Schneider Weisse Aventinus

Given that Lent is almost at a close, I thought it only sensible to taste a Starkbier. Today I sampled the Schneider Weisse Aventinus, which is an "Eisbock" strong beer. This beer is also known locally (very locally) as "killing me softly".

A professional marketing image for this one looks like this, deep ambery glow in a mysteriously frosty glass dripping with condensation:

My own photo of this beer and a glass, perched on top of an old wine box in the sun looks like this:

The colour is a cloudy tar-brown. The pour has yeasty sediments in it and it is low carbonated. It should be left in the glass to settle out before drinking in order to let the sediment drop away. A mouthfull of that can be a bit gritty.

The nose is sweet malts with honey and caramel. The nose is almost hop-free but there is just a touch of fruity high notes in there. Ding!

The flavour goes like this, in fairly rapid succession; Cereals. Honey. Mango. Sweet milk and Toffee. Bitter buttery biscuit base. It is heady heavy and flavoursome. This beer is also strong. It will quickly put you on your arse if you don't pace yourself. Killing me quickly might be more appropriate for a nickname. It is a small-quantity beer and very good for its type. I award it 6 out of 7.

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Brandys Braugarage - Tropical Sun 8-Hop IPA

Introducing the "Tropical Sun" from Brandys Braugarage. Brandys is one of the new breed of smaller (micro) breweries that have sprung up throughout Bayern in the past few years. Slightly behind the rest of the beer-drinking world chronologically, but this has not hurt the development of the product at all.

This particular brew is hard to come by. A managed to get a tasting bottle from the owner of the best pub in Bavaria (location a secret).

The poured "Tropical Sun" has a solid flower which persists for a decent amount of time. The beer is an opaque reddish-amber colour, it's dark for an IPA.

The nose is springy and bright. There's toffee and passion-fruit in there, with a touch of green grass.

Then the flavour. Tangy and sweet all at once. There floral nature of heavy hops is evident, but it is balanced and not overpowered (a temptation for many IPA manufacturers). I had some of this beer with a curry and the compliment was spectacular.

Incidentally this beer has a twin, which I tried over Christmas - The "Outrigger" Pacific Pale Ale by Tuatara Bewing in New Zealand. Half a world away, and I was amazed at how similar the two beers taste.

Overall Brandy's have pulled off a winner with this beer. If I can get my grubby mits on a few more of these I will be set for some hot summer drinking in 2016.

This one easily scores a 6 out fo 7.

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