Franconian Beer Message Board

Franconia Travel Report pt 1
Posted by Michael James on 2014-08-08 00:48:25
Some thoughts on what we've tried so far this trip.  

Arrived in NUE from Brussels with the first stop at Griess in Giesfeld on the way to Memmelsdorf.

Griess Kellerbier is in fine shape, I've never had a bad pour.  Solid sulfur minerality with bright lemon hoppiness.  Still one of my favorites from the region, very similar in character to Monschambach Ungespidentes (below). 4.0-level. Similar quality at Griess Keller.

Hohn Gorchla, consistently solid, no different in my perception than any other visit.  Strongly sulfuric / musty / game-y, a zoiglbier hidden in Franconia.  3.7

Knoblach Schammelsdorf Ungespudentes is still a hoppy son of a gun, grassy and minerally with gripping acidity. 3.9  

Knoblach Dunkles Landbier was in fine shape as well, though I didn't enjoy it as much as in the winter, when the malt seemed to have more depth.  This time the malt profile seemed simpler in a cara malt / cola way.  3.6

Drei Kronen Memmelsdorf continues to make diacetyl-laden faulty beer. Kellerpils (2) and Rote Weisse (2.2) were in horrible shape.

Hertlein Lagerbier shows itself as a simple, paper-y, doughy dunkles landbier, rough and starchy with a short finish.  Not faulty, but seemingly made without care.  2.9

Unsere kleine Hümmer-Bräu Gusbacher Zwickl is dunkles, malty, a little raw and estery, but overall in decent shape. 3.6.  

Hummer Pils was green / vegetal with off-notes of tomato and spinach (yep). 2.6.  

Hummer Roggenbier from bottle is a new test batch.  Weissebier cloudiness, but all rye and no wheat. Strong butterscotch aroma, low levels of diacetyl made more pronounced by the bready / seedy rye character. Supposedly 8% ABV but my perception is around 6%.  2.9

Seelmann Lagerbier from the 5L minikeg at the brewert courtesy of the brewer and his family.  Near zero carbonation in the ungespudetes way.  Grainy / raw, musty basement aroma (the place as well).  Rich mouth feel left dead on the palate by such low carbonation.  The brewer used to make a hoppier kellerbier but the locals found the bitterness unpleasant (shame!).  3.0

Bayer Kellerbier: juicy, oily bright Perle hop character.  Impressively clean.  3.9

Bayer Knorzla Lagerbier: Cara red malt character.  Musty and slightly estery with apricot / orange notes.  Oily / juicy in the mouth.  Faint vegetal off-notes.  3.3

Ganstaller Kallerbier Mandarina... the Cascade hop resemblance is stunning.  Signature velvety texture and filling savoriness.  #1 beer of the trip so far.  9/5/9/5/18 = 4.6

Monschambacher Lagerbier on tap at Abseits showed brash carbonation, the aroma had little depth.  We decided to drive to the brewery for a proper gravity barrel pour and were rewarded with one of the highlights of the trip.  Minerallic / sulfuric and lemon-y, very similar to Griess Kellerbier, so much so that I want to do a side-by-side comparison though it's impossible. 4.3

Monschambacher Export Hell from tap, fine shape.  Very clean fermentation, lemon / citrus core, faint sulfuric mustiness.  Similar in character to the Kellerbier though less expressive. 4.0

Monschambacher Weissbier from bottle: Stunning phenolic aromatic experience.  Spiced clove / banana yeast expression.  Sweet in the mouth.  Soft texture.  4.2

Monschambacher Maibock 6.5% from bottle, ~4 months old.  Rich honey-ish melanoidin experience, clean fermentation, minerallic, baked bread maltiness... savory medium-full body.  Fine shape.  3.7

Monschambacher Weinachtsbier 7% from bottle.  Slightly oxidized.  Nutty, toasty, malty experience.  Nicely carbonic.  3.5

Pax Bräu Smaragd Pilsner (not Franconian, but whatever): absolute shit!  Cat pee and cheese rind and raw hop cones. Amateur-level hop water with no body, no finesse, no substance.   Watery thin body. 2.0.  

Pax Bräu Vollbier: very unfinished / raw  Grainy dog food malt resemblance.   Short finish, watery thin body like the pils.  2.2

Today off to Oberpfalz for Zoiglbier exploration. 

Cheers,

Michael

 
Followups:
   Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Michael James on  2014-08-08 00:49:21
   Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Nick B. on  2014-08-08 01:25:39
   Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Gerhard Schoolmann on  2014-08-08 05:03:55
     Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Barry on  2014-08-08 08:44:39
       Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by johnratcliffe on  2014-08-08 10:30:36
         Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Nick B. on  2014-08-08 10:55:04
           Biersommelier by Nick B. on  2014-08-08 10:56:05
       Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Michael James on  2014-08-09 00:11:13
             Biersommelier by Barry on  2014-08-09 01:21:36
               Biersommelier by TreinJan on  2014-08-09 04:44:29
                 Biersommelier by Barry on  2014-08-09 10:43:37
                   Biersommelier by DonS on  2014-08-09 18:11:48
                     Biersommelier by Barry on  2014-08-10 01:11:59
                       Biersommelier by Nick B. on  2014-08-10 02:52:06
                         Biersommelier by TreinJan on  2014-08-10 04:23:36
   Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by mike004 on  2014-08-11 01:25:31
   Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Nick B. on  2014-08-11 01:28:56
                       OT: trad, mod by DonS on  2014-08-11 12:09:01
                         OT: trad, mod by FredW on  2014-08-11 12:44:04
               Biersommelier by FredW on  2014-08-11 13:01:33
                           OT: trad, mod by Nick B. on  2014-08-11 23:41:17
     Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Nick B. on  2014-08-13 03:56:09
       Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Uncle Jimbo on  2014-08-13 05:31:47
         Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Nick B. on  2014-08-13 06:06:20
       Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Mosquit on  2014-08-13 06:19:54
         Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Nick B. on  2014-08-13 06:25:59
           Griess vs. Mönchsambacher by Barry on  2014-08-13 07:04:19
   Franconia Travel Report pt 1 by Rick S. on  2014-08-15 12:17:38