Franconian Beer Message Board
Café Abseits 21 Sep |
| Posted by barry on 2013-09-22 01:45:55 |
| Last night brought the promised anstich with Gernot Wildung. We were pleased to meet Gerhard for the first time, after a number of visits to Abseits - and to be present at a certain anniversary that shouldn't be mentioned. Great also to spend Saturday night with Nick and Becky. Nick presented me numerous bottles of beer and Gerhard kindly let us try the Brauerei Ott beer. Typical reddish brown FS beer but, sadly, this bottle was a bit past its best. However, there was enough there to promise a very tasty brew. Then it was on with the main event: after tapping, we were given sample of the Crescendiablut to try. At 10.3% (?), this is a beer to respect; a beer to sit mulling over before the fire on a cold winter's evening. Very dark (almost black) in colour, with a lovely white head, darkly caramel; not a quaffing beer but one to savour. Then we tried the lager bier, which Gernot calls his 'zoigl bier'. We had a brief discussion about the name (as regulars will know, we're a bit sensitive about the use of the name zoigl) but Gernot, who was a very likeable and open man, assured us that it was called 'zoigl' because of his respect for the traditions of the Oberpfalz, which he visits often. Ok, so formalities over, down to the tasting. As Nick remarked, it was a bit difficult adjusting after the double bock, which made the lagerbier taste very thin in comparison. However, by the second seidla, I was getting used to the taste. It's not really like any zoigl that I've tasted, except perhaps a little like that of Rudy Loistl. It's brewed from nearly 100% pils malt, with just a few kilos of cara but, boy, does the cara change the taste and complexion. Gernot does not like over-carbonated beer (good for him) and tends to close his casks (he lagers in 50 L casks) a bit later than most brewers. I think this let him down a bit last night because the beer was very flat, doubtless the effect of the journey etc. All in all, one can only respect Gernot for what he is trying to do in an area that is not to well known for beer. Although it is a bit off the beaten track for Franconian beer afficionados, his little brewery must be worth supporting. Good luck to him for the future. |
| Followups: |
 Danke, Gerhard! by Nick B. on 2013-09-23 03:09:26 |
| Café Abseits 21 Sep by Gernot Wildung on 2013-09-23 17:43:28 |