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