Franconian Beer Message Board

Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier
Posted by Nick B. on 2017-06-06 06:01:57
It's been a while, so it's obviously time for a discussion of how there are two different versions of this beer. First, the Kellerbier at the Keller, from a gravity barrel, always seems to be loaded with "character", for lack of a better term. Flavour. Aroma. Complexity. And near as I can tell, drinking it from the traditional Steinkrug, it seems somewhat less than perfectly filtered clear.

Then there's the other beer, much milder, simpler, less complex, and just simply lacking in character compared to the Kellerbier at the Keller. I've had this beer on keg at numerous places, specifically Hotel Würth in Röbersdorf, the village with that one brewery that's just up the bike path from Hirschaid. I once thought I'd been served a Radler there, but no, the guy verified it was kegged lager.

Then there's whatever is served in the Brauereigaststätte in Buttenheim. I've not had that often enough to comment on it.

And NOW, there's the wood-barrel (Holzfass) "Löwenbräu Kellerbier" Barry & I had at Landbierparadies in Fürth yesterday. I checked the sticker on the barrel, and it said the above, as well as 4.7% ABV. Now that seems lighter than I recall the Kellerbier being.

And then there was the clarity and the blandness, simply put. We both agreed that if we'd been outside in the garden, we'd have dumped the last third or so of our Seidla(s). It was humid in the Gaststätte, and so the Glaskrug(s) had condensation on them, otherwise, you could see how clear it was.



Ratebeer claim "Kellerbier" and "Ungespundetes Lager" are the same beer, but then they have different ABVs for each: https://www.ratebeer.com/brewers/lowenbrau-buttenheim/2996/ Now, RB is obviously not flawless, but it is a resource out there on the interwebs. They also list the Vollbier as 5%, stronger than the Kellerbier/Lager.

I've always thought that the bland keg stuff I've had here and there has been the Vollbier. I believe this stuff was also the Vollbier, mis-labeled as "Kellerbier", though with the correct Vollbier 4.7% ABV.

Anyway, more mysteries wrapped up in enigmas or something. It was a rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment as we arrived, hoping to have house-brewed beer like their lovely Schwarzbier. Nope, yesterday, they didn't have their own beer on, but hey, Löwenbräu Kellerbier. Yay. Nope, it's bland and lame. Hey, there's Moosbacher "Zoigl", something new. Nope, not a good "Zoiglbier".  Ah well, it was a lovely day out anyway.
 
Followups:
   Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Jason  on  2017-06-06 23:52:15
     Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Nick B. on  2017-06-07 01:09:20
       Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Jason  on  2017-06-07 07:03:33
         Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by pivnizub on  2017-06-07 08:42:17
   Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Barry on  2017-06-07 09:10:46
           Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Nick B. on  2017-06-08 02:24:23
             Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Kellerbier by Nick B. on  2017-06-08 07:44:27