Tonight I had the fifth different Augustiner Brauerei Bier (out of eight) available.  Augustiner is the oldest brewery in Munich … so far, I’ve had the Edelstoff (export), Weissbier, Dunkel, Oktoberfestbier, and tonight — the Maximator!  Yes!  I may be able to complete the cycle on Augustiner brews … I’m planning one last trip to Munich and maybe i can have the other three there …

Oh, the Maximator is a very nice Doppel Bock — interestingly enough, that’s two doppel bocks in a row (had the Andechs doppel bock last night).

From a comparison’s standpoint … they were both quite good and right in style … without having put them head-to-head, it’s hard to discuss any subtleties there might have been.

I had to drink it out of the bottle, but that didn’t change the flavor at all.

Beer Mentor!

Went to a BBQ dinner at a friend’s house tonight … in my mind, you can’t beat a great steak, and it was a great steak dinner!  Good company, good food, and good beer.  I continued my whole Kloster beer drinking journey — this time back to the Alpirsbach Kloster beer.

This time I went with the Naturtrub.   I’ve said this before, but I really enjoy the unfiltered beers … it just gives them that little extra kick (from the yeast) — and I’m of the romantic opinion that each bottle will always be a little different tasting because of that extra bit of yeast in every bottle!

Sorry — no pictures yet … maybe later!

Beer Mentor

Yes, I am a Star Wars geek … my friend mentioned this place to me (see picture) as a place to eat breakfast and I started laughing.

I had to explain to him what “mos eisley” was (in Star Wars geekness).  He is obviously not one … here are a few pictures of the inside of this restaurant … definitely a “space” theme.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any new beers for me to try, so I went back to my Kloster stash … this time from Andechs.  I had their Doppel Bock.  Wow!  I had it as a Radler when I was at the monastery — this time I drank it straight and it is really good–right in style for a doppel, the color was very nice — good flavor, worth the effort to track it down and drink …

Beer Mentor

I had my last Norwegian beer tonight … the HaandBryggeriet “dark force.”  This beer is a “double extreme Imperial Wheat Stout.”  So good, so chocolaty, so heavy … yes — it was worth the wait.  I could have actually “cellared” this beer … but, I only had the one.  So little time … so many brews!

Beer Mentor

I had one of the Belgian beers I brought back from Brussels tonight … and I was disappointed.  I’m not sure why I didn’t enjoy this beer.  I’ve seen it get some good reviews … I think I may have one that was “skunked.”  Too bad because I had high hopes.

This beer was from the small brewery “Sint Canarus.”  It is their “Maeght van Gottem.”  I don’t know what that means, actually.  This beer is dry-hopped “IN THE BOTTLE.”  It was awesome … I poured it out and hop leaves were falling out into my beer.  I really looked forward to tasting it and it was off.  It’s hard to describe why.  I think I just need to get another bottle and give it another shot!

Beer Mentor

Today, we went to Weingarten in Southern Baden-Württemberg to visit the “largest Baroque Church north of the Alps.”  This place was quite impressive.  I hope to have a post on it and the other interesting places I’ve visited on my other blog — stumblingpiper.wordpress.com.   Here are just a couple of representative pictures … wow!

Right down below the Basilica, we found a nice “pub” to enjoy a refreshing beer.  We chose the Leibinger … especially because it is a local-owned brewery … and the beer looked good.  I enjoyed a refreshing Pils.

Enjoy!

Beer Mentor

This is pretty interesting, but I continue to see giant redwood trees everywhere I go in Germany.  I did an internet search, and there is a Mammutbaum (German word for Giant Trees) Forum.  In their December 2009 report, they say there are 8,393 locations with 26,610 trees.  Wow!

Well, I was out riding my bike today and saw another one in a small forest.  Here are a couple of photos of it.

This discovery deserved a “Spezial” beer … so I chose the Alpirsbacher Kosterbrau Spezial … and it hit the spot.  Another nice lager with which to finish a nice ride.

Beer mentor

Well, I went back to its beer in my fridge.  LOL

Yes, I pulled out a Weihenstephaner Kristall Weizen to enjoy … and did I enjoy it!  It had that nice crystal clear color you expect and that sweet, clean taste you get with a Weizen.  It really hit the spot!  Wow.  Yum.

Beer Mentor