Brewed by Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever Germany
Style: ABV German Pilsener
Germany
Jever
From the very small town of Jever in the North of Germany, close to the Netherlands and facing the fierce winds of the North Sea, comes a very popular Pils that has been on the go for over a 150 years.
It says a lot when the main tourist attraction in the town is the brewery, but heh that’s my kind of town! Jever Pils has been brewed by the “Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever” (the Jever Frisian Brewery) since 1848, and have used the refreshing pure soft water from the same well for over 100 years. Add the usual German purity laws and the end product is a Pils that is loaded with more hops than a regular pilsner.
Founded by Diedrich König, the”Friesisches Brauhaus zu Jever”, the brewery was sold to Theodor Fetköter, who developed the previous family owned enterprise into a large scale brewing operation. This north German Pils is popular, and hoppy, and is as good a Pils as you can find on the market.
Review: Can of Jever Pilsener: 4.9% ABV
The Classic Northern German Pilsener with the famous bitter taste.
Jever
The appearance was one of a clear golden yellow, with a pretty decent sized foamy head that stuck around, with good lacing. This Pilsener looks lovely, a very clean looking brew with a good body. Good carbonation and looked tasty
The aroma had a smell of malt and herbal hops with a hint of citrus. A strong lager smell
The taste, wow, that’s a taste and a half, initial shock, full of tastes from start to finish. Sweet grainy lager malts and hops, with a slightly metallic tang to it. Very hoppy bitter taste!
Dry grass finish with strong bitterness. Overall, a good solid dry pilsner that’s tasty, VERY TASTY!
A drink with Keltikon, Switzerland’s Celtic Punk Rock band
So its carnival season (Fasnacht) in Switzerland and we decided to head to the small town of Buttisholz, Lucerne in the centre of the country. For three days the small town of Buttisholz transforms into a party arena where all age groups get-together, dress up and become merry. The carnival itself was great fun, with lots of different outdoor themed bars set up for the night from forest cabins, rustic chalets, a heavy metal tent, and even a submarine bar! Naturally we were attracted to the Irish Pub.
We were there primarily to meet and have a small chat with OLAF OHL, the lead singer of the band keltikon. The group were playing in the Irish themed bar and we were interested in hearing from Olaf about life in Switzerland’s number one Celtic punk rock.
Where did you get the inspiration for starting a Swiss punk Celtic band?
We had a kind of blues rock band first, which didn’t work out, then I met a half Scottish half English guy Ian Duncan, so I founded the band with him. At first we only played acoustic guitar and pipes and so after some months Rino the bass player joined us, then we got our first fiddle player, drummer and …….
You haven’t been going to long, you’ve only been around since 2012 I think, so what’s the feedback so far?
Mostly good!
I see you have even been to the Czech Republic, you’re even doing touring outside of Switzerland?
Yes, yes, that was pretty nice. I love Czech Rep for many years and I go there regularly, twice or three times a year. I got a lot of friends there, I know a punk band there so we organise a little tour last year. We will go there again this year, also we can play at the festivals there
So what about 2015? Any different venues, perhaps London, or even Ireland, maybe!?
Maybe for March the 17th?
St Patrick ’s Day in Dublin?
Would be great!
What was the first Celtic punk album you listened to? Were you into the Pogues, the Dubliners, even Stiff Little Fingers or………..?
For me it was definitely The Pogues, in the 80’s
Why the Pogues?
I don’t know!
I mean you are living in Switzerland!
Because the Pogues are famous all around the world, and even an idiot like me realised this band exits!
What was the very first song you learnt for the band, what was the first number?
It was Lark in the Morning (Traditional Irish song)
Ian came in and it’s also a pipe tune so he came in with the pipe tune, and I found out that there is a real good version from the Johnsons (1960s Irish folk band) which I remember well, from the 60s so we picked this one.
Who is the creative person behind the band?
It’s actually me because I arranged and wrote most of the songs, and I’m doing the bookings for the band.
I have to ask about your last album, what was it called!
‘Agenbite of Inwit’
Yes, what the hell is that!
Inspired by a book of James Joyce, Ulysses, about a woman with a real hard feel for catholic guilt, and ‘Agenbite of Inwit’ means deep remorse or been very sorry for everything. And we wrote up this song because we dedicated it to Dominique Strauss Kahn, Silvio Berlusconi and Donald Trump
What!
They don’t have any ‘Agenbite of Inwit’ in their life.
Yes I seen that in one of your concerts, Ian mentioned Berlusconi and Donald Trump in a concert and I didn’t get the connection!
Yeah, so that’s the reason why!
That album, there is quite a variety in that album, I mean you have your bang, bang guitar music, then some kind of melodies, it is quite an extensive album. I mean you have “Seven Sisters of Seven Seas”, and then you have a bit more rockier tunes, so what was that like making that album? All different kind of influences?
Well it’s more like the pop rock songs were more written by Ian. Actually I like this music too but I tried to get something else in, but I like punk music anyway, I was composing the faster and harder tunes.
It got very good feedback from all the punk websites, I’m sure you have seen. I think you were compared to Neil Young in one website!
To Neil Young!
Yes, did you not see that!
Yes I’ve heard that. Well actually it’s really true I am a huge fan of Neil Young but I would never have thought that anybody can hear that on our album!
Do you have any die-hard fans that follow you around all the time when you are travelling around Switzerland?
There is only one, Alex!
Ha, we already met him!
We have other fans coming regularly, but Alex is with us for nearly every concert.
Have you ever had any article of underwear thrown at you at a gig!?Not Alex’s!
Not yet, as far as I can remember!
(To Alex) Alex is the number one fan over here. Alex, what’s so special about this band, tell me?
Well they are a good band, they have some great music, there great guys, and well they are very friendly, they bring me to the concert and bring me back!
What about the lead singer? I heard he is a bit moody?
Sometimes, sometimes. If he is in a bad mood you shouldn’t talk to him.
He was compared to Neil Young, would you agree with that?
Well, Neil Young is not as good!
Well that’s why you’re the number one fan!
(back to Olaf) We are drinking beer all the time, so what’s the best beer in Switzerland?
Well there are a lot of interesting beers, at the moment I like CHOPFAB very much, it’s a beer brewed in Winterthur. It’s a nice smooth draught beer. It’s the translation of Headless
And what’s your favourite Irish beer?
Well, Smithwicks
So, what’s the best pub in the world?
I guess the best pub I was in was in Edinburgh, but I forgotten its name!
If you had to choose Scotland, Ireland or Switzerland what’s your choice?
Well I don’t know, Ireland
But unfortunately I’ve never been there
Shocking, that’s the headline!
I guess I will find a way there soon, with Alex!
Cheers
An unedited audio version of the interview is here. The “knicker version”
As for the concert, Keltikon had the crowd rocking away all night. They are a very hard working band, playing about three, or it could have been four, sets long into the night. Everyone had a great time, the place was heaving, and the Irish bar in little old Buttisholz was the place to be.
Also a quick mention about the town and the carnival, everyone was uber friendly, chatty, up for a laugh and not a hint of any loutish behaviour. Not like St Patrick’s night in Dublin then, and more the better for it. A credit to the townsfolk of Buttisholz. Would also like to thank the group who treated me to a hot whiskey at the train station the next morning as I was trying to find my way home!
Overall, a great night, with good music and some old and new friends.
My first album review coming up, so go easy! If you are not sure about my review then please check out the boys over in old London town, LONDONCELTICPUNKS and have a look at their review of Keltikonhere
Thisdrinkingslife’s review of KELTIKON – AGENBITE OF INWIT
Get off to a cracking start with the first song and title of the album, “Agenbite of Inwit”, rocking tune, with some interesting lyrics, an ode to Berlusconi and Trump (“Hey ho Silvio you’re our poster boy), a nod to anyone with no shame. Near the end of the tune there is a great blast of bag pipes along with the guitars rocking out. Good start.
Next tune, “Bonnie Ship The Diamond’, an old Scottish classic, love the start, catchy pipe intro, good vocal from Ian. A folksy kind of tune, but still with a good guitar riff included, I like it.
Continuing the ship theme, the next song is another top tune. “Seven Ships” is about a guy who wants to marry a girl but her father demands 50 ships in exchange for her hand. Another folky tune, and although the guy got the girl but became bankrupt the tune is upbeat and foot tapping. A tune with excellent pipes and about half way through there is a fun guitar interlude, and you don’t even notice that this song is actually 6 minutes long!
“Mariner’s Tale”, is a spoken piece about a diving submarine and its curse on the high seas. Not too sure about this, but all the sound affects work well with the story. The story continues in song with the next song “The Diving Dutchman”, a fast paced punky number. This song reinforces the bands rock credentials, they can mix it up well.
Things are slowed right down for “Away to Fight”, an acoustic balled about the Normandy landings in WW2 (“When we cross that beach, the sea turns red, when we cross that beach to fight…”). A good slow guitar solo here, and ending with a soulful pipe number. Again the band showing they can mix up the tunes, yet at the same time remaining true to their love of the Celtic sounds.
The pace steps up again for “The Blackbird”, a bagpipe dominant Celtic rock instrumental.
“Hold On tight” once again slows thing down, another balled but this time has a nice backing female vocal. Nice tin whistle and violin combo, with a battle beat on the drums, “The battle begins, they call to their weapons….”
“Each Other’s Dream” or “Aphrodite”, a soft rock love song, probably at over six minutes a little too long, but it’s an upbeat tempo so not that noticeable.
We finish off the album, with “Taliesin’s Poem”. Taliesin was a Welsh poet in the 6th century who is said to have sung for at least three Brythonic Kings (The Britons), some have even alleged as bard at the court of the legendary King Arthur. A slow number, at over 9 minutes it builds up, at about 5 minutes you get a haunting vocal, which leads to a crescendo of guitars and noise. I guess it’s a good way to finish off the album.
Overall I enjoyed this album, it ticks all the boxes really: Bagpipes, rock out tunes, good ballads, great vocals, and not a bad album from a band that is only starting off the blocks. Both Olaf and Ian sounded great, and I felt it was well mixed, considering there is a lot going on with every song, from the pipes and violins to the guitar riffs. I will definitely be keeping a keen eye on Keltikon, and hopefully it won’t be too long before we get a follow up album.
Brewed by Heineken France.
Style: American Pale Lager
Rueil-Malmaison, France
You like Beer? Check. You like tequila? Check. Then Desperados Tequila Beer should be right up your street. Desperados is the world’s first Tequila Flavoured Beer, a lager with a kick of tequila.
Now when you think of Tequila you think of Mexico, but this is the strange bit. This beer was brewed in France and is owned by Heineken Inc. Despite all the exotic imagery on the can/bottle and the fancy Spanish sounding name, Desperados comes from France!
Tequila Flavoured Beer
The Fischer Brewery, founded in 1821 in Strasbourg, first produced Desperados, but with the recent success of the beer, production has now moved to the Netherlands, not surprisingly as Heineken took over the brewery in 1996. Does this make it any less exotic or “cool”? Hardly, it’s only a lager after all, with a bit of tequila thrown in.
The beer is sold in more than 60 countries and has just recently arrived on the shores of America, after some success in the European markets for the last 10 years. Heineken are hoping that the beer is seen as an alternative to spirits and shots on a night out, and is specially targeted at the young’uns who like to get wasted and quick. As traditional beer sales decline breweries are looking for alternatives and also exciting new products to push in the emerging Asian markets. Desperados offers something different than some stale boring lagers and is less bitter and so more appealing to softer palettes. Either way it’s always cool to try something different, and a tequila flavoured lager isn’t the worst idea in the world. (Note: mixing beer and spirits isn’t perhaps the most novel idea in the world, but let’s not burst Desperados marketing bubble just yet!).
So how much tequila is in this beer? The blurb says that Desperados is made by combining lager that is aged in tequila barrels for a few months, then blended with beer that is mixed with tequila and lemon flavors, leaving trace amounts of tequila. The tequila does come from Mexico, which is important to note! (Does any other nation produce tequila?)
Ok so let the tasting begin!
Review: Can of Desperados Beer: 5.9% ABV
As a fan of tequila, and straight (none of that salt and lime shite), anything that has the devils juice in it has my backing. So Desperadoes is an interesting brew alright, one definitely to try. With an ABV of just under 6% giving it an added incentive.
Desperados, world’s first Tequila Flavoured Beer
The appearance isn’t the best to be honest, pretty clear showing a golden orange colour with an initial decent frothy creamy head that dissipates quick enough. Some good lacing, but also dies soon after, looks like a lot of chemicals in this beer.
There is a very strong smell as you would expect ,very very sweet, like a fruit juice, mostly of citrus.
The taste has a very sweet and citrus taste to it, a bit tangy, tasting of lemon, lime and I guess Tequila. I say I guess because I’m not so sure of you can pick up the taste of the tequila. There is also an interesting deep sour aftertaste.
Having said all that I have to say the beer isn’t that bad. Once you get over the initial shock at all the sweet tastes, you do grow into it, and it does become a relatively smooth enough beer to drink. I think these beers would be a great accompaniment to a night on the town, perhaps have two or three to give you a little kick in your drinking during the night, or before you hit the clubs. Any more than that and I’m not sure how they would go down. I don’t think I could drink more than two or three to be honest. But overall its a good effort and I like the idea of Desperadoes. Have I found the taste of the tequila? Not sure, but then does it matter, the beer has a certain function which is to set you up for the party or the night, and this beer does that perfectly. A good party beer.
Brewed by Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited 青岛啤酒股份有限公司
Style: Premium Lager
Qinqdao, China
We all love to have a Chinese after a few beers, nothing better. But how many of you have actually dared to try out the beers that you might have noted behind the counter? Or did you even notice in your hazy intoxicated state that there is indeed some fine Chinese beer available and all you had to do was ask!
Waiting for an ass (bus)
It’s funny we all know about the wonder of MSG laden Chinese dishes, but I have never really seen anyone drink Chinese beer. I myself only know about some of the Chinese beer brands because I lived and worked in China for a few years back in the day, and got a taste for the local brews.
But yes China does have some decent beers, and the most widely known of them (at least to the beer connoisseur and the backpacker) is Tsingtao beer from the lovely seaside city of Qingdao (same pronunciation, the beer has the English spelling, the city the Chinese version!), situated in Shandong province.
The brewery in Qingdao dates way back to 1903, founded jointly by some German and British settlers, and even today uses the same unique processes and yeast strains as was used over 100 years ago.
China’s finest beer
Tsingtao Beer is a well-hopped typical pilsner of 4.7%. Brewed using a combination of the best yeast and barley from around the world, and, of course, rice which you would expect as it’s China after all! To round everything off fresh spring water from the famous Laoshan Mountains is added. The Laoshan Mountains are said to be the birthplace of Taoism.
The brewery also produces a number of other beers, mostly for the local market, but it’s Tsingtao Beer that accounts for most of the brewery’s production.
First exported in 1954, the Tsingtao brand is now sold in over 60 countries and regions around the world and accounts for more than 50% of China’s beer exports.
Of course Tsingtao is ideal when having a meal, so why not give it a try next time you are sitting down to some noodles, Spring Rolls, dumplings, or even that traditional Chinese favourite, curry chips!
Review: Bottle of Tsingtao Beer: 4.7%ABV
Tsingtao, the German style Chinese lager, with great flavors, a smooth taste and which is always recommended when eating Asian food.
Smooth
It comes in a lovely looking green bottle with a distinctive logo. I guess its the Chinese writing that attracts, also there looks to be a picture of the brewery overlooking a river, which I’m guessing is meant to signify the water from the Laoshan Mountain
A decent looking beer which has a clear yellow appearance, with a good nice frothy head, that unfortunately doesn’t stick around too long.
Loved the smell. Was pretty strong. Pure acidity, malts, skunk, and of course the rice, all combining to give a very sharp alcohol aroma.
The initial taste was quite strong, a little sour, and thereafter some malts and hay, a bit grainy with the rice making an appearance. A nicely balanced beer, not overbearing, with a lot of subtle flavours. Not much in the aftertaste, but overall this beer was very smooth, and not at all heavy. The crisp and refreshing taste makes this one of the most sessionable lagers you can find in my opinion. I like Tsingtao Beer, its not going to get you wasted, but you can drink a lot of them without having to worry too much about the night, or indeed not expect a bad hangover.
Sir Nigels (@SirNigels) has written for us a great behind the scenes look at the hectic life of bar-tending. The highs and the lows. Sir Nigels is currently finalizing the touches to his new book, “The World and the Ways of a Bartender” an insight in the mad and sometimes funlife of a regular barman.
Join SirNigels on twitter
The View from Behind the Bar
The view from behind the bar is a peculiar place, with the tools of our trade at our finger tips, the elixirs of goodwill bottled up around us, and onlookers peering in surrounding us.
The View from Behind the Bar
The view can be one of great joy and happiness. Cheers, good will, and celebration abound! We also see sadness, friction, break ups, tequila shots, and wedding parties. Everything and anything is possible to be seen from behind a bar. Ask any of us to tell a story and we may have too many to tell. Where should I start you say?
My view is one of great memories worth telling not for just the outlandish drunken silliness, the championship winning game, the famous or interesting people I have met, or not even the cheerleader party with midget performers. My view is more than that. I have watched human behavior for twenty years and studied it.
We are a strange bunch of animals I tell ya. I have served drinks to lots of different types of people from all over the world, cultures, religions, colors, creeds, and backgrounds. I may not travel the world, but the world travels to me. I’m known around the world through the people that have come to see me. Watching and learning this strange human behavior has given me a bit of a nuanced view on humans that only a bartender can understand. After eight to ten hours a day, 5 days a week, week after week babysitting humans you start to get an idea about how they work. We don’t come with instructions when were born, it just takes awhile to figure out what makes us tick.
Barlife
Every person has different life experiences and view points for different reasons. Over the years I have countless discussions about politics, race, guns, war, and peace with all sorts of people from behind the bar. These conversations were not always civil, but we got through them. I learned from them, I hope someone learned something from me.
Over time my view from behind the bar has constructively changed depending on my own life experiences and through the interesting and accomplished individuals that have nursed a glass of Cabernet, sucked down a Mind Eraser, or sipped on a fine single malt scotch.
Working at a bar is not always the exciting life you may see in the movies or at a club. I’ve had some great experiences with more people than I can remember. I’ve met sports stars, rock stars, and famous actors from television and movies. I deal with CEO’s, small business owners, artists, creatives, everyday people, and constantly over-run with egos. To be able to deal with all these wonderful and amazing people who just want, want, want from you constantly with out regard for your physical or mental well being can be trying. After long hours behind a bar my physical and mental anguish can be a bit taxing to my soul.At times people can be uplifting, generous, and thoughtful, but collectively they can tire me until all I would rather do is hide away and hibernate from the real world.
Bar tender of the year, 2014
Overwhelming is putting it mildly with my view from behind the bar It can be profitable with remarkable ease, but unfortunately also painfully fruitless with too much toil and brown nosing to say the least. I’ve also found myself able to work alone due to my stamina, expertise, and knowledge of my surroundings and regular guests that stop by for a tasty beverage.
I also work for a corporation with unforgiving mismanaging managers and cheap owners, which exacerbates the everyday problem of servicing the masses with the façade of trying to look perfect and in control at every step As we run out of liquor, napkins, spoons, lemons, or maybe the cooks just aren’t in control, we have to always at least pretend like we are in control when the world around us doesn’t feel like it. Our heads could be in a tailspin, but we have to be smiling and find some categorical solution for every task or problem that arises.
A bit of a chess game so to speak, a smart bartender is always looking several steps ahead of the one he is performing presently. Surprisingly, we succeed most of the time, but at times no matter how hard we try and smile to make you feel secure in your food and beverage choices we fail. Sometimes we fail miserably and still find a way to bull-shit our way out of our life predicament. Sometimes the only way out of our failure is to admit defeat and hope for pity on our pour souls.
Where it all happens
Alas, we survive to serve another drink, muddle fruit for a scratch margarita, or shake the crap out of the vodka you call a martini. Many of us do it because we love our jobs, and we do it with pride and self-righteousness despite our aching feet. We love people and feel their gratitude with the job we bring them. The view from behind the bar may not always be a bed of roses, but the memories of joy and happiness will bring a contentment to our souls and warm hearts to our guests.
Take a moment in the new year to thank your bartender for their services and always be generous for they may be raising a family and every bit of gratuitous love is always appreciated over the years. Much love and happiness form the view from behind the bar.
Sincerely,
@SirNigels
Just a reminder to check out @SirNigels and his twitter account for all bar related and alcohol fueled inquiries, and don’t forget to look out for his Upcoming Publication: “The World and the Ways of a Bartender”. Sure to be a great fun time read.
Brewed by Gösser (Brau Union)
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Leoben, Austria
Gösser Beer from the Göss brewery is considered to be Austria’s finest and best beer. The popular brewery lies in the centre of the country in the federal state of Styria, in the small city of Leoben.
Austrian bier
Beer was first brewed in the town by Monks and Nuns near the river Mur. As the monastery was disbanded the activity of brewing ceased. That was until 1860 when a brewer and entrepreneur Max Kober acquired the land and restarted the brewery, and slowly began establishing Göss brewery into one of Austria’s major breweries.
Its Märzen beer is its best seller, accounting for well over 70% of its total output.
Märzen is German for “March beer” which is a lager that originated in Bavaria, and has a style that is characterized by a malty flavour, and a clean dry finish. It should be noted that there are differences between the German and Austrian styles of Märzen beers. In Germany, the term covers beers which differ in colour from pale (Helles Märzen), through amber to dark brown (Dunkles Märzen). The Austrian style is light in colour, body, and flavour balance, and is often that bit sweeter than their German counterparts.
Review: Bottle of Gösser Märzen, 5.2%ABV
Gösser
Gösser Beer with its very distinctive green colour trademark symbolising the state of Styria is the most typical beer you can get all around Austria. Mostly comes in cans abroad.
The appearance is that of a pale golden colour with a bit of a head. The beer has some carbonation and, when it settles, some decent lacing
Austrian bier
The aroma for me was quite strong, very metallic with notes of sweet malt and some hops, and a bit of citrus.
The initial taste was very good, sweet malts, and a nice creamy feel on the mouth, The aftertaste was quite bitter and strong, with a very hoppy finish.
Overall the beer had a good mix of flavours, felt like a whole lot was going on, and was very drinkable. Strong enough and did the business. Not a bad beer at all.
Brewed by Haacht
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Boortmeerbeek, Belgium
Piggy
Rince Cochon was a French lager that was originally brewed by the Annoeullin brewery, then was taken to Belgium and brewed, firstly, by the Huyghe Brewery, but now brewed by the Haacht Brewery in Flanders. The Haacht brewery is an independent family run operation that has stood for over a hundred years.
Two things immediately stand out when passing the brew on the beer aisle. The unusual but rather cool picture of a pig swilling a beer, and the high alcohol content, 8.5%. Rince Cochon roughly translates into “Rinsed Pig”, which I am assuming must mean thirsty pig? I guess after a good few of these you turn into some kind of boozy feral pig (Swino anyone?).
Review: Can of Rince Cochon, 8.5%ABV
Rince Cochon
The Blond Beer of Flanders that used to be a French blonde. This is a beer fermented with a high degree of alcohol and its content is manufactured from water , malt and hops.
On pour we get a rather delicious looking beer, the colour was a very nice clear golden yellow colour with a decent sized frothy white head with good lacing. After a long day at work I couldn’t wait to devour this beer!
Belgian Strong Pale Ale
A strong smell of lemon, a sweet citrus aroma, some malts, with slight earthy notes. At over 8% the alcohol was very noticeable on the nose.
As expected you get a very strong taste, hits the senses pretty quick
Got an initial creamy taste, sweet, in fact very sweet taste of malts, with an acidic fruity after taste. An interesting balance of flavours and tastes, to give a well rounded drink.
Definitely a strong beer, a slightly creamy feel in the mouth, and overall fairly drinkable, and tasty.
Brewed by Locher Appenzeller Bier
Style: Pale Lager
Appenzell, Switzerland
Brauerei Locher AG is a Swiss based family business located in the town of Appenzell, near the Alpstein Alps. The brewery is in the hands of the Locher household since 1886, and presently now running into the fifth generation of family ownership.
Hell
Their Appenzell Beer is known throughout the country as one of Switzerland’s finest beers, due to the traditional methods of production and use of the local fresh spring waters that produce lovely clean natural beer. Also the fact that the small independent brewery is still standing after all these years, and still producing top quality beers is a testament to how popular the brewery is. Something that hasn’t changed since 1886 when Johann Christoph Locher bought the brewery over a hundred years ago.
Appenzell beer is available throughout Switzerland with the Quöllfrisch and Vollmond brands being particularly popular. Apart from the wide variety of speciality beers they also make whiskey, a beverage one doesn’t perhaps associate with Switzerland.
Review: Can of Quöllfrisch hell 4.8%ABV
Nice froth
Quöllfrisch Hell Lager is generally considered to be one of the best beers in Switzerland, coming from the spring waters of the Alps which guarantees a pure and natural brew.
The aroma was of sweet grains, hops and lager yeasts, a really great beery smell, magnificent!
Pours a nice pale clear golden yellow colour forming a nice frothy white head which sits perfectly making the beer look very drinkable. Good lacing was apparent and with a good body this beer looked the part.
Smooth!
And now for the taste!
For the taste buds it was mildly sweet at the front, and a good bit of a creamy flavour in the finish with a mild bitter hoppy aftertaste which I enjoyed. A well balanced beer, that had a nice clean fresh feel to it.
Think this beer is a great session brew, one of the best I have had in a while. Could imagine downing a few of these easy enough when hitting the town on a Friday night! Very smooth, not particularly strong but drinkable all the same, a lovely clean lager that does the business.
Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle http://www.rothaus.de/
Brewed by Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus
Style: Pilsener
Grafenhausen-Rothaus, Germany ABV: 5.1%
The Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus (Rothaus, State Brewery of Baden) is located near the village of Grafenhausen high in the core of the majestic Black Forest. The Black Forest is a forested mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany that has a length of 160 km (99 mi) and breadth of up to 60 km (37 mi). So it’s amazing to think that at the heart of this gigantic forest lies Germany’s highest brewery. Standing at 1000m (3300 ft.) above sea level, we find the small brewery of Rothaus.
The small regional brewery doesn’t do advertising, relying on word of mouth to increase sales, and owned exclusively by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Yet despite all this the brewery has, particular with its Rothaus Tannenzäpfle brand, one of the most popular beers in the whole of the country.
Tannenzäpfle Beer: “Little fir cone”
Little fir cone
The most successful product, a Pilsner-style beer, “Rothaus Tannenzäpfle” or “Zäpfle”, comes filled in an unusual 0.33 l bottles and is well known as a “cult beer” throughout Germany. The Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle has existed since 1956, and doesn’t show any signs that it will be a getting a modern makeover anytime soon, much to the chagrin of advertising executives everywhere. It’s this long tradition that is part of the appeal.
Tannenzäpfle means “little fir cone” and is an allusion to the shape of the bottle and is also a reference to the location of the brewery in the Black Forest. Its unusual name is embodied on the labels of the 0.33 l bottles, distinguished by a gold tinfoil sleeve around the top of the bottle, looking a little like a fir cone (perhaps)
Birgit Kraft
Birgit Kraft
The labels of Rothaus beer bottles have a friendly looking “frauline” whose name is “Birgit Kraft,” a blonde haired country girl in traditional garb of the Black Forest, holding two glasses of beer and surrounded by fir cones. Birgit’s name is something of a play on words in the local dialect, “Bier git Kraft”, means “beer gives strength”. Today, “Birgit” is the defining icon for all beers made by the Rothaus Brewery, and, unsophisticated as the image may appear, it hasn’t changed a bit since 1972.
It certainly was this unusual image and style of bottle that caught my eye. It’s a curiosity and definitely does stand apart amongst all the usual droll imagery on other beer brands.
History
The brewery was founded in 1791 in the Black Forest, by the Benedictine monks of St. Blasien monastery. In 1806 the brewery was transferred to the Grand Duchy of Baden, and now belongs, 100% owned, to the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, its legal successors. The name “Rothaus, State Brewery of Baden” has been in use since 1918, and its name still remains to this day.
Important local Employer/ State of Baden-Württemberg
Rothaus is a state owned employer with over 200 people working for the company. A popular firm in the region partly because it regularly pays out bonuses, depending on the results of yearly sales. And boy are those dividends pretty good. In 2008, for example, the brewery paid out a total of €17 million as dividends to its owner, the state of Baden-Württemberg. (Also paying out €16.7 million in tax)
Spring water from 1,000 meters
Deep inside the Black Forest
Deep in the iconic Black Forest, with misty valleys, soft gentle springs, and country life to the max, the Rothaus brewery stands at an altitude of some 3,300 feet. Its location certainly helps the quality of the beer. The beer is brewed according to the German beer purity law, with the water coming from the nearby springs flowing down from the majestic mountain valleys.
Not only does the location offer the purest finest ingredients for a decent brew it also helps cement the image of a traditional brewery that is in tune with its roots and homeland. This is a beer from the Black Forest, a local beer for local people!
Sales are up
The company’s beer sales have jumped, with year on year sales increasing. And this is happening at a time when the domestic beer industry has been in slow decline for decades, despite the big hoo-ha of their Oktoberfest’s and the like. Rothaus is surging ahead, and all with little or no advertising.
Today you can get Rothaus beers in all of the major cities of Germany, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne.
Why Popular
Many reasons can be given for its popularity (apart from the taste, of course!)
The beer is seen as an honest local brewery thriving in the cutthroat industry of the modern beer industry where multi-national takeovers and acquisitions are all the rage. As the top of the market is seemingly run by fewer and fewer companies its refreshing to see such a small brewery do so well.
Tannenzäpfle
Despite doing so well the brewery has no plans for further expansion. It’s happy with its lot. Expansion might mean taking unnecessary risks and losing its traditional “homely” image that it has worked so hard to build up. One has to only look at the disaster expansion has done to the supermarket giant Tesco to show that big doesn’t necessarily always mean bigger.
Most of the customers who drink Rothaus beers outside of the home state are young ex Baden-Württembergers yearning for a taste of the homeland. Seeking the beer far away from home also introduced it to new customers.
Its unconventional outlook and lack of an advertising plan also appeals to the many, who are looking for a product that is different, one that isn’t tainted by capitalism and mass advertising. Young Birgit won’t be getting a sexy makeover anytime soon, no mini skirts and suspenders for this lovely maiden of the Black Forest!
Review: 0.33 l Bottle of Rothaus Pils TannenZäpfle, 5.1%ABV
The great classic Germany pils with the super cool “old school” style label on the iconic 0.33 bottle format. This is a very popular beer, a cult brand, this beer from the Black Forest.
Zäpfle
Aroma was quite strong to be honest, took me aback a little, wow. The grassy hops and citrus hitting the senses very quickly. A strong and clean earthy and grainy smell picked up. This aroma woke me up alright!
On the appearance side of things the beer looks pretty damn good. Very clean and pure looking, pouring a nice pale yellow colour. Head is pretty decent, nice and frothy, with a little lacing. A real good looking pilsner, with a nice crystal clear body.
The taste was very interesting, strong with a slightly malty initial taste to it, which lingers in the mouth. Some cereals, a hoppy finish and an equally strong bitter hoppy aftertaste. The beer had a very strong depth to it, and a lovely crisp feel in the mouth. The beer definitely grows on you and after a few more scoops I started to enjoy this beer. Was a good well balanced tasting beer, from the start to the finish, an interesting experience from the Black Forest.
Review: 0.33 l Bottle of Rothaus Hefe Weizen , Weizen Zapfle 5.4%ABV
Weizen Zapfle
The Rothaus Hefe Weizen Zäpfle, a typical wheat German beer with alcohol content of 5.4% but with an interesting and refreshing fruity flavour
On pour a very large foamy head appeared and took forever to settle. Once it eventually settles you are left with a dark cloudy colour of a beer, which has a good head that leaves a good bit of lacing on the glass.
Nice head!
On smell I get a lot of citrus and banana tones with the expected yeast and grain smell that is particular to Hefeweizens. A nice citric fruity smell!
Even though I am not a huge fan of Hefeweizens I found the taste was very smooth and creamy and quite enjoyable. The overall taste was sweet, with fruity flavours and a sour depth to the beer. The aftertaste was pretty bitter as you’d expect, the citrus kicking in. I enjoyed it and its a very drinkable and good tasting beer.
Review: 0.33 l Bottle of Rothaus Eis Zäpfle, 5.6%ABV. Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
The Rothaus EisZäpfle (“Icicle”), called after the labourious process where in the old days these beers were brewed. Before refrigerators and ice machines, the last batches of bottom-fermented beer could only be brewed in March (März) at the latest, where naturally forming ice, cut in blocks from the ice sheets of local ponds and lakes, were used to cool the brews. Stored in cellars, large wooden scaffolding was sprayed with water so that icicles (“EisZäpfle”) would form on the beams, which would be knocked off to further cool the beer.
On pour, nice clear golden yellow colour with a pretty decent sized foamy white head, a good looking beer. Some lacing. Can hear the carbonation as it fizzes away, magic!
Aroma: strong smell of the hops, citrus, very malty, sweet malts
Taste: Sweet grainy maltiness at the start.
Back end taste of the hops was nice.
Felt stronger than the 5.6 for some reason…..
A very subtle taste, has a good balance of malts and hops, quite tasty, nothing amazing but boy was it easy to drink…. Perfect balance in flavour, clean, crisp and very refreshing.
A very easy beer to drink, very sessionable, could drink a lot of these easy enough as it was very smooth. Liked this beer a lot.
Brewed by Rugenbräu
Style: Dortmunder/Helles
Interlaken, Switzerland
Nice and cold
Rugenbräu is an independent Swiss brewing company, headquartered in the lovely surrounds of Interlaken (“Between the lakes”) in central Switzerland.
Interlaken is a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps, and the town is located between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
In the year of 1866 in Interlaken, Christian Indermühle, started a brewery, from which his sons Carl and Albert eventually took over on his death in 1875. In 1880 after taking on too much debt the brothers converted the brewery into a public limited company, to help ease costs and the day to day running of the company. From there, in 1892, the brewery was acquired by the Bavarian brew-master Joesph Hofweber. Hofweber already owned the successful Schloss Reichenbach brewery and eventually in 1968 the name Rugenbräu was given to the long standing family brewery, which has remained in family ownership for well over a hundred years.
Review: Can of Rugenbräu Lager hell 4.8%ABV
A pure taste
The Lager hell is Rugenbräu’s most popular beer and is exported internationally.
Lovely faint notes of sweet pale grains, a nice soft smell of malt and hops but not overbearing.
Rugenbräu
The beer looks absolutely fantastic, you can definitely see what fresh pure Alpine air and water can do for the quality of a beer, the beer is so clean and clear. I honestly don’t think I have seen a cleaner beer than this, looks so great in appearance. Pours a light and absolutely clear yellow colour forming a good frothy head which stays and some pretty good lacing left around in the glass. Lucky for me to have this straight from a nice cool fridge.
Tasting had a light feel to it, with a strongish bitter hoppy aftertaste. A little bit of acidity, crisp and clean, faint flavours of malts and grains, but its the aftertaste that is the taste for this lager, lingering for a little while in the mouth. Overall was a very smooth drink, a good session beer. I liked it as it did the business and that’s all you can ask for in a beer, hit the spot. A decent refreshing everyday lager, scores high on drinkability.
The Rothaus EisZäpfle (“Icicle”), called after the labourious process where in the old days these beers were brewed. Before refrigerators and ice machines, the last batches of bottom-fermented beer could only be brewed in March (März) at the latest, where naturally forming ice, cut in blocks from the ice sheets of local ponds and lakes, were used to cool the brews. Stored in cellars, large wooden scaffolding was sprayed with water so that icicles (“EisZäpfle”) would form on the beams, which would be knocked off to further cool the beer.
On pour, nice clear golden yellow colour with a pretty decent sized foamy white head, a good looking beer. Some lacing. Can hear the carbonation as it fizzes away, magic!
A very subtle taste, has a good balance of malts and hops, quite tasty, nothing amazing but boy was it easy to drink…. Perfect balance in flavour, clean, crisp and very refreshing.
