Karlsberg Dunkel Weizen

This beer traveled a LOOOONG way. Yes I know it's from Germany and that is exactly where it started it's journey, a store, IN Germany. I didn't get it at Total Wine, or BevMo, or any other big box store. This beer was sent to me by our best friends in Germany. We are SO excited they are coming home and seeing their cute new addition who right now I am dubbing, The Drool Machine." Farting noises, sticky drool, and a whirlwind of flailing arms and legs she is the cutest thing.

Oh and a BIG thank you for the beer I was really excited when I saw what was inside the box. Not just one beer but three, two of them surprises that I will review later. They are a bit scary and the Germans laughed when they mentioned them and told me they hadn't tried them yet. Thanks! I think.

Well, sorry guys. This one was a dud. The flavors were muddy and muted. Can you see the huge fluffy head over there? Well I think it expended all of its bubbles right there. Carbonation was flat and there wasn't anything that was going to save this beer. There wasn't even an aroma to speak of. It was actually quite weird now that I'm trying to put words to it. I can't even describe any flavors per se because it all just kind of ran together. Watery comes to mind. Sorry Germans, I wanted to like it, and I loved it for the love that came with it, but Germany failed or the shipping failed on this one. I'll give the nod to shipping because it makes me feel better.

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

I hadn't had a bock in a really long time so I figured now, during lent, was as good a time as any to jump right in with both feet and review a quintessential doppelbock.

In the time honored tradition of naming doppelbocks this one ends with "ator." If you are ever at a loss for what type of beer something is and it has a name like "Terminator," "Optimator," or "Mast..." ok I won't go there but you get the idea. Doppelbocks always end with ator.

Bocks stem from monks. What's with the monks and their obsession with beer? My kind of guys. Monks brewed these extremely malty brews during the 46 days of Lent in which solid food did not pass their lips. Bocks are basically liquid bread. They provided the sustenance the monks needed to survive on basically no solid food. So don't let anyone tell you beer is bad for you! If it's good enough for monks it's good enough for you.

Doppelbocks are basically strong, dark, versions of regular bocks. Doppel means double in German.

I poured this one out for weekly man night over at the lawyer's. VERY appropriate choice of beverages(sometimes we like something stronger, scotch makes an appearance quite regularly) since we were watching Beer Wars. Great movie. Great beer.

If I poured a Celebrator and a Diet Coke into two identical glasses, I challenge you to choose which one is the bock. The head was that rocky, larger bubbled fizz you get from soda and didn't stick around too long.
The aroma is where you can begin to discern between these two. VERY malty like it's supposed to be. Sweet, sweet, bready, yeasty, earthy, whole wheat, you get the idea. Liquid Bread

It was good, but I wouldn't want to drink more than lets say, two of these. I would not be a good monk.

Köstritzer Schwarzbier, Dark and Mysterious

This beer, like the Bashah was also consumed under the guise of a pseudo-funeral for a now, not so dear, acquaintance. I chose this beer because Michael Jackson of "Beer Hunter" fame classified it as the classic example of the German Schwarz, or black, beer style. I had no idea what to expect from it but I was really happy that it only cost me 1.99$ for a pint at BevMo and if Mr. Jackson said it's good then I'm more than willing to shell out a couple bucks.

The beer poured an inky black, though not as opaque as I thought a "black" beer would be. There was a good sized off white head on it that dissipated pretty quickly and left a bit of lacing on the glass. The first whiff smelled of lightly roasted coffee, some charcoal maybe. There wasn't a whole lot of distinct aromas to pick out. It basically smelled like a thin porter. The taste followed smell as this beer tasted like a relatively thin porter. Not having tasted the Bashah yet I was unable to compare the two but in hindsight/sip I am now very impressed with my two dollar brew. I would pick this one up long before I would pay an exorbitant price for an over-hyped beer. Far from outstanding because it lacked layers, and complexity, Köstritzer, however, is enjoyable to drink and really has grown on me as I think more about it. At 4.8% ABV, and not so thick like a porter, it is an easy session brew. I will be having more of this.

Liquid Bacon...AKA The Original German Smoke Beer

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

Do you know any vegetarians? How about vegans? D and I are friends with a couple where he is hard core vegan and she is a vegetarian, mostly, well kinda, she eats cheese, and eggs sometimes, and well, if you talked her into it probably some fish. But anyway, this story is about the vegan. 

We met up one night at the new gastropub in Orange, The Haven for a beer on a Saturday. I had been doing my nightly beer, wine, or spirits research and had recently read about the classic smoke beer Rauchbier. I was really excited when I saw that it was on the menu because I hadn't been able to find it anyplace else. D and I ordered before our friends got their. She ordered the Saison Dupont which I had introduced her to earlier. D doesn't like big heavy beers but she appreciates a well made one. The Saison has a nice tart lemon flavor and is bright and bubbly. A pretty typical farmhouse ale. Our friends finally showed up, and ordered. It happened that our vegan friend ordered the Stone Smoked Porter. Which I was excited about since that meant I could compare the two smoked ales side by side. 

I poured the Rauchebier which was a deep brown and clear, however the head did not stay long. It may have been the glass, I think something Haven uses in their glasses inhibits retention because I have never had a head last long there. That first drink hit me like a mastodon baby back rib to the forehead. I had never had a smoked beer before until this beer. NOTHING compares to this brew with its malt smoked over beechwood. The aftertaste of not just smoke but slow smoked meat like you would find at a southern pit barbecue restaurant lingered on my palate for a long time. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not but it definitely was interesting and had an incredible depth of flavor. I switched brews for the Stone and I could barely detect a hint of smoke. That might have been because I still had a pulled pork sandwich aftertaste from the Rauchbier in my mouth but there definitely was no comparison. I anxiously awaited the reaction from the vegan from his first swig. He swallowed, paused, and smiled. "That is sooo good! It tastes like, LIQUID BACON." Needless to say, The Vegan, did not want to give my beer back since he was drinking the animal protein he had foresaken for so long. I'm not sure how he remembered what  bacon tastes like I only know that I definitely did not get a whole lot more of my rauchbier. 

Moral? If you want a big, beefy(literally), smoky beer, with a LOT going on in the flavor department try this one out. Oh, and if you want to keep your liquid bacon don't give it to a vegan. 

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