german

Harpoon Munich Dark

Style: 
Dunkel
Rating: 
3

I was at a holiday party a few days ago and the host had one of the ubiquitous holiday variety 12-packs, this time from Boston's Harpoon Brewery.  You know the ones - its full of beers you never knew the brewery actually brewed.  Its the beer industry equivalent of seafood stew - would anyone ever try a cranberry lambic without the help of a variety pack?

Since the IPA's were gone by the time I arrived at the party - I had to choose between the Munich Dark and a Raspberry Hefe Weizen.  The choice was obvious - go with the Lager.

To my pleasant surprise, Harpoon's entry into the dunkel category

Schneider Weisse Hefe Weizen

Style: 
Hefeweizen
Rating: 
2

This Schneider Weisse Hefe Weizen represents the risk of drinking imported beers, it showed the signs of a long journey. A deep orange, almost amber color - this beer poured with very little head, dissipating quickly. While there were caramel and dark malts in the nose, I picked up a fair amount of diacetyl - buttery with some green apple notes.

Its a long boat ride from Germany to sit on store shelves for untold months - so the papery / cardboard / oxidized flavors are to be expected with imported beers and Schneider had them all.

Ayinger Brau-Weisse

Style: 
Hefeweizen
Rating: 
4

My hefe-weizen quest continues. The Ayinger Brau-Weise is a classic German hefeweizen. It pours with a thick head, with a tan, yellow color and a thick haze. The nose is full of fruity esters, with a touch of banana and hint of lemon (none in the glass, thank you). The body is maltier and a little bigger than I might have expected, but crisp with bready notes. The wheat flavors come through strong, not too fruity but just a hint of melon. A very enjoyable hefeweizen.

Kapuziner Bavarian Hefe-Weizen

Style: 
Hefeweizen
Rating: 
2

I'm making brisket for dinner tonight on a rainy summer evening, the effects of Tropical Storm Danny keeping us inside. Sounds like as good a time as any to try a new hefeweizen. This afternoon, its Kapuziner Bavarian Hefe-Weizen.

It pours with a powdery, whipped egg whites head that dissipates a little faster than I'd expect. The color is deep yellow and hazy. The nose is just ok, missing the fruity, ester notes that I anticipate in a hefeweizen. Instead, its a little malty and sweet.

The flavor is malty and a little heavy - not light and fruity. Whereas the Ayinger Brau-Weisse tasted

Reissdorf Kölsch

Style: 
Kölsch
Rating: 
5

While in Newburyport, MA over Labor Day weekend, I discovered a new specialty shop, the Grand Trunk Imports, with a sweet selection of German, Belgian, and English beers.

Reissdorf Kölsch is the first of two beers I bought at the Grand Trunk. Bright yellow in color and crystal clear, with no haze, this beer poured with a thick, whipped egg whites foam head. The aroma is clean and malty, with just a little sweetness. Before I have a taste, this imported beer seems like its in great shape - always a triumph for any European beer shipped across the Atlantic.

Kölsch beer has always been one of my

Uerige Alt

Style: 
Altbier
Rating: 
3

My hopes are high for the Uerige Alt, but the swing top bottle has me nervous - its never made a Grolsch taste better. It pours brownish amber, with a caramel color to the foam. The aroma is clean, a good sign, slightly sweet with a touch of caramel and a little bready. The foam is pretty thick, though it didn't pour with a lot of carbonation - a result of the swing top.

The flavor is a little thin, slightly acidic with a dry finish. The body is disappointing, I was hoping for more complex sugars from caramel or roasted malts to give it a little depth.

Magic Hat Howl

Style: 
Schwarzbier
Rating: 
4

Magic Hat Howl is a winter seasonal from the brewing team in Burlington VT. It pours dark, almost black, like a porter - with a caramel-colored foam and molasses nose with spice hints - I detect allspice and nutmeg, with some pine notes too.

The flavor is sweet and roasted - molasses and caramel notes dominate this malty, medium-bodied black lager or Schwarzbier. The roasted character of the dark Carafa malts, along with the hops, add to the beer's balance and keep it dry and crisp, not too cloying.

This is a pretty good winter brew.

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