Style: Weizenbock
ABV: 8.2%
Presentation: Single 500 ml brown bottle
Brewery: Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Country: Kelheim, Germany

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

If you’re looking for a special beer, then look no further, Aventinus is an ale of legendary status.  For starters it is named in honour of Johannes Aventinus, a Bavarian philologist and historian of the 15^th and 16^th centuries whose body of work turned out to be an important record of early Germanic history and linguistics.  Yet it must be noted that Aventinus is actually the Latin name for Abensberg, the town of his birth.  To get a bit closer to the present we then turn to the story behind the beer itself.

Developed in Munich in 1907 by Mathilde Schneider, Aventinus exists as the world’s oldest top-fermented Wheat Doppelbock (often referred to now as a Weizenbock).  In non-geeky terms, that means it’s a high strength, dark wheat beer that’s been brewed with ale yeast.  It’s also bottle conditioned too for extra goodness.  Because of this extra tasty yeast it’s generally a custom to either swirl the bottle or gently roll it on its side to blend it back in with the rest of the ale.  Gentle that is, as you don’t want to agitate it too much and cause a sticky geyser when you uncap the bottle, there’s going to be more than enough of a tall head on the initial pour to already.

Traditionally served in a weizen glass, any tall fluted glass will do, or your handy pint glass when all else fails.  Like I mentioned above, extra room in the glass is desired since there will be a healthy amount of head to anticipate.  That usually tends to be the occupational hazard with either bottled conditioned beers, or traditional German Wheat beers, and in this case both of them apply.  Aventinus is robust enough to be consumed chilled straight out of the fridge, but you’ll be missing half the excitement that way.  If you’re patient enough let it sit a good 20-30 minutes before opening, and even room temperature is a palatable option with this stuff.

There’ll be a tall, creamy, slightly off-white head with excellent retention from the pour.  This dark wheat ale presents itself as a cloudy opaque brown, while it becomes a hazed yet translucent amber mahogany when held to direct light.  Your nose should pick up a sweet, almost banana-like aroma at first, with some mild spicy clove and nutmeg resting in the background.  The warmer it gets some toasted chocolate malt, raisin and plum may become more apparent.  By focusing more on the aroma, you should be able to discover even more complexities and hidden gems, similar to port with its richness.  For such a big beer the mouthfeel is still fairly medium-bodied, with a low carbonation and dry, almost sherry-like finish the warmer it is.  If all this wasn’t enticement enough, prepare your lips to be greeted with sweet and toasted malt, followed by candied banana sweetness in the middle, then mild spice along with a dry nutty finish.  A dry spicy aftertaste lingers too.  Just as with the aroma, the more you focus on the flavour, the more black gold you can uncover for yourself.  Oh my, life is rough when you are exploring quality beer…..

Roast pork or smoked ham could not be a better match for Aventinus.  Or German cuisine in general if you wish to branch out, as much of it still centres around pork dishes.  Mushrooms will be complimented by the dry, earthiness of it, and the same goes with aged, earthy cheeses.  Wild game and fowl will also pair up very well, from venison and wild boar to duck and pheasant.  Let’s not forget the potential challenge of preparing lamb well either, it will be right at home when served with Aventinus.

Discover for yourself what makes Aventinus such a legendary beer.  Then again as with any legend, make sure you’re ready for the bold reception you’re bound to encounter.

The next steps in the cooler:

From This Brewery:
Schneider Weisse

In-Style:
Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse
Tree Weizen Bock
Impériale Weizen Grande Cuvée - Les Trois Mousquetaires

Lateral Steps:
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Doppelbock Grande Cuvée Printemps 2009 - Les Trois Mousquetaires
Coopers Vintage Ale

For The Adventurous:
St. Bernardus Abt 12
La Trappe Quadrupel - Koningshoeven
Thomas Hardy’s Ale

Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.3%
Presentation: Single 500 ml brown bottle
also available in 12-packs
Brewery: Erdinger Weissbräu
Country: Germany

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

The tradition of what we now know as modern wheat beers dates back to the 15^th century in Germany.  One misconception is that it is brewed completely with wheat malt, which in reality would produce a beer a bit too tart and acidic for most people’s palates.  Usually there’s at least 50% wheat used in the malt bill, the remainder of which is rounded out by good ‘ol barley.  This provides the best of both worlds:  the wheat offering a quenching citrus acidity, also more body and a tall, full head, whereas the remaining barley acts to soften up the potentially harsh edges.  On its own this combination serves up a quaint, inoffensive brew, yet what in reality it’s doing is functioning as a fairly neutral backdrop for the real superstar of this style….the yeast!  This specially developed top fermenting yeast has its own special flavour and aroma signature, each brewery eventually cultivating their own version of it, yet for the most to varying degrees expect notes of banana and clove, and at times some nuttiness and even bubblegum (old school style bubblegum that is).

With the unfiltered addition of this yeast it brings us to the topic of appearances.  And some linguistics.  In German “hefe” means yeast, while “weiss” is white and “weizen” is the word for wheat.  Any wheat ale with the word hefe on the label means it’ll be at least somewhat cloudy in appearance.  Weizen is a given, while weiss denotes that it’ll be a lighter variety, as opposed to a dunkel (”dark” in German”) which will have sweeter, caramelized and toasty flavours too.

Regarding Erdinger specifically, it’s been brewed in the town of Erding, Germany since 1886, and is disputed to be the largest producer of Weissbier in that country, and arguably on a global scale as well.

Now when it comes to hefeweizens, they actually do have their own specific glassware.  Similar to a lager glass yet larger in proportion, these glasses stand nearly a foot tall in height, narrow and skinny from the base up, and mushrooming at the top in a rounded, fluted finish.  This way it accentuates the quenching aspects in the flavour while leaving enough room around the lip to accommodate the trademark tall billowing head and highlight the aromatics from the yeast all at the same time.  In a pinch a pint glass will suffice.  You also don’t want to serve this Erdinger Weissbier ice cold, however slightly chilled is getting on the right track.  As it warms all that goodness from the special yeast will bouquet out in the aroma, adding to the overall experience.

Be prepared for a fairly vigorous pour, that extra yeast in the bottle means there’s a healthy amount of carbonation, and chances are you won’t be able to empty the whole bottle in one pour.  This isn’t a bad thing either, I’ll explain shortly.  There should be a tall billowing fluffy white head on the pour that may get a bit out of control.  This is normal.  Let it settle and pour again.  Once you’re down to the final inch or two of beer left in the bottle give it a gentle swirl before pouring the remainder into the glass, thus blending in the last of the yeast to add to the flavour.  Not only that but this yeast is also loaded with vitamins, especially B-Complex.  The appearance of this wheat beer itself is a cloudy pale gold in appearance, which turns to a cloudy straw when held to light.  On to the good stuff, the aroma should offer up some sweet grains and tart wheat, light spice and citrus, along with some clove warmth.  A few sips will reveal a flavour that starts out clean, builds with a bready and slightly tart malt, with a light quenching zip of citrus on the finish, and subtle candied banana throughout.  The texture of the mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied with enough carbonation to keep it quenching and clean on the finish.

This is a wheat beer that can multi-task.  Great on its own for patio sessions in hot weather, or accompanying a meal.  Of course German cuisine comes up first to serve this with, after all they’ve been cultivated side by side for centuries.  If you’ve been searching for something that will actually go along with Chinese food, then look no further.  Plus this wheat beer is a knock-out with the subtle, earthy flavours of Mediterranean dishes.  If you decide that this is a style to your liking a good idea would be to invest in the proper weizen glasses, Erdinger even has a gift pack that comes with one.

The next steps in the cooler:

Also From This Brewery:
Erdinger Dunkel
Erdinger Alkoholfrei

In-Style:
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse
König Ludwig Weiss
Ayinger Bräu Weisse

Lateral Steps:
Duvel
Affligem Blond
Hoegaarden
Blanche De Chambly - Unibroue

For The Adventurous:
Aventinus
Chimay Blue
Orval

Style:  Dortmunder Export Lager
ABV:  5.5%
Presentation:  500 ml brown bottle
Brewery:  Ankerbrau Nordlingen
Country:  Germany

KANPAI! w/ Jeff Werstiuk

This brewery is located in the historic town of Nordlingen found in the Bavarian Ries, a geological region within a crater formed by a large meteor strike around 15 million years ago. The modern town itself is still ensconced by a medieval stone wall. This brewery sits on a beer producing site dating back from 1608, although the modern brewery is the last operating one in town since 1990. The golden anchor symbol stems from over 200 years ago, denoting for travelers in the region a safe guesthouse incorporating brewery, inn and stables. Presently they sell their beer predominantly within a 20 km. radius, while Edel Tropfen is their only export.

This is best enjoyed still chilled, ideally served in a fluted lager glass, although a tall 12-16 oz. glass will do, and a pint glass or mug will do in a pinch. It pours out a clear transparent gold with lots of carbonation. Expect a loose, frothy white head that settles at a meandering rate. A few good sniffs will discover a biscuity, bready malt aroma, accompanied by metallic grains and mild grassy and leafy hops. The mouthfeel is round and smooth, medium-bodied with light carbonation. Finally, the malt is rounded in the flavour, sweet and bread-like, mild metallic grains follow, while a mellow grassy hop finishes with a clean aftertaste.

This is a good start for those interested in trying imported European lagers. Would be paired well with chicken, pasta with herbed or white sauces, shellfish, Mexican and Thai dishes.

The next steps in the cooler:

In-Style Recommendations:
DAB Original (also available in 5L mini kegs!)
Kulmbacher Export
Lowenbrau

Domestic Fare:
Okanagan Springs 1516
Okanagan Springs Helles
Headstrong Munich Lager - Wellington Brewery

Lateral Steps:
Czechvar
Mt. Begbie Kolsch
Boddingtons Pub Ale

For The Adventurous:
Dead Guy Ale - Rogue
Fuller’s London Pride
Sherbrooke’s Aaiieeeeeeeeee Caramba!