Profiled by Maria Devan
Pours clear orange with a dollop of tan foam that fell well to a nice layer on top that lasted and showed clinging spots of lace. 11 on the srm chart.
Nose is softly bready with a slight richness. Hop spice is shy. Crisp floral background. Smells like grasses and bread. As though you have just laid out a picnic blanket in the autumn sun. Hay.
Hearty and round. Hop is softness only, no real flavor. Crisp. Light little bubbles, light bitterness. As it finishes, it’s hop pepper and spice on a bed of hay. I love how German lagers let you glimpse the hops full presence by leaving only a bit of them in a clean finish. Malt is smooth and graceful and always leading. It’s amazing how it does that so quietly while these hops shine so modestly. Clean lager, robust but not sweet. It has a fullness to the finish that is complimented by the bubble and the soft hop presence.
The model for the style. Cheers to Ayinger!
4.5
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is a great beer writer. That’s Maria in the middle. The other two are not, but they are lucky to have her as a friend.