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Comments from Timothy Holian
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| Brauerei Grasser in Huppendorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:36:31 PM |
| Huppendorfer Vollbier: light amber in color, a good malty nose is balanced by ample hop content. A rich malty front lingers well into the aftertaste, when hops blend into the finish. Smooth and drinkable in any situation, a solid example of the style. |
| Brauerei Reh in Lohndorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:32:43 PM |
| Reh Ellertaler Landbier: full malty nose, true amber color, balanced start yields to malty finish. Slightly spicy with interesting lightly hoppy, nutty aftertaste. Good body; an intriguing brew deserving of more attention. |
| Schwanen-Bräu in Ebensfeld |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:26:35 PM |
| Schwanen Bräu Fränkisches Landbier: pale golden color, a bit light for the style. Low head retention. Pronounced malty nose back up by a rich malty body, from first taste well into the finish. Relatively little hoppiness to balance the strong malt component. Still, this brew has a nice smoothness and good grain bite - despite some flaws it is a very drinkable beer, especially for those who prefer malt sweetness to hop bitterness. |
| Brauerei Wagner in Merkendorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:21:18 PM |
| Wagner Märzenbier: full orange- to rich amber color; clean, rich malty nose in accordance with the style. Modest head retention. A full malty body dominates throughout until the finish, where a gentle hop note rounds out the aftertaste. Good clarity. Excellent example of a Märzenbier; for those who are new to the style, this is a good place to start. |
| Brauerei Hummel in Merkendorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:16:48 PM |
| Hummel-Bräu Merkendorfer Räucherla: Full amber color and a nice rich smoky aroma as per style. A balanced malty/smoky start gains even greater smoky character toward the finish, with decent balance between malt and hops. Only the presence of a slight sourness in the body detracts from this otherwise very enjoyable brew. |
| Brauerei Kaiserhof in Kronach |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:11:22 PM |
| Kaiser Unfiltriertes Naturtrübes: Light yeasty/floral aroma, slightly sour in flavor but smooth at end into aftertaste. Served in a traditional Steinkrug at the brewery pub on premises - the Brauerei-Ausschank is a bit cramped for space around the bar but very clean and efficient. Service was slightly indifferent. |
| Brauerei Sauer in Rossdorf am Forst |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:07:39 PM |
| Rossdorfer Pils: full rich yellow in color, with a pronounced hoppy/spicy nose. Early to middle hop/malt balance fades toward hops at end. Overall a smooth, clean brew, a solid example of the style. |
| Alte Klosterbrauerei in Vierzehnheiligen |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 11:03:24 PM |
| Vierzehnheiliger Nothelfer Lagerbier: malty, slightly spicy nose, with a good golden color. A slightly burnt malt taste throughout detracts from the results, though good hoppiness is noted toward the finish. A tad sharp overall, could use a little "softening." |
| Adler-Bräu in Stettfeld |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:57:25 PM |
| Adler Bräu Stettfelder Pils: Full deep yellow/golden color, with a crisp hop nose; spicy hoppy flavor lingers pleasantly throughout, gently accented by enough malt to provide balance. Very clean brew - wow. Of the well over 100 different Franconian brews I've sampled so far, this is the best Pils to date; seek it out if at all possible. |
| Brauerei Hartmann in Würgau |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:53:27 PM |
| Hartmann Felsentrunk Landbier: Rich malty nose, full amber color, generally malty body with a slightly smoky mid- to aftertaste. Hops gain momentum toward the end to provide needed balance. Very pleasant brew, a good example of the style and what makes the region special. |
| Brauerei Kitzmann in Erlangen |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:50:02 PM |
| Kitzmann Edelpils: balanced hop/malt nose, deep golden yellow color; clear hop prevalence from beginning to end; lingering hop aftertaste. Good example of the style for everyday consumption or with a meal. |
| Brauerei Zirndorf in Zirndorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:45:08 PM |
| Zirndorfer Landbier has a nice malty nose and medium amber color. A full malty body is gently balanced by the hops; very smooth with good mouthfeel. The only downside I noticed was slight overcarbonation. Overall an excellent, highly drinkable brew ... can't seem to have just one. |
| Brauerei Kraus in Hirschaid |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:32:59 PM |
| Kraus Hirschen-Trunk has a lovely malty/smoky aroma and full amber color, a no-less-pleasantly smoky roasted malty flavor which - despite good hop balance - intensifies somewhat into the finish. Good full body. Kraus Helles Lagerbier also has a rich malty body gently balanced by hops as it eases into the finish, clean and smooth with a full malty nose and pale golden color. Kraus Hefeweizen has a pleasing clovery/yeasty nose and pale amber color typical of the style; strong yeasty + wheat flavor fairly overwhelms hop tones. Carbonation fades quickly from brew. The Gaststätte has a lovely rustic feel to it and is very inviting. Very much a place where locals gather to share stories and play cards. Owners were very friendly and hospitable, making the visit even more pleasant. Overall a very worthy destination; highly recommended. |
| Brauerei Rothenbach in Aufsess |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:28:47 PM |
| Aufsesser Dunkel has a malty but alcoholic nose, with a nice rich amber color. Deep roasted malt flavor early yields to a hoppy finish and aftertaste. A slightly burnt malt character detracts somewhat from the overall impression. |
| Brauerei Beck in Trabelsdorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:22:01 PM |
| Lisberger Lager is deep golden to amber in color, with a lightly malty aroma. Malt character slightly prevails over the hops. A little thin for its style. |
| Schloßbrauerei in Reckendorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:13:41 PM |
| Reckendorfer Edel Pils has a good balanced hop/malt nose and deep golden color; early hop flavor yields to a well-balanced hop/malt body. Interesting grain aftertaste, tasty but not astringent. Reckendorfer Dunkel is nicely malty but has a slightly metallic nose. Malt character dominates from body well into aftertaste, a rich, sweet lager - a very pleasant brew, though hop lovers probably will not want a second glass. |
| Brauerei Schinner in Bayreuth |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 10:06:58 PM |
| Good news: the Braunbier is quite nice, with a balanced hop/malt front yielding to a slightly hoppy finish. Nice full amber color and a gentle roasted malt nose. Bad news: service was very indifferent; youthful waiter + waitress seemed much more interested in discussing their plans for later in the day than in doing their work. |
| Brauerei Maisel in Bayreuth |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:59:27 PM |
| The historic brewery tour alone is enough of a reason to go far out of your way to visit here. As for the beers ... Maisel's Pils has a clearly distinguishable hop nose and rich golden color; hops prevail slightly over malt throughout, with a gentle (and surprising) clovery flavor up front. Slightly thin for style - Einheitsbier? ... Maisel's Weisse has a clearly clovery, fruity bouquet typical of the style, which also is noted in the body of the brew and into the aftertaste. Good smoothness and reasonably representative of the style, but not exactly the one you'd want to take home to meet your parents, so to speak. |
| Becher-Bräu in Bayreuth |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:55:23 PM |
| Becher-Bräu Pils has a hoppy but slightly sour nose; although a Pils, maltiness prevails slightly over the hops, with a lingering malty aftertaste noted. Pale yellow in color, perhaps a bit too much so for the style. |
| Schmitt Bräu in Schesslitz |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:42:17 PM |
| Schmitt Bräu Jura Hell has a medium malty nose and a slight hop undertone; a light maltiness up front yields to a more pronounced hoppiness in the finish. Nice golden color. Overall not bad as contract brews go, but also not worth seeking out if it requires significant effort. |
| Brauerei und Gasthof Drei Kronen in Memmelsdorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:32:35 PM |
| Drei Kronen Stöffla Rauchbier lives up to its high reputation: a rich malty body is enhanced by the smokiness which lingers well into the aftertaste. The Lager Vollbier was a bit of a disappointment: very little nose and slightly out of balance toward the malty side, albeit with a nice hint of caramel flavor. The Pilsener has a clear hop nose and medium pale color, with a pronounced hop character from front to back and a lingering hoppy aftertaste. Unfortunately, service was a bit abrupt compared with other establishments, despite the fact that there were few clients at the moment. |
| Brauerei Höhn in Memmelsdorf |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:25:10 PM |
| Höhn Görchla Naturtrübes is light amber in color, almost buttery (yet not diacetylic) in the nose; clear hop bitterness at front yields slightly toward malt in the finish; interestingly distinct yeasty tone also evident compared with other brews of this style. Interior of the Gaststätte is fairly modern but pleasantly so, and quite clean in look and feel. Nice extra touch for collectors: varieties of older glasses and steins are for sale, and at quite reasonable prices for their age. |
| Franken-Bräu in Mitwitz |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:15:44 PM |
| Franken Bräu Pils has a decidedly malty bend, perhaps a bit much so for a Pils even from this region; hop character only becomes clearly evident toward the finish. Good medium golden color and full-bodied, suitable for style. |
| Franken-Bräu in Mitwitz |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 9:11:53 PM |
| Franken Bräu Kellergold has a moderately malty nose and a gently roasted malt sweetness, with subtle hop character balancing the maltiness toward the end. Overall a solid brew, but a little thin. |
| Stöckel - Bräu in Hintergereuth |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 12:32:10 PM |
| The Landbier Dunkel (sampled in Bayreuth 6/04) from here is simply one of the best brews I've ever had - rich and malty up front but well balanced by hops, excellent fullness and mouthfeel, deep amber in color. An excellent addition to the product line. |
| Gampert-Bräu in Weissenbrunn |
| Comment from Timothy Holian on 2/16/2005 12:28:23 PM |
| Dunkles (sampled 7/04) has good body, slightly nutty up front and with a nice lingering malty aftertaste. Well worth a try - and a second glass afterward. |
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