Day 21: Winter-Böckle

Winter-Böckle

Origin: Fürst Wallerstein Brauhaus (Wallerstein, Germany)

Style: Doppelbock

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: Not Listed

Description: There’s something about a doppelbock that I find so satisfying. I have always been a fan of the style, but my appreciation took a complete turn once I discovered the history of this beer style. German Monastic monks, the stand-up citizens of civilization hundreds of years ago, had several periods throughout a year that required them to fast for holy reasons. The longest of these periods was Lent, during which the monks would fast for 46 days, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Throughout this time, no solid food would be consumed. However, they did believe that liquids purified the body and the soul. As such, they developed a beer that had a filling, bready quality to it to nourish their bodies.

In other words, they would spend a period of over a month ingesting nothing but beer while adhering to strict religious doctrine. These are guys I could really get along with.

Enough with the history lesson. As for this particular doppelbock, the overall quality is there to hold itself up with some pretty famous brews. The pour is a dark, rich, striking amber with a quickly fading yellow beige head of large bubbles. Particularly beautiful in the glass, I spent a few minutes admiring the colour tones themselves.

The nose brings many wonderful scents, including red currants, cranberries, plum and raisin. Distinctive toffee sweetness is at the forefront of palate at first sip, which slowly fades to a mouthfeel akin to chewing bread. That fades to a light spice kick towards the end, while a bit of sweetness remains on the tongue in a very satisfying manner.

All in all, a fine beer. Doppelbocks are not really meant to be paired with food. They are meant as a replacement for a meal, and really stand as a dessert in themselves. But if you were to have one with food, I would suggest tapas of some sort. Rich seafood, such as mussels in a thai curry sauce or oysters in sambal would work well. Pick up an Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, held high as the original and best of all doppelbocks, stocked year around on Legacy Liquor Store shelves, and experience one for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. -C.L.

Day 8: Anno 1050

Anno 1050

Origin: Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg (Kelheim, Germany)

Style: Märzen

ABV: 5.5%

IBU: Not Listed

Description: Anno 1050 is one of the most visually appealing beers I have had the pleasure of drinking in a while. It pours a brilliant honey-amber color and is bright and sparkling with a wonderful head that persisted the entire time it was in the glass. The first aroma that can be picked sweet malt with underlying aromas of vanilla and graham, there were also hints of creamed corn, which can be a sign of DMS. The taste follows the aroma, upfront is a malt sweetness followed by toasted bread flavours and finishes fairly dry. I also picked up a buttery character in the flavour of this beer, which can be associated with diacetyle, another brewing flaw that can be acceptable in this style in very low quantities.

Overall I felt this was a middle of the road beer. To me that means an everyday drinking beer, one that has a well-rounded flavour and hop character and is not overwhelming. This beer is a good representation of the style, though it’s not the top tier of märzens due to its numerous brewing flaws.

For a food pairing I would go with traditional German fare such as Currywurst and frites (German sausage covered in curry powder and ketchup with French fries), Hasenpfeffer (traditional German rabbit stew), Bierocks (German Meat Turnovers), although this beer would also go with any pub food or food that is somewhat hardy. Finding an alternative beer is somewhat difficult due this being a seasonal style for Oktoberfest, that being said Legacy still has Russell’s Marzen still in stock as well as the Hacker-Pschorr Festbier. There are some beers that would be similar enough to tie you over for the rest of the year, such as the Hacker-Pschorr Kellerbier or Hofbrau Munich Helles.   – O.P.