cloudy like stained glass windows, this beery goodness holds a decent foamy head, just like German beers are supposed to. The yeasty smell reminds me more of freshly baked bread than of the usual beer yeast smell. There definitely are fruity tones in it as well as well as the crisp tartness of good beer. Enough said.. mouth is watering, time to try...


Sadly not as cold as I'd like it, this is very good. A perfect blend of fruit, tartness, bitterness and yeast tones. To be honest there are too many aspects for me to write about but it does remind me of a good Kellerbier. It's sweet in the beginning, great in between and slightly nicely malty bitter in the end. Absolutely a beer that gets my seal of approval. I would heighten the carbonation a bit but that's just unimportant when considering the multitude of aromas in it. Sadly I never found a perfect translation for 'süffig' as that's a very good word. My beloved Co-writer Pasi once translated it as 'quaffable'.

Anyways... absolute highlight and on my top lists. Well done!

DMW

Lausitzer Porter

Lausitzer Porter
Bergquell-Brauerei Löbau
0,5l
4,4%

To end the Porter series by this particular brewery I never heard of before, I chose the untainted Porter they make.. I'd wager a guess that it's the same brew I had the last few days which in those cases was mixed with artificial aroma.. so now wondering what the real Mc Coy will be like. They use the same design as the fruity variants, a red PORTER logo, this time branded with 'Lausitzer'.

The foam is a lot better and more stable on this version and also a bit more cream colored, alas not as fine as I'd have expected it from a porter. It's dark brown/reddish but not as dark as one would expect.
It smells fruity with distinct yeast tones and a slight malty, smoky smell. The whole smell is rather fine and not very intense.

Let's find out whether their porter really needs to cloud its taste with aroma...
Well as I just found out they already add sugar to it which - as most of you might know by now - isn't my favorite. They aim to balance the bitter tones with the sugar but I am not a fan of the outcome. I think the beer would benefit from leaving the sugar out of the mixture. The tartness there and would be nice but also is mainly clouded by the added sugar.

So a 'meh' from me.

DMW

Strawberry Porter

Erbeer Porter
Bergquell-Brauerei Löbau
0,5l
4,2%

Before I start the Faust week I make a short detour to Lausitz where I got 3 kinds of porter from.
Kicking of is the Strawberry Porter... like I mentioned with the Honey beer, this again is a mix beer and not brewed with cherry but simply has added cherry something in it. Too sad.

Already after opening and during pouring this reminds me of some cherry vanilla coke.. the color is pretty much the same and the foam consistency as well. The artificial smell is very intense, even if I haven't even put my nose over the glass yet.
It's very cherry intense and I can barely make out the beer tartness under the sweet strawberry tones. All in all this smells like a soft drink not a beer but we shall see whether the taste breaks these assumptions.

This drinks suspiciously great actually, Not too sweet though I could go with a bit less sweetness but a nice composition of berry and beer... though I wouldn't be able to identify the beer used as a porter.
Also the taste isn't as artificial as the smell and I got a very round mouth experience with it. The malty tones fill the upper palate while the sweeter aspects stay on the tongue. I'm not really sure whether I would have identified it as Strawberry though.
In any case it's worth a try though I'd encourage them to use the berries in the brewing and not just add the juice afterwards.

P.S.: Also I am REALLY not happy with that phones camera when I look at those pics...
P.P.S.: After studying the bottle I found out that the closest strawberry this beer has ever seen was the Strawberry Chewing gum of the Apprentice... as they have artificial this with artificial this in there and even label it as  'With Strawberry-taste'... Huge minus...

DMW

Odin-Trunk

Odin-Trunk Schloßbräu
0,5l%


http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/furstlich-drehna-schlossbrau-odin-trunk/44513/

I have been knowing this baby for a couple of years as it is served in a local wannabe Medieval Bar. I did like it back then. Like the upcoming strawberry and cherry Porters, I sadly had to realize that this isn't brewed with the honey but simply has it added to the beer... So technically it's more like a beer mixery thingy... Which makes me a sad Panda but oh well.. You can't have it all. The label is sorta archaic with the huge Odin dude on it and has a slight weird connotation for me but well its Wednesday tomorrow and as that name stems from Odin (Wednesday Wodansday Wodan Wotan Odin) it's the fitting beer for tonight.
I chose the handmade glasses I found on a fleamarket for it as they have the same archaic, back to earth feeling for me as the label.

It's pouring with a red brownish hue that I am not a huge fan of.. maybe if it weren't filtered and would be cloudy then yes but this way it reminds me of Cola Beer or something... No huge head on it, instead more fine bubbles like from a soft drink, though they stay relatively stable. (The little of them that are present that is)..

I can smell the honey and also soft tones of cinnamon in it. Funnily the smell reminded me of the cookie beer I had a few weeks ago. Some smoky tones as well as sweet christmas candies come to mind when smelling it. The tartness of the beer itself is present as well though, making it on of the best smelling beers I have had... let's hope the taste holds what the smell promises.

Wonder why I used to like this.. pretty bland with some metallic side tones, trying to be covered up by the honey and the sugar. The second sip goes a lot better and I like the cinnamon parts of it that I find on the upper pallate, alas I'm still not a huge fan of the mixture of bitter hoppiness with added sugar though the honey in this case makes it better.

This could be a good beer if the sweetness would be toned down a bit. It's definitely interesting but the sweetness is too much for me today.

DMW

Faust and Porter

Though I'm a tad bit stressed atm as real life is taking it's toll, I managed to squeeze in a visit to the local beerery and buy next weeks blog material. Not trying to go along topics but as I liked the Scottish series I just finished, I thought I'll go with a similar topic as the local shop just had 1 bottle of everything that the Faust Brewery brews. So that shall be a topic and also some Strawberry/Cherry/normal Porter I found from a Brewery I never heard before.
Sadly the camera in my new Nexus 4 needs some getting used to for me, which explains the rather bad pic.
Anyways the beers to expect in the next week or so are 5 Faust, 3 Lausitzer Porter and a Honey Beer Ialready tried but didn't write about in a medieval pub.

Looking forward to broaden your horizon!

I live to serve, I aim to please...

DMW

Pfungstädter Edel Pils

Pfungstädter Edel Pils
0,5l
4,9%

In a back to the roots series we got a 80 cent beer of classical brewery origin. Which I write about so that you don't get bored.
Like all German Pilseners this pours with a lot of foam which gives a nice full head of foam which dissipates very slowly and ends with a nice little foamy beard after the gulps.
It smells classically bitter and hoppy like a good crisp Pilsener should with some yeasty tones embedded though there also seems to be a sweet element.

It's a nice mixture of hoppyness and yeastyness just like a good Pils should be. Funnily though I chilled it for ovre a day I still didn't like the temperature  of it as it seemed too warm. The carbonation is decent to too little. It's an OK summery Pils with too little carbonation but I found it surprisingly refreshing to try a normal, boring Pils again.

DMW

Fraoch

Fraoch Heather Ale
330ml 5%

Sad day to end the Scottish quadruplets. Fraoch the Heather Ale it shall be today. A friend of mine told me that she has it shipped to her place in cases because it's the only beer she enjoys so this might be interesting. On a side note I got my Nexus 4 phone today and already had a Nerdgasm so I wonder whether it can get better.
Again I like the label a lot. They do invest in their labels and  design.. though the English labels are a bitch to peel of (I collect em so I'm a master at detecting labels..)

Aight, it has been chilled, I'm on the sofa..(And prolly won't get up to take a nice pic so the couch desk will have to do) I got a glas and the fun may begin.

It poors nicely with a slight foam head which isn't totally white but holds a creamy hue.
The beer itself is partly cloudy which is interesting as I usually just know filtered or unfiltered beauties but this one is just a tad bit cloudy.

It smells more or less like a standard Pilsener but has some fruity tones in it. All in all it doesn't have a strong smell, unlike the other beers I tasted out of the series of 4.

The taste isn't very strong and has some weird bitterness that doesn't seem to come from the hops. It's more watery than I expected and also I'm not too happy with the carbonation. I dislike the bitter tones that are present. I can guess where a fruity taste should be expected but the tones are so subtle that they do not outweigh the negative aspects.
Sadly I'm a bit disappointed by this but as 3 out of the set were superb It was pretty OK to find one that I didn't like. I originally thought I'd keep the best for the end but I was proven wrong.

DMW

Sylter Hopfen

Sylter Hopfen
Ernte 2012
750 ml
7,1%

To celebrate my back to work I decided to open something very special. This rare, numbered bottle was given to me by my awesome boss (She is reading this but she is awesome in any case :) ) as a birthday present. I have been treasuring it ever since but as beer is meant to be drunk I decided to open it today... though it almost breaks my heart to open a beauty like this.

The hops for it have been grown on Sylt and it's been bottle fermented with champagne yeast strains.

Even opening the bottle is a special joy as it is stylishly closed with cork.

It pours light orange with mediocre foam that dissipates quickly. Colorwise it reminds me of a Cola - Fanta mix. As it is unfiltered, it is naturally cloudy and the champagne yeast clouds the hoppy goodness in the best way possible.From the looks it seems not to be too heavily carbonated but that can't be judged till I try.

I chose a classical Pils tulip glass for it...even toyed with the idea of using a champagne flute but went with the more standard version.

It smells very fruity with fine apple tones that wrap around the yeast aroma. Light Marzipan hues can be distinguished. Now I _REALLY_ wanna try whether this German Beauty can top the Scottish ones I have had the last days.

The mild carbonation is perfect and the sweetness surprised me a lot. The light apple aroma is present and its a perfect balance of apple and malt. The hops are decent and there is not a lot of bitterness involved here. The sweetness is a true surprise as it is brewed according to the German beer purity law and there is no added sugar.  It is not too sweet but indeed perfectly balanced with the tartness, forming a delicate composition. Absolutely amazing.

This is easily taken into my top drink list and a rare gem that I would prolly never have heard about if it weren't for my boss. Thanks again Nathalie!

DMW

Ebulum

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
330ml 6,5%

Brewed with Elderberries and Myrtle this beer is brewed after a recipe from the 16th century.





Deep black in color, this dark ale swallows any light and even when held right in front of a lamp it's almost impossible to see any light through it. The slightly cream colored foam dissipates very fast and leaves a small layer of bubbles. (Somehow I feel as if I have written that sentence a lot in the last few days...).

Marketed as a dark ale I somehow expect something along the lines of Köstritzer or other similar Schwarzbiere.
It smells very deep dark chocolatey and has rich fruit tones as well. I can smell the alcohol (which usually isn't a good thing but let's see) and something else I truly can't pinpoint. It's not as chocolate smelling as the Kelpie but more fruity dark chocolate... Hard to describe. Definitely pleasant and after the last few beauties I am eager to test this.


The carbonation this time is about perfect and the chocolate tones blend in with fruityness. While the fruity tones mainly are on the tip of the tongue, the bitter tones fill the rest of the mouth. I wouldn't be able to identify it as elderberry or myrtle but it's definitely great. It lingers warmly in the throat and I can absolutely see that as a great drink in winter in front of a fire place.  It's a very interesting sensation for the taste buds.

DMW

Alba

Now if I HAD been reading correctly (a skill vastly overrated for a linguist *cough*) I would have read that the boxed set I bought holds 4 of the 5 mentioned beers... so I am missing the Grozet as apparently it depends what season it is for them to decide what they micro brew.

Alba Scots Pine Ale
330ml 7,5%

Going in my list from "weird" to "I expect much", I'm tackling Alba today which identifies itself as Strong Pine Ale. Now Pine is something I expect in the bathroom as an after ... you know what .. spray or as an addition to Sauna but not in beer... But as I am going beyond my borders for you dear readers, we shall embark on this strange journey together. As the nice leaflet tells me to drink it as an after dinner beer from a wine goblet I shall embark to do exactly that.. or as close as I can get. I got the Widmer Brothers glass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widmer_Brothers) from the US when I visited a friend in Asheville North Carolina (The beer capital of the US as I was told). There was an offer in an awesome beer place there (http://www.monkpub.com/) which gave me the glass as an extra. Anyways, dinner is over, I am full and I shall focus on this Triple now. I do expect a somewhat resinous taste but let's see. Like Kelpie before, I do like the label, they do put effort in their labels.
Which again I should have read...... as I NOW see that it should be drunk at room temperature ... and me being an idiot of course left it outside to chill...gnnnn. The slightly creamy foam dissipates relatively quickly and leaves a small amount of big bubbles on the surface... color wise this is lighter and redder than the picture suggests. A bright light red to orange and not too cloudy. I'm seriously angry at myself now that I chilled this...
It smells salty and fruity at once and I can't decide whether I like it or not. Slight raspberry tones in it, covering the slight yeast aspects.

As it is already chilled I shall give it a try in this state now. This is da awesomeness.... the strong tripel taste mixes with raspberry fruit tones and a pleasant bitterness that's filling the whole mouth and not only the back of the palate. The bitterness and the fruity tones balance each other perfectly and I easily put this in my top 10 list of things I ever drank. I don't know where they take the fruity tones from but it reminds me a bit of a lambic mixed with a tripel. Seriously superb! Wonder what it would have been when not chilled... guess I have to buy more MUAHAHAHAH.
DMW

Kelpie

Kelpie Seaweed Ale
4,4%
330ml

I thought I'll kick this off with the Kelpie as ... to be honest....
Seaweed ale doesn't REALLY sound too appealing to me.. I automagically connect seaweed with salt and salt and beer don't tend  to go too well together. Education wise I learned that apparently the Scots used to brew with it so time to give it a try. I really like the label. According to the enclosed brochure I should have chosen a different glas for it but a man gotta use what a man has. The foam is strong and dissipates relatively fast. The foam has a dark color and reminds me of Guinness. The beer itself is very dark red.. it seems black if not viewed against a light source. Even after a few minutes there is a decent foam layer left.

I am REALLY eager to try this... Now let's take a smell..
It smells really chocolaty bitter and full with very decent salty tones.. not in a bad way. It reminds me of some chocolate porters I drank in St. Urhos. Wonder whether I'm just imagining the salty smell :P...
Time to try...

With maybe a bit too much carbonation this ranks among the best porters I have had in a long time. Its very bitter, heavy and full with pleasant bitterness tones throughout and a nice chocolaty aftertaste. (And no... no real saltyness:P) If the heavy carbonation wouldn't be this would definitely rank in my top list. The Seaweed gives it a nice extra bonus taste that's not really noticeable but there.

I like it!

Historic Ales from Scotland

Starting a 5 part series today.
Again a goodie I found in the shop.
A 5 piece box labelled Historic Ales from Scotland featuring:
-Fraoch Heather Ale
-Grozet Gooseberry Ale
-Alba Scot's pine strong ale
-Ebulum Elderberry strong ale
-Kelpie Seaweed ale

 

 

I'm really thrilled to sample those so I'll take one or two a day.

Kellerbier Naturtrüb

Kellerbier Naturtrüb
Brewery: Brauerei Zirndorf
0,5l 5%
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/zirndorfer-kellerbier/87184/

And still the ongoing series from the shopping trip.
A classical Zwickel which I ordinarily wouldn't write about if I wouldn't have a bad day and am bored and somehow determined to plot down my thoughts to each and every one of the pieces I bought the last time.
As you can see I am also trying to vary the glasses I am using. Traditionally this should be drunk in a glass that fits all of it, in this case I picked a smaller one as I liked it today. the foam was nice and huge just like I like it. It dissipates and leaves a good nice cm of foam on the beer.

This Zwickel has the color I expect from it, bright golden, not filtered and a bit brighter than 'normal beer'. I especially like the unfiltered ones as the yeast does add to the taste and imho belongs to a beer.

It doesn't smell very intense which doesn't say much, yet there are distinct orange tones noticeable.... alas not a very strong scent.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Zwickel/Kellerbier is my current favorite of the different kinds of beer so let's explore whether this particular one shall make it to my top list.

It's mildly carbonated and I could live with a bit more of it as for my taste it's almost stale. Tastewise it's rather watery with some bitter after tones on the back of the palate. Also some metallic taste somehow..
I'd say I drink it and it tops the normal boring Pilsners but all in all it's rather bland and generic. Go buy and try but don't expect anything new or tantalizing.

DMW

Ginger Joe

Brewery: Stone's
Beer: Ginger Joe
4% 0,33l


http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/stones-ginger-joe/176712/

Stone's ginger beer is another of the treasures found in the aforementioned store. (Not to be confused with the Helsinkian Pub of the same name..) As I love Ginger ale in the non alcoholic variant I figured I should give it's alcoholy cousin a try.
The foam reminded me of sprite and dissipated fast leaving but a small isle of bubbly goodness on the drink.

Im not really sure what to expect.. something sweet? Something spicy?

It's bright golden and filtered, not cloudy at all, so no visible yeast.
Looks like a generic pub beer, maybe a tad bit darker with some slight red tones.

It smells like it's non alcoholic variety, with some medicinal undertones. Very sweet, hints of citrus but also faint cinnamon traces and some spicy notes in the end. As I am expecting something highly carbonated it shall be interesting to sample... let's get going..

In a blind test I'm not sure I would have indentified this as beer. It's very sweet, alas not unpleasantly so (unlike the Cookie beer froma  few days before). You can only guess that there is alcohol in it fro the aftertaste and even there it isnt very distinguishable.
I wonder whether this is truly BREWED with the ginger or simply mixed with some stuff later on. Sadly the bottle doesn't say.
The carbonation is not as high as I expected and blends in nicely with the giner/cinnamon taste.
It's prolly a nice summer afternoon drink, though lacks most of the beer taste... a bit like a German Radler or an English Shandy when mixed with too much soda.
I'd drink it again out of novelty reasons. I'd say go and try it if only to be able to say that yay you did... beware, however, that it is, indeed, sweet.

DMW

Bad Windsheimer Freilandmuseum Zwickel

Bad Windsheimer Freilandmuseum Zwickel
0,5l 4,8%

Brewed in one of the oldest Brewing places in Germany, this unfiltered Kellerbier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellerbier) has apparently been made in an open air museum. It's darker than what I expected of a Kellerbier (Zwickel/Kellerbier being my current favorite kind of beer). The middle strong foam dissipated very fast, but leaves a fine layer of the white bubbles on top of it. This bottle is another of the ones I found at the Guinness Book leading beer shop around the corner.
Its definitely darker / browner than a Pild and has some slight reddish / orange hues.
It smells very fresh and fruity, no yeast tones but even some hints of orange and citrus fruits. Even after a few minutes the fine foam layer is still there, alas no huge head.

It's mild carbonation is just perfect and not too strong to get painful. It surprises with shades of bitterness in the back palate, while the rest of the tongue is bathed in goodness. All in all a very good beer and a rare gem again... I wonder how much they brew at a museum...

DMW

Cookie Beer

Name: Cookie Beer
Brewer: Brasserie D'Ecaussinnes
8% 33cl

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4260/38642

After a visit to a shop with worlds largest beer selection I found this interesting piece. It pours with a lot of foam, which dissipates quickly. the foam is cream colored and not white and the beer itself is reddish brown with a noticeable amount of yeast in it. (It's a Belgian beer and I never fully understood whether you are supposed to drink the yeast or not..) Anyways, I also chose a classical Pils tulip glass for it which prolly wasn't the best choice but yeah..

Olfactory this indeed smells slightly like German Spekulatius / finnish Piparkakku/ Gingerbread. The clove smell is mixed with a crisp citrus smell and slight tones of yeast and cinnamon. The cinnamon smell increases as the beer gains warmth.

I have been looking forward to this one for a few days now and so far postponed it because of the 8% alcohol content and I didn't feel like it till today.

Time to try the beauty...or not.. the huge yeast amount sorta made me want to let it stand for a moment longer to get the yeast to settle.

At first the taste is a strong disappointment.. the amount of sugar in it is overwhelming and coupled with the malty bitterness not one of my favorites... the before smelled spices can't really fully be tasted besides maybe the cinnamon. The rather high alcohol content can't be tasted but I can feel it in the head pretty quick.

Even after a couple of gulps I can't get myself to like this.. the taste is almost medicinal for me. It's a bit sad as I was expecting something really nicely exotic but one can't win every day. Looking forward to some of the other beauties I bought though...

DMW