# German Beer Overview



## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Or, Now that I’m in Munich, what should I drink?

Hello fellow enthusiasts both liquid and auto!
My Bimmerfest handle is Brewmaster, and I have been brewing professionally for nearly 20 years at a regional craft-brewery in the Great Northwest. What, you may ask, has this to do with Munich and Beer? Well, I spent my last year of University at Ludwig-Maximillians University in Munich, and the beer quality in Munich propelled me into what became my future occupation. I mean, what better way to combine an Organic Chemistry and German Double major? Enough about my credentials…on to the beers and some of the terms that you’ll see:

(Warning – this is not meant to be a comprehensive discussion on brewing, but a guide for the Average Johannes to help him in his Munich Beer Quest. Also, I've got to say it, don't drink and drive! Munich has excellent public transportation, and the Germans aren't very tolerant on imbibing and getting behind the wheel....)

Beer words:
Reinheitsgebot – Bavaria’s centuries old “Purity Law” which provides strict rules and enforcement that beer must only contain the big four: Water, Malt, Hops, and Yeast.
Rest assured that all German beer meets this standard, even the cheap stuff.

Regular beers are served in ½ liter (Halbe) and 1 liter (Mass) glasses/mugs. Pils is usually serverd in .33 - .4 liter special Pils glasses. Weizens are served in ½ liter flutes.You will also see terms like “mit Naturtrub” ,“mit Hefetrub” or “Zwickelbier” and this means that this beer is unfiltered.

Stammwurze – Original Gravity. You will see beers labeled “12%” and that’s not the alcohol content, but the original gravity. OG is a measurement of specific gravity (or density) and represents the amount of sugar (from Malted Barley) that is dissolved in the water. SG is typically stated as 1.0xx number. Brix (in Winemaking) and Plato are interchangeable with SG and the conversion is: 1.048 SG = 12 degrees Plato / Brix, so you will see a beer in Germany with 12% on the label and that equals a beer with a SG (before fermentation, or Starting Gravity) of 1.048. And 1.048 = approximately (very rule-of-thumbish) about 4.8% alcohol by volume.

Ur – Original…many breweries use this claim. Urtyp – original type, Urquell – original source/spring. 

Voll – full

Stark - strong

Vom Fass – from the keg. Holzfass – wooden keg

Stammtisch – reserved table.

‘Wiese – short for Theresienwiese - where the Oktoberfest is held.

Bierfilze or Bierdeckel – beer coasters – the servers might use these to keep track of what you consume….

Noaglbier – stems from the term “zur Neige”. When you are at the Biergartens, you might see bums bussing the tables, they are not being paid, but are collecting the dregs to pour together to make a full beer…..i.e. you should avoid Noaglbier. The world famous Donisl on the Marienplatz was closed for a time after the Proprietor was caught “recycling” Noaglbier…..he committed suicide while awaiting trial.

Beer Ingredients:
Pale Malt (Braumalz or Pilsnermalz) – Made from Barley, Malting is a process where the Barley is soaked in water for a while to pick up moisture, the maltster drains away the excess water and allows the Barley to sprout. After a controlled period, the embryonic plant mobilizes enzymes that ordinarily are for converting the starch in the Barley kernel to sugar, but the maltser steps in, lightly roasts the barley to kill the plant (lightly killed) and thus pale malt is born. It is usually in excess of 95% of the weight of an all malt beer. 

Caramel Malt (Caramelmalz) – Pale malt, while on the kiln, is roasted to a higher temperature allowing some of the enzymes present to convert some of the starch to sugar, and then this sugar is caramelized – just like making caramel at home. Depending on the roasting time, the caramel can be very “candy-like”, or darker “bisquit/toasty”. 

Munich Malt (MunchnerMalz) – A caramel-like malt, but without the roastiness. It is made, classically, in a Kropf box. The respiring malt (the small plant is growing) is put in a closed container, and as the Oxygen is depleted, the temperature rises, thus creating color. This malt in particular gives Oktoberfest Beer and Dopplebock their rich malty goodness.

Roasted Malts (Rostmalz) – These are black malts that have various names based on how black they become on the Kiln. They remind me of coffee beans – roasty, smoky, intense – a little of these go along way. A small portion of roasted malts along with some caramels make the color and flavor in Dunkles.

Wheat Malt (Weizenmalz) – Wheat that has been malted like Barley. But, it doesn’t have the same husk as barley, so it is limited in brewing quantities from a process standpoint. Most Weizens contain at least 50% - 75% Wheat Malt.

With a blend of these malts, you can make any beer, from a pale, pale beer to a black stout, and the more malt you use for a given brew volume, the higher the Specific Gravity, and the higher the potential alcohol.

Hops (Hopfen) – A member of the Cannabaceae family. Its’ cousin is Cannabis, but no psychoactives. Added in the Brewhouse for bitterness and Aroma, and Germany grows some excellent hops north of Munich…. 

Munich Beer Styles:
The beers in Munich are typically lagers, but some may suggest that Weizenbier (Wheat beer) is an ale – we’ll get to that in a bit. The lager beer fermentation style is a cold primary fermentation (40 – 60 degrees F) lasting anywhere from 5 – 15 days, followed by a cold maturation period (29 – 33 degrees F) lasting anywhere from 15 – 90 days. For example, Andechs Doppelbock has a fermentation time of 7 weeks.

Helles – “Pale” or “Light” (but not Lite) – This is the typical draft beer found at every Kneipe/Biergarten/etc. At one time, these beers were the flagship of every Munich Brewery, and they still posses a significant market share. Helles is a pale golden colored lager beer with ~ 5.0% alcohol by volume and low apparent bitterness. Very drinkable with slight maltiness and nice hop aroma, Helles has a lot more flavor than Budmillercoors, but with a similar alcohol content. 

Export/Spezial – This is a Helles style beer brewed for, you guessed it, Export! It has more alcohol than Helles (around 5.3%) and more hop flavor and bitterness. They are almost always found in bottles, because they are pasteurized for a shelf life of 12 months. A lot of the beer poured in the local Munich area is fresh beer, only sterile filtered, so it has a shorter shelf life than an Export. That being said, many people enjoy the fuller body and flavor of an Export, and let’s face it, pasteurization is not a dirty word.

Dunkles – “Dark” – This is a brown version of a Helles, produced by adding dark roasted malts into a similar recipe. A Dunkles has a flavor intensity similar to a Helles, except that the mid-palate maltiness is enhanced by a pleasant roastiness/spiciness. Some people say “bisquity” – which in this case is very tasty. Dunkles is not to be confused with……

Oktoberfest or Märzen bier – Literally “March” beer. It is said that before commercial refrigeration, Märzen bier was the last beer to be brewed before Summer (March Beer) when it became too warm to brew. The beer was fermented, then aged in cool lager cellars (typically caves of some sort), and then pulled out throughout the Summer to enjoy. The beer became associated with Oktoberfest, because when Prince Ludwig the First got married, this was the beer that would have been available - there would not have been enough time for fermentation and aging for the beer brewed after Summer was over, so Märzen bier it was. Or, the Prince of Bavaria said “make me a wedding beer” and the brewers said, “yes, of course your Highness, as you command, etc.” Märzen typically has a higher alcohol content than Helles or Dunkles with an alcohol range of 5.6 – 6.0% alcohol. It also has slightly more bitterness and hop character. Both the alcohol content and hopping levels would help the beer to survive the Summer aging, but with commercial refrigeration now widely available, it tastes good brewed anytime of year. Märzen’s palate is one of exquisite maltiness. The base recipes contain not only Pale Malt, but also Vienna/Munich malt in a high percentage which is very aromatic and lush.

Bock – Ah, now you’re getting to one of my favorites. Heller Bock is a strong pale lager that I think is an excellent style of beer. Alcohol ranges from 6.2 – 7.0%, and it is a very full bodied brew that has a well balanced hop character. You will find this beer brewed as Maibock for Fruhlingsfest as well as for Christmas – Weihnachtsfestbier. These beers, out of season, traditionally have names that end in “-us” like St. Hubertus Blonder Bock (Hacker-Pschorr) or Franziskus Heller Bock (Spaten). Dunkles Bock (Dark Bock) is similar in alcoholic strength to Heller Bock, but the addition of Caramel, Munich, and / or Roasted malts enhances the malty / roasty character. Dunkles Bock could be thought of as a strong Dunkles: full bodied, but drier in palate than…..

Doppelbock – “The Beer That Made Munich Famous” Traditionally brewed for Lent, Doppelbock was made by Monks for Monks to survive the Lenten fast. Some records indicate that The Brothers were given up to 8 liters of Doppelbock a day, and at 7 – 10% alcohol (and extra calories over normal beer), I think you would forget to eat (and forget about Women, bathing, working, etc). A strong beer that is smooth, rounded, full bodied, malty, drinkable, yet intense, Doppelbock, I would say, is like drinking liquid brown velvet. It is especially enjoyable from tap when you can find it fresh in Munich. These beers have names that end in “-ator” like Salvator, Maximator, Optimator, Animator, Fortunator, Celebrator, Delicator, and Fornikator (that last one’s mine…).

Pils – A pale, hoppy beer that is mimicking the style created in nearby Pilzn, CR. As Munich’s water has a high degree of temporary hardness which is better suited to darker beers, Pils requires a very soft water, like found in Pilzn, so they tend to be more expensive to make from a technology standpoint in Munich. They are elegant beers with 4.8 – 5.5% alcohol and have a clean, intense bitterness and very little resemblance to Budmillercoors. They are usual served in smaller quantites with bullet-proof foam in cool looking glassware, and low overall carbonation.

Hefeweizen or Hefeweissen – A pale, cloudy beer brewed with a large portion of Wheat Malt (at least 50%) along with Pale malt and a low to moderate hop character. Alcohol content is 5.0 – 5.6% alcohol. You will typically find this beer served in tall, elegant glasses that reinforce a dense, white head. Redolent with aromas of cloves, bananas, apricots (sometimes Bubble-gum), Weizen is brewed differently from the standard Munich Lagers. First, Weizen primary fermentation takes place with a special yeast called Torulaspora Delbrueckii, also known as Saccharomyces Delbrueckii, which is an ale strain. It is a“wild” yeast that produces the distinctive aromas/flavors associated with Weizens, and this yeast is so aggressive that all Weizen breweries are separate buildings from the lager breweries. After primary fermentation, many of the brewers filter out the Delbrueckii yeast and add a normal lager yeast for an extended cold aging period. Most, if not all of the brewers, will use a lager yeast for bottles for the “Hefe” part. So, is Hefeweizen an ale or lager? It has characteristics of both with a warm primary and a cold secondary ferment. It is available in Helles or Dunkles styles, as well as filtered, called Kristall Weizen or Kristallklar. 

Weizenbock –Brown and full bodied with an alcohol content of 7.0 - 8.0%+, Weizenbock is the Weizen equivalent of a Doppelbock - It has the malt complexity of a Doppel with the esters and cloves of a Weizen – very interesting. BTW, these beers also have names that end with a “-us” (like bock beers): Aventinus (from Schneider), or Pikantus (from Erdinger).

Munich Beer Events:
Starkbierzeit – Begins on St. Joseph’s Day - March 19th. This is the official tapping of Doppelbock. Usually all the big beer halls have special events for the weeks surrounding the 19th, and these include bands, dances, and parties, and of course, a lot of Doppelbock.

Like any good beer town, Munich has great beer festivals. One of my favorites is Fruhlingsfest – usually the last week in April through the first week in May. It is a mini Oktoberfest held at the ‘Wiese and it is very nice - smaller crowds with a very Munich vibe, i.e. one for the locals. Also, the beer that is served is Maibock, and it is a killer.

Auer Dult – This is a combination street market and beer fest. It is held three times a year in the Spring, Summer, and Fall on the Mariahilfsplatz. Very local in feel, it is rare to run into people from outside of Munich. From rare books to Munich trinkets to carnival rides to the beer tent, I have never seen anything like it anywhere else – a slice of Munich.

Sommerfest – My Munich friends tell me this Fest, started a few years ago, is a blast. It takes place on the Coubertin-platz in August, and has beer tents, open air rock concerts, rides, and fireworks. Sounds like fun.

*The* Oktoberfest - held the last weeks of September to the first days of October. I have mixed feelings about the O’fest. It is worth seeing at least once, but the seething mass of people can be oppressing. It is, however from a brewer’s perspective, a wonder to behold. It attracts a lot of foreigners, so some of the smaller Oktoberfests in the outlying towns can be more “German” in feel. If you want to avoid the crowds, go early in the day and stake out a spot.

Brewery Tours:
Not many breweries do tours, but there are a few. All require reservations and $$'s and, usually, a minimum number of people.
Aying
Spaten
Erdinger
Weihenstephan
Kloster Andechs - you can look into the old brewery, but I had trouble getting a tour of the new brewery.

Places to drink beer:
Among my favorite places in Munich to drink beer are, in no particular order:
Zum Aumeister
Augustiner Braustuben
Augustiner Keller
Chinesischer Turm – Englischer Garten
Hirschau – Englischer Garten
Seehaus – Englischer Garten
Forschungs Brauerei
Haus der 111 Biere
Hirschgarten
Hofbrau Keller
Lowenbrau Keller
Augustiner Grossgaststatte
Paulaner Keller
Kloster Andechs

Let’s add to the list!

Brewmaster


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

This is a great post! :thumbup: I'll see if I can make this a 'STICKY


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

:yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: 


:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: 


Awesome!!!

:bow: 

:beerchug:


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

:wave: :wave:

Now, *this* is a great post!!

Jever will be along to slurp up any leftovers in a minute.


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## 325ic a beer (Oct 21, 2005)

*Dude,,*

You really know your craft now! Holy S#@T!!
I am in awe of your knowledge. I bet that you are going to be a great brewmaster.
Enjoy!


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## arnolds (Dec 21, 2001)

This should be a sticky! :thumbup:


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

Thank you, now it is!


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

*Excellent!*

Finally, the most important information needed for ED! Very, very good write-up.


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

Yes, We can all drink to this sticky! In fact, just tonight, we enjoyed Spaten Optimator with our evening meal. :beerchug: :drink:


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Lieber Herr Brewmeister

What years did you attend LMU? I studied at LMU at the Institut fuer Neuere Geschichte.

Servus!

(Great write-up by the way - Aumeister was at the top of your list and SHOULD be at the top of anyone's )


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## alpinewhite325i (Jan 20, 2002)

Excellent info; thanks for taking the time.


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## slugdriver (Dec 30, 2005)

Brewmaster - ausgezeichnet!! What a great synopsis and "go to" source you've provided. Prost!


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## zfore (Jan 4, 2006)

*Another source*

Great stuff!! My wife and I are planning an ED trip in late April - early May to pick up an X3. We don't have a production number from the CA yet, but will post details as our trip approaches.

We picked up a few travel books over the weekend, one of which is titled "The Beer Drinker's Guide to Munich", written by Larry Hawthorne. It provides reviews of many beer halls and beer gardens, but as an added bonus includes several 2 for 1 coupons for free beers. Nothing like a travel guide that pays for itself! :thumbup:


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## afshawnt (May 1, 2004)

Awesome thread:thumbup:


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## eyedoc (Jan 24, 2006)

*Adding to the list...*

I went to Munich two years ago during O'fest and I enjoyed a smaller place called Unionsbrau on the other side of the Isar from downtown. Great food too.

Also if anyone goes to Salzburg during their ED (or otherwise) you must go to the Augustiner monastery and drink in their beer hall downstairs or outside under the chestnut trees. You get your mug, clean it out, and present it to "the man" to fill. Cheap and no better atmosphere anywhere, especially outside looking out toward the Alps!!


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## Player (Dec 4, 2003)

Excellent write-up!

(now we only need some pic***180;s of happy people dringing beer.)


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

*Thanks!*

Hey Everybody,
Thanks for the kind words...and my first sticky, ever!:beerchug: :beerchug:   :bigpimp: 
Hey Jonathan - I spent '84 at LMU. After being an exchange student twice in High School (introduced to Andechs Doppelbock at the tender age of 16), My HS German teacher, Frau Griffith, said it was a natural to go for a year. So, I attended LMU as a senior in college. Organic Chem degree was already finished and I took 21 hours of misc. classes the first semester to fulfill the double major German hours requirement, and coasted and drank beer the second. It was a blast. I had my bike with me, and it was a Mongoose cruiser with gears - kind of a primitive mountain bike - and that's how I found zum Aumeister by riding in the Englischer Garten. I stayed at the Studenten Stadt and rode down through the Garten every day. I nearly crashed when I rode by the nude sunbathing area:wow: - it became a part of my summertime route . And, for all of you that like to bring your bikes with you, Munich is a great bike town - paved trails everywhere, and most of the time, respect from the cars.
Brewmaster


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Brewmaster said:


> Hey Jonathan - I spent '84 at LMU. After being an exchange student twice in High School (introduced to Andechs Doppelbock at the tender age of 16), My HS German teacher, Frau Griffith, said it was a natural to go for a year. So, I attended LMU as a senior in college. Organic Chem degree was already finished and I took 21 hours of misc. classes the first semester to fulfill the double major German hours requirement, and coasted and drank beer the second. It was a blast. I had my bike with me, and it was a Mongoose cruiser with gears - kind of a primitive mountain bike - and that's how I found zum Aumeister by riding in the Englischer Garten. I stayed at the Studenten Stadt and rode down through the Garten every day. I nearly crashed when I rode by the nude sunbathing area:wow: - it became a part of my summertime route . And, for all of you that like to bring your bikes with you, Munich is a great bike town - paved trails everywhere, and most of the time, respect from the cars.
> Brewmaster


Which Haus in StuStadt were you in. I lived in blauem Haus. I was there 81 and 82.

I'm lucky that I "have to" go to Munich a lot for business now.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey Jonathan,
I lived in the orangen Haus on the second floor...I looked out towards the Englischer Garten.
It was a lot of fun, I wish that I had even a little business in Munich......
Brewmaster


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Brewmaster said:


> Hey Jonathan,
> I lived in the orangen Haus on the second floor...I looked out towards the Englischer Garten.
> It was a lot of fun, I wish that I had even a little business in Munich......
> Brewmaster


I miss StuStadt (except for the tiny w.c.).

Was it hard to get housing in StuStadt for you?


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

Brewmaster-
How about your own personal top 10 list of Munich's must-try 'best' biers?
I could give my own, but YOU are the master!
-Rob


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## Test_Engineer (Sep 11, 2004)

*Franziskaner Dunkel Weizen !*

:beerchug: :beerchug: :drink:


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## mromero548 (Jan 28, 2006)

I highly recommend the Augustiner Maximator and Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel. 2 of my favorites. I am a big fan of hefeweizens as well and I'm always on the lookout for new hefe's.


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

Player said:


> Excellent write-up!
> 
> (now we only need some pics of happy people dringing beer.)


Well, here we are at Buga (Bundesgartenschau Munchen 2005) the bi-annual German Horticultural show.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

*Top 10*

Oh Yeah! 
Not in any particular order, because seasons, temp, weather, state of mind, would all change the order...
My personal top 10 Munich Beers:
1.) Kloster Andechs Doppelbock Dunkle - excellent example of the style
2.) Augustiner Helles - THE benchmark for the style - delicate and refined
3.) Hacker-Pschorr Hubertus Bock - My pale bock fav, but I've not had it in a long time:wailing: - also available at Xmas as Weihnachtsfestbier
4.) Spaten Urmarzen Oktoberfest - malty and wonderful
5.) Forschungs Brauerei St. Jacobus Blonder Bock - A pale Doppelbock that is worth the trip to the brewery
6.) Hofbrau Maibock - a tie with H-P HB - malty, excelllent
7.) Augustiner Dunkel Vollbier - excellent dark lager
8.) Paulaner Salvator - I think Paulaner's best beer, but not quite as tasty as Andechs
9.) Spaten Pils - a dry malt character, nice bitterness, and a lond lasting head
10.) Kloster Andechs Bergbock Hell - Can you tell that I like Pale Bocks?

Wheat Beers - I think 2 lists are a good thing .But I'll need help here....Weizens are not my favorites......
1.) Schneider Aventinus - a massive wheat doppelbock (I think Schneider edges out Erdinger in complexity in general)
2.) Schneider Weisse - spicy and interesting
3.)?

Brewmaster


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Jspira said:


> I miss StuStadt (except for the tiny w.c.).
> 
> Was it hard to get housing in StuStadt for you?


Hey Jonathan,
I was on a progran through a University, and they had allocated rooms for a fixed number of people. It was a toss up if you ended up by the Englischer Garten, or the Olympiazentrum at the Studentenviertel Oberwiesenfeld, but I preferred being close to the 'garten for bike rides and beer drinking.....What business allows all your Munich visits?
Brewmaster


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Brewmaster said:


> Hey Jonathan,
> I was on a progran through a University, and they had allocated rooms for a fixed number of people. It was a toss up if you ended up by the Englischer Garten, or the Olympiazentrum at the Studentenviertel Oberwiesenfeld, but I preferred being close to the 'garten for bike rides and beer drinking.....What business allows all your Munich visits?
> Brewmaster


I'm an analyst at an industry analyst firm that works with IT companies and end-users. Happily, clients include a major car maker in München and a large telecoms company also München.

What University program brought you to München? Was that through an American University?


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

Brewmaster, I was just watching an episode of a travel show called "The Seasoned Traveler." In the show the host talks about a beer known as "Smokey Beer." Its brewed in a town called Bromberg (Sp?) in Germany. Legend has it that in the towns past, a/the brewery burned down, but the brewer sold the beer anyway. The beer is now a town tradition. It is said to be a beer that you either love or hate. When the shows host sampled the beer, he gagged and then stuffed a pretzel in his mouth to "mop out" the beer flavor. He described it as tasting like liquid bacon, very thick and heavy. Do you know anything about this beer? :thumbup:


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

It might be noted that the deaded American "Bud" is a sponsor of the BMW/Sauber F1 racing car.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey Jonathan,
It was a Wayne State University program called Junior Year in Munich, but I came in my senior year after I had completed my Organic Chemistry degree in order to get the Double Major. I had about 20 hours at LMU to finalize the OC/German degree. So, which major car maker would that be...... 
Brewmaster


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## gesoffen (Jun 18, 2004)

mdsbuc said:


> Brewmaster, I was just watching an episode of a travel show called "The Seasoned Traveler." In the show the host talks about a beer known as "Smokey Beer." Its brewed in a town called Bromberg (Sp?) in Germany. Legend has it that in the towns past, a/the brewery burned down, but the brewer sold the beer anyway. The beer is now a town tradition. It is said to be a beer that you either love or hate. When the shows host sampled the beer, he gagged and then stuffed a pretzel in his mouth to "mop out" the beer flavor. He described it as tasting like liquid bacon, very thick and heavy. Do you know anything about this beer? :thumbup:


That would be "rauchbier" or smoked beer from the Bavarian town of Bamberg. I'm sure Herr Braumeister knows many more details but it is an acquired taste. The malts are not roasted but smoked over beechwood to produce its unique flavor. I enjoy it on occasion. Yo ucan find it in beer specialty shops or the occasional US Microbrew may brew a representative example.


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

gesoffen said:


> That would be "rauchbier" or smoked beer from the Bavarian town of Bamberg. I'm sure Herr Braumeister knows many more details but it is an acquired taste. The malts are not roasted but smoked over beechwood to produce its unique flavor. I enjoy it on occasion. You can find it in beer specialty shops or the occasional US Microbrew may brew a representative example.


Thanks! I'll be looking for it. Since I love dark beers, I'm thinking I may enjoy this.


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## Just Bryce (Sep 23, 2005)

mdsbuc said:


> Thanks! I'll be looking for it. Since I love dark beers, I'm thinking I may enjoy this.


We need to get together sometime for some beers. I don't have to many friends that are REALLY into beer as much as I am. I had the luxuary of living in Belgium for three years and that left me with a craving for GOOD beers, not the domestic mass produced crud most of my friends seem to enjoy. :thumbup:


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

bryce mcgarvey said:


> We need to get together sometime for some beers. I don't have to many friends that are REALLY into beer as much as I am. I had the luxuary of living in Belgium for three years and that left me with a craving for GOOD beers, not the domestic mass produced crud most of my friends seem to enjoy. :thumbup:


Interesting. Have you been to the Belgian restaurant on US 19 in Spring Hill? I believe it is called St. Sebastian's Belgian Microbrewery. I have mixed feelings about this restaurant, but have never been to Belgium.


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## Just Bryce (Sep 23, 2005)

mdsbuc said:


> Interesting. Have you been to the Belgian restaurant on US 19 in Spring Hill? I believe it is called St. Sebastian's Belgian Microbrewery. I have mixed feelings about this restaurant, but have never been to Belgium.


No, I haven't been but I knew it was there. Was the food disappointing? Belgium is known for having very good beer, chocolate, and food so it would be hard for them to duplicate a real belgian dining experience here i believe.


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

bryce mcgarvey said:


> No, I haven't been but I knew it was there. Was the food disappointing? Belgium is known for having very good beer, chocolate, and food so it would be hard for them to duplicate a real belgian dining experience here i believe.


I've been there a couple of times. The meats are overcooked for my taste and the portions rather small. Still I kind of like the place. It gives that "touch" of Europe that I miss so much, now that I'm back from ED. Usually you have a choice of four different beers that they brew there. Last time I went, they just had one. It was a pale beer, and I had my heart set on a dunkel.


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## mapezzul (Jun 14, 2005)

Brewmaster said:


> Oh Yeah!
> Not in any particular order, because seasons, temp, weather, state of mind, would all change the order...
> My personal top 10 Munich Beers:
> 1.) Kloster Andechs Doppelbock Dunkle - excellent example of the style
> ...


ummm yeah you RULE!! We share a few favorites I see 2,4,6,7!
Erdinger Weissbier Dunkel is a bit "spicy" like the Schneider. I enjoy both.Paulaner Original Münchner Märzen is a nice lager that is a bit richer /bittersweet than most. Spaten Optimator as a previous poster mentioned is a nice dark bock.

Augustiner is the oldest and still one of the best.... I can not wait to get back there and drink it all fresh... 
I will be visiting Poland and then on the return stopping in Munich for a few days to enjoy the beer. Do you have any Polish beer that you have tried? Zywiec is owned by Heineken ... that is all I know!

Thanks again for such a great post! I am always looking for new beers to try! Best of luck:thumbup:


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

*Rauch Bier*

Hey mdsbuc,
There are two distinct/odd "smoked" beer styles produced in Germany. The first is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier produced in Bamburg. http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.htm It is produced like a normal beer, except in the malting process, the barley malt is kilned over a beechwood fire, imparting a distinctly smoky character. Smoked ham is what came to my mind....definitely an aquired taste. The other is Rauchenfels Steinbier. White hot rocks are added to the kettle for boiling, and the resulting encrusted rocks are added into the fermentation tanks during fermentation and maturation. This also adds a distinctly smoky character.....more "charcoally". Also an aquired taste.... I would agree that you either love it or hate it, but both are worth a try, if only just to taste what they're about.
Brewmaster


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

*Polish Beers*

Hey mappezul,
A lot of Polish Beers are great! My favorite is Okocim, owned by SAB I beleive. Their O.K. Beer, a pale 6.2% lager is an excellent pale bock, and Mocne, Okocim's "Malt Liquor", is an excellent pale doppelbock at 7.8% alcohol. Okocim's hallmark is a very drinkable smoothness, all in all, very tasty!
Brewmaster


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

Brewmaster said:


> Hey mdsbuc,
> There are two distinct/odd "smoked" beer styles produced in Germany. The first is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier produced in Bamburg. http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.htm It is produced like a normal beer, except in the malting process, the barley malt is kilned over a beechwood fire, imparting a distinctly smoky character. Smoked ham is what came to my mind....definitely an aquired taste. The other is Rauchenfels Steinbier. White hot rocks are added to the kettle for boiling, and the resulting encrusted rocks are added into the fermentation tanks during fermentation and maturation. This also adds a distinctly smoky character.....more "charcoally". Also an aquired taste.... I would agree that you either love it or hate it, but both are worth a try, if only just to taste what they're about.
> Brewmaster


Danke! Will try if given the chance. :beerchug:


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## mapezzul (Jun 14, 2005)

Jspira said:


> OK, where is the local Bier distributor bitte?


Like I said it is not so local.... but they do have a LOT of bier! If you need an excuse to go for a good ride, bier is a good one!
I am in search of another one that has the same kind of selection.... I will find it!

http://www.halftimebeverage.com/

check it out!:thumbup: :beerchug:


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Do they sell Bier glasses as well? What you got (the Fotos) looks great but the Web site doesn't list as much as you did! :rofl:


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## mapezzul (Jun 14, 2005)

Jspira said:


> Do they sell Bier glasses as well? What you got (the Fotos) looks great but the Web site doesn't list as much as you did! :rofl:


Their website sucks.... but luckily I did take a few pictures on my camera phone (how much do I love Sony Ericsson !) and they came out great. I believe they did have a good number of glsses etc. but I am not sure what they were. The next time I go I will look. They have a bier of the month club that I think I am going to join and pick some weisse bier and helles etc. just not only the german lagers, I would like the full tilt spectrum. Best of luck!:thumbup:

Here are pics of the German aisle and the Belgium as well.

My fiance is from Rochester NY so every month or so we go up to visit family and there is a store named Beers of the World there and they have even more beer than this store and a much larger selection of glasses etc...
Any particular products send me a PM and maybe I can look for you, unless you need to get bier anyhow lol! Prost!


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## icemanjs4 (Dec 1, 2004)

mapezzul said:


> I am now in love with anything Schneider produces especially the Aventinus. They also produce an Aventinus eis that I did not take a picture of but it is basically the Aveninus and frozen then when it starts to thaw they remove the liquid and leave the ice so you have a much more concentrated brew, like ice wine for all of you wine drinkers, it is heaven!


Thanks for the pics. I have to agree with you about every beer produced by Schneider! We just got back from Munich where we spent our last night at the Weisses Brauhaus (the original home of the Scheniderweiss brewery). WOW is all I can say. The food was beyond wonderful (I highly recommend the Spaetzle). But the beers were just great. My favorite, as you mentioned, was the Aventinus Ice bock. It was dark and rich and delicious (and at 12.5% alcohol it packs quite a punch).

The funny thing is, we were wandering in Munich and happened into a sports shop. We asked the local kid working in Sales if he knew where the Weisses Brauhaus was. His eyes lit up and he said "Of course I know - it's awesome!" and he highly recommended the eisbock. Yummmmmy.

So Brewmaster, are you not a fan of the Weisses brahaus? You didn't mention it in your posts.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey Iceman,
The Weisses Brauhaus slipped my mind....truth be told, I am not much of a fan of Weizens in general. Schneider, to my palate, is one of the best, but as a style, I'd rather have Bock Beer :thumbup: .
Brewmaster


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

I just returned from spending a week in Munich largely visiting biergartens and bierhalles. I probably went to 20 of them. I also went to several 'beer forward restaurants'. Please feel free to PM me if you would like information sych as proximity, transportation etc. I took pretty good notes despite my constant buzz.

BTW a guide I used was called the "Beer drinkers Guide to Munich". www.beerdrinkersguide.com
It was INDISPENSABLE!


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## mwagner1 (Aug 13, 2004)

This is going to be a really silly question  , but when one goes to Munich, can one sample the beers with a small glass or just the monstrous glass you see in the ads??

I simply cannot consume beer like I used to (I am mainly a wine drinker now). I still love a good _dark_ beer and would love to sample some of the beers listed, but even though I do not seriously drink beer anymore I still devoutly follow the 11th commandment that says "Thou shall not spill one drop of beer" :angel: so the thought of sampling many beers and then wasting them is almost sacrilegious.:bawling:

SO....should I forget beer when I finally get to Munich???:dunno:

Thanks,


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

Drink up, you'll rediscover your ability to drink when you taste how good & fresh they are. 
I do not know about the availability of sampler sizes. I'm pretty sure that I saw something like that offered a couple of places, but never got it. 
Go Big, you won't regret it!


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

mwagner1 said:


> ....I simply cannot consume beer like I used to (I am mainly a wine drinker now). I still love a good _dark_ beer and would love to sample some of the beers listed, but even though I do not seriously drink beer anymore ...


That is because you have not had REAL beer before Pal. Do you think we are all bunch of drunks Try the "REAL" beer and you will know why you can't just "sampling" in small cups.

Sampling is for crappy beers where you can't / wouldn't want to take more than a sip of those dog pi$$ they that they try to pass as "beer"


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## Zauberhias (Jun 28, 2005)

Normally beer is served in 0,5 or 0,4 liter glasses, if You do not order a "Mass". If You want to drink less try to order a "Pfiff" or "Schnitt". This means, that the tab is opened, until the glass is full of foam. This will then transform into the right quantity.


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## mwagner1 (Aug 13, 2004)

beewang said:


> That is because you have not had REAL beer before Pal. Do you think we are all bunch of drunks Try the "REAL" beer and you will know why you can't just "sampling" in small cups.
> 
> Sampling is for crappy beers where you can't / wouldn't want to take more than a sip of those dog pi$$ they that they try to pass as "beer"


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....

Dog pi$$ eh??? Like the time I was in London going pub hopping (summer 1990) and I (we) went into a pub....the guy behind the counter, when realizing we were yanks, offered us of all things, Miller Lite!!! This pub was about the 7th of the evening (and we ALL had enjoyed at least one pint per pub) and when we were asked if we wanted some Lite, our response was, uh, umm, cough cough, unprintable....:bigpimp:

Perhaps I can start a new learning curve for serious beer drinking with truly good beers?? Still, I do not know if I can resume my olden day beer chops in time for an April or May ED trip...Hmmm, perhaps I can indeed!!!!!

Cheers,


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

The 0.5 liter (eine Halbe) is just over the pint served in the better bars in the US, and less than the Imperial Pint served in the UK. Look for Dunkles or Bock or Doppelbock to satisfy that dark beer jones. You'll do just fine....the atmosphere eases beer consumption, and the beer is spectacular. Also, don't ignore the German and Austrian wines available - they're delicious and hard to come by in the US.
Brewmaster


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## Ladis540 (Sep 14, 2005)

:beerchug: awesome


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

A bump for this thread, and a picture of my pretzel and Konig Ludwig Dunkel Weisse at the top of the Zugspitze last week, at 10:30AM!


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## Patrick (Dec 23, 2001)

Holy crap! Lovely scenery for a bier!! That looks awesome.

And I thought that I was living it an hour ago while having a Warsteiner with a grilled bratwurst for lunch! uch: 


.


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

Yeah, it's quite an amazing view and quite a ride up the cable car.

Here's a photo of me overlooking the view back down towards Eibsee and eventually Garmisch-P.










Cost was 36 Euros for the ride up to the top, but well worth it.

Are you in Helsinki? How is it there?


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## Patrick (Dec 23, 2001)

Beautiful! And a fellow 1 series Canon shooter I see as well.  

I live in the provincial capital of what used to be Finnish Sweden, i.e., Turku ***197;bo, and everything is fine here now that the snow and ice has melted. Turku is about 165km west of Helsinki, which is a former Russian fishing village. As Helsinki is known as the asshole of Finland, I only go there when I am leaving (out) of this country. :bigpimp: 

If you have your trip pics loaded somewhere, I would love to see more of them!


.


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

Yessir, 1DSMkII's are what we use for jobs like this.

I hvae been to Turku!  My mom is from Imatra and all of her family lives in Finland still (her brothers in Espoo and her mom and dad in Imatra). I liked the old church/fortress in Turku -- and we went ahead and took the ferry out to Bengskar. Neat memories.

All the pics from my trip are in the directory where those two pics I linked from are. Just a bunch of snapshots I took, albeit snapshots with a 1DSMkII .

BTW I just became a Finnish citizen about two months ago and received my EU/Suomi passport last month. Now I need to learn the language.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Do Germans know beer or what?


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

Nice! I brought back some Unertl weissbier. Can't wait to try it.


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## amnesiac (Jul 19, 2006)

Leaving Munich in a couple hours. Here's my thoughts:

Favorite beer: Paulaner Hefeweisen. Smooth, refreshing, with ample apricot and tropical fruit flavor without beeing cloying. Amazing and totally unlike any weissbier I've had in the states. I need to find this elsewhere.

I saw Chinesischer Turm recommended by posters here and by Frommer's. WHY? I went there last night. The fact that it was all but deserted, with only 2 tables taken up by other Americans should have clued me in. Service was brusque and hurried. Only beer they offered was that from Hofbrauhaus - not bad, but considering Frommer's stated "possibly the best beer in the world" makes me think that they had something else entirely.
Menu was overpriced, food mediocre, and pretzels were stale. Am I missing something?


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

amnesiac said:


> Leaving Munich in a couple hours. Here's my thoughts:
> 
> Favorite beer: Paulaner Hefeweisen. Smooth, refreshing, with ample apricot and tropical fruit flavor without beeing cloying. Amazing and totally unlike any weissbier I've had in the states. I need to find this elsewhere.
> 
> ...


Service in many Biergärten is brusque and hurried. That´s not an indication per se. I´m surprised it was empty unless it wasn´t nice weather. The last time I went there (last summer) it was full of Münchners and former Münchners such as myself. It is not a tourist place. Surprising about the pretzels and food.

Re the "only" Bier, what did you expect? More than one brand? And it wasn´t Hofbräuhaus bier but Hofbräu, which is a good brand; it´s just the Hofbräuhaus is usually full of tourists and no locals which is why one should avoid it.


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

Amnesiac, have no fear. Paulaner is widely available here in SoCal, since the US distributor is in San Marcos. That would be Stone Brewery, famous for their Arrogant Bastard.

http://www.stonebrew.com/

It can be had through BevMo as well. In fact, my good buddy has a 13.2 gallon (50 liter) keg of Paulaner Weissiber in his kegerator now -- cost was $169 via BevMo.


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

amnesiac said:


> ...
> Favorite beer: Paulaner Hefeweisen. Smooth, refreshing, with ample apricot and tropical fruit flavor without beeing cloying. Amazing and totally unlike any weissbier I've had in the states. I need to find this elsewhere......


Oh yeah??!! I have it at home


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## Ben Carufel (Jul 20, 2003)

beewang said:


> Oh yeah??!! I have it at home


Great choice. Too bad about that Widmer Bros. crap .


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

I'm actually starting to see Paulaner's Weisse pop up all over the place: 
Pala Mesa resort in Fallbrook serves Paulaner on draft. Yard House has Paulaner, H-P, Franziskaner & Erdinger. The Goat Hill on Newport in Costa Mesa has Franziskaner, Erdinger and Weihenstephaner. Naja's in Redondo has Hofbrau. Bristol Farms will often have Paulaner and Erdinger. The other Bavarian's are findable in SoCal also...The little liquor store in my plaza in San Juan Capistrano carries Paulaner and Franziskaner. You can buy Franziskaner at most Trader Joe's. A German market in Huntington Beach called Olde World Village sells Paulaner, Hacker, Erdinger, Franziskaner, Konig Ludwig, Weihenstephaner. Strangely, Alpine Village in Torrance does not have Paulaner, but they have most others. And, Alpine Village has Erdinger that is really fresh for $1.89 .5 liter.

For the people in Puget Sound area, you can get Paulaner and Franziskaner at most QFC's. I have found Paulaner at the occasional Safeway or Thriftway stores as well. Larry's market's used to carry a pretty good variety which usually included Paulaner and I have heard that Hacker (and other's) are available at some upscale market over in Kingsgate in the Kirkland area, I think it might be called Central Market. 

Paulaner is the one that hooked me on these weissbiers. Now I actually prefer Hacker, but BevMo is about the only place to find it and the H-P dates are often older than the Paulaners. Several of my friends now curse me for getting them addicted to the stuff.

If you really want to get the best stuff, check the bottleing date on the lower right corner of the bottle. Paulaner and Hacker date the same way, e.g. April 2007 it's intuitive: 4/07. I can generally find Paulaner that is no more than 3 months old at BevMo if I sort through their stock. The Hacker's seem to be a few months behind. I have seen stuff at BevMo that is more than 1 year old, and believe me you will taste a big difference between an old one and a fresh one.

Franziskaner's date code goes like this: 04071 - which means it was bottled on the 40th day of 2007. I bought some at my neighborhood Trader Joes last night that were exactly this date, so they come about as fresh as the best Paulaner's I can find. 

If anyone knows Weihenstephaner's code please post.


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## SouthBayM5 (May 8, 2006)

emdreiSMG said:


> Naja's in Redondo has Hofbrau.


I think Naja's has every beer know to mankind on tap.. Great place to get a brew in the south bay.


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## DCJAX (May 21, 2007)

I tip my hat to you Brewmaster, I hope to use some of this knowledge during my trip. The one constant in my life is that the more I know.... the more I realize how much I don't know.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey DCJAX,
Thanks for the kind comments! Remember....Beer is Fun!

Hey Emdrei,
If memory serves me correctly, no German brewer uses a "born on" or "bottled on" date....they are still all "best by" dates. The beer for export is pasteurized, and is stable for a year, but still not as nice as "frisch vom Faß".........
Brewmaster


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

Brewmaster said:


> Hey DCJAX,
> Beer is Fun!
> Hey Emdrei,
> If memory serves me correctly, no German brewer uses a "born on" or "bottled on" date....they are still all "best by" dates. The beer for export is pasteurized, and is stable for a year, but still not as nice as "frisch vom Faß".........
> Brewmaster


Beer is fun indeed, but you can lose your memory! Check the bottom right hand corner of Paulaner and H-P Weissbier and you'll see what I'm talking about. You can also find info. on the bottling day if you look at the outside of a 12 pack or a box of 20 big bottles of Paulaner/H-P. On the carton, they use a specific number of the day of the year it was bottled on.

Franziskaner definitely has the '06771' kind of number for the day of the year it was bottled. (That would be the 67th day of 2007)
Erdinger uses the "best by" dating system. Weihenstephaner, Hofbrau and Ayinger may use some code that is "best by" as well, but I haven't figured it out.

When I was in Seattle last week, I was consuming Paulaner's that were from 03/07. Those are the freshest I've ever had stateside, and they were awesome. There is simply no way that is a "best by" date.


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## akhbhaat (Apr 29, 2003)

Dave 330i said:


> Do Germans know beer or what?


That picture reminds me (only slightly) of a particular Getraenkemarkt I stopped in with a friend on the outskirts of Berchtesgaden.

We walked in and simply found an otherwise empty, undecorated room stacked with crates full of various Bavarian brews (breweries that I was familiar with) in half liter bottles, mostly Helles and the occasional Dunkel (I was slightly disappointed at first, considering I don't particularly care for the Helles/Pale lager). These crates were set right on the floor with no prices marked.

We each picked out six (myself carrying six Dunkels) and, fearing for the worst, headed towards the counter. The clerk checks off the various bottles and then mumbles (with a bit of a foreign accent - I'm guessing Polish/Czech), "Sechs sechsundfünfzig." My buddy and I glanced at each other with a bit of uncertainty.

"Für alles? Zwölf?" I replied.

"Ja."

Yes - we bought six liters' worth (very nearly the equivalent of a US 18 pack) of bottled Bavarian beer for €6.56. :yikes: It'd be difficult to find a 12 pack of American macro swill at that price!


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey emdrei,
I contacted the Brewmasters at their respective breweries, and this is what I've found out:
The code dating for Paulaner/H-P (same brewery) changed 2 years ago from a "best-by" to a bottling date. It caused them major grief, because the importers initially thought that the breweries were shipping them old beer! I just hadn't looked closely at their packages for a long while. Good work emdrei! Paulaner and Hacker will have on the label the month/year, i.e. 03/07. Also, Herr Bräumeister said that the bottle or the label will have an inkjet code of 5 numbers 03172 would be the 31st day of the year 2007 produced on bottling line #2, so you get not only the month of production, but also possibly the day on every bottle - the inkjet can be missing. The pull dates for all Paulaner Beers are 12 months, except for the Weissbiers - 9months, and Hacker-Pschorr are all 9 months. I have calls into the other breweries, and as I hear back, I'll update the freshness chart.
Brewmaster


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## Flyboy01 (Sep 23, 2007)

*German Brew*

I was suprised not to see Weisses Brauhaus on your list? Ummmm good!


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## akhbhaat (Apr 29, 2003)

Weisses Brauhaus is a good place. It has a far more local flavor than Hofbrau and the G. Schneider brews are fantastic. I'm particular to the Aventinus, myself. It's a combination of two of my favorite styles - how could I not like it?


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Ahhhh, Weizen is not my favorite style, but the Weisses Brauhaus needs to be on the list.....I'll update it.
Brewmaster


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## GT350Mike (Apr 21, 2007)

I think I finally found a home.........A site that talks about beer (anything but domestic) & Bimmers! Can't go wrong with that combo!!!


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## mapezzul (Jun 14, 2005)

*Augustiner*

I just picked up a case of my favorite Munich beer. I searched for a long while and found a distributor able to get it. Prost!:drink:


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## CarSwami (Oct 2, 2005)

If any of you happen to be traveling through Maryland from Baltimore towards Pittsburgh on Interstate 70, you should stop at "The Corner Pub" in Hagerstown MD. I've not been there myself, but my friends tell me that I should go there. Hagerstown is only about 25 miles from where I work, so I must get over there sometime soon. "The Corner Pub" appears to have quite a few European beers on draft: http://www.thecornerpub.net/beverages.html#drafts


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## Hammerwerfer (Aug 8, 2003)

I didn't see ti mentioned in this thread so I thought it might be a good idea to mention the bier mats, or Deckel. I'm not sure of the München tradition, but in my part of the world, the bier matt is used to tally up the number of glass you have consumed, as well as any snacks such as Mettwurst that you may have munched through.

Sometimes I'll notice a tourist more or less destroying the Deckel. Not a good thing to do.


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## Odan.be (Mar 26, 2008)

Dave 330i said:


> Do Germans know beer or what?


If you think Germans know beer...
go to Belgium 
We got even more and better ...


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

Hammerwerfer said:


> I didn't see ti mentioned in this thread so I thought it might be a good idea to mention the bier mats, or Deckel. I'm not sure of the München tradition, but in my part of the world, the bier matt is used to tally up the number of glass you have consumed, as well as any snacks such as Mettwurst that you may have munched through.
> 
> Sometimes I'll notice a tourist more or less destroying the Deckel. Not a good thing to do.


My bier maid at my local pub the year I spent working in Germany kept all of mine and presented them to me at my going away party. A nice souvenier.


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## RoBMWED (Aug 3, 2007)

*Bier Deckels*

..and I thought that the Bier Deckels were supposed to used to cover the Steinkrüge - and not used as coasters.

I do remember them being used as counters for biers and snacks as Hammerwerfer pointed out.

I should have spent more time drinking in the Gasthaüser!.

They do make for fun souvenirs. As well as the labels if you can get them.

Prosit!


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## filstan (Aug 6, 2007)

Bier Deckels have many functions. They keep surfaces below the glass/Steinkrug fairly dry. They dampen the sound once you put the glass down after drinking. You can tally drink totals on them. They act as glass covers to keep bugs, bee's and wasp's out of your beer when drinking outside in warm weather. They offer information about beer and breweries. You can do bar tricks with them. They provide reference points and reminders as to where you were drinking, unless you were to drunk to remember. In some cases, they are works of art.


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## skywalkerbeth (Jul 19, 2007)

Hi!

Instead of starting a separate thread to ask, I thought I'd ask here and hope it gets seen.

I've always thought of myself as "not a beer drinker" but that was perhaps more because of all the craptastic stuff that was around when I turned 21 (i.e. no microbrews, etc.)

I really enjoy Newcastle Brown Ale, or Bass, or Chimay Rouge/Bleu (for instance). Given that those are the styles I like, what beers would you recommend I try?

I can tell you I HATE Pilsner Urquell - so that is the kind I really dislike - so what to avoid? My memory of it was that it was just sooooooo bitter.


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

Try them all. Munich offers the best biers in the world, and you will find somehing very appealing!


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## skywalkerbeth (Jul 19, 2007)

Well, we only have two days so I'll have to target the ones that are likely to please both of us. Any ideas? Thanks!


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

skywalkerbeth said:


> Hi!
> 
> Instead of starting a separate thread to ask, I thought I'd ask here and hope it gets seen.
> 
> ...


All right, I'll be more specific. Avoid the Pilsners. If you don't like Urquell, you def. won't like the German ones. 
-You might like dunkles (dark lagers)and dunkelweisens/weisses. 
-For sure the most pleasing Bavarian bier is the Hefeweizen or Hefeweissbier or Weissbier. They are all good, esp. Franziskaner, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. They are not bitter.
-Augustiner Edelstoff is a non-bitter golden bier that is very special in Munich. There is another similarly smooth bier made by Paulaner/Thomasbrau. It is called the Thomasbrau "Zwickl" lager. It is only avaiable at the Paulaner Brauhaus near the Theresienwiese Fairgrounds AFAIK, though.


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## skywalkerbeth (Jul 19, 2007)

Great, thanks, that helps to narrow it down!


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## strider41 (Feb 9, 2008)

German beers and breweries tend to be regional except for the larger breweries. Some brands IIRC local to the Munich area are: Spaten, Lowenbrau, Paulner, DinkelAcker, Hofbrau. Avoid the Pils if you dislike bitter. The Weisse biers should match your tastes.

Sample some of the brands locally before you depart and visit the brewery for the beer you like when you're in Munich. Some have restaurants attached to the brewery.

Enjoy your trip.


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## Brewmaster (Oct 27, 2005)

Hey skywalkerbeth,
I agree with emdrei on the Edelstoff and other Helles, and the Dunkles as well. Weizens do have a particular flavor, but they aren't bitter like the typical Pils - they are refreshing and have a "clove and bubble gum" undertone, not unlike some Belgian beers, and they can be very tasty. Also, when in Munich, remember to try the Bock and Doppelbock....smooth and malty and delicious......
Brewmaster


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## filstan (Aug 6, 2007)

If you are in the Chicago area and want Munich beer, I heartily recommend Uberstein on N.Clark by the ballpark. This is a Hofbrau outlet and serves no less than 5, yes count em 5 different Hofbrau beers on tap! First time I have ever seen such choices in one location. They had Helles, Dunkel, Maibock, Strong Bock and Weissbier. The Dunkel was fantastic, and here again this was the first time I have ever found a Munich dark on draft here apart from Dopplebocks. They even had this brew called "Strong Bock" that was 8%. It wasn't the Dopplebock. The bar staff couldn't identify it with a German name, and being a frequent visitor in Munich. I have never seen this beer in Munich, but perhaps it is a Christmas Bock as this one was blonde in color? Has anyone ever seen this brew before? Anyway, this place was the mother lode for German beer fans. Not cheap, but certainly more reasonable than plane tickets these days.


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