Summer is almost here and it is near time to start cracking caps on some refreshing and thirst quenching wheat beers. Of course nobody makes a finer wheat beer than the Germans. This past spring I was lucky to find the time to make the trip to Munich in order to taste some of those awesome hefeweisse.
The location I enjoyed the most while in Bavaria was Weisses Brauhaus. Located just off Munich's main square, Weisses is owned by G. Schneider and Sohn, makers of the prolific Schneider Weisse. Schneider no longer brews beer actually in Munich, but you sure can drink a ficken ton of it at Weisses.
The atmosphere at this beer hall is awesome. Not touristy at all. Lots of real Germans; eating, laughing, drinking and talking with random strangers. The decor is straightforward. Plenty of old and rustic looking items, long beer hall style tables and plenty of seating room. The waitstaff are all decked out in the traditional Bavarian garb.
The food menu looks equally as amazing and authentic. How many beer geeks wouldn't want to try suckling pig braised in Aventinus? Not really any health conscious choices, but seriously, its a beer hall in Munich....not a tofu type of place.
The beer list is as you would expect. Plenty of wheat beers with some pilsners and some bigger / darker offerings. I made an effort to try a couple of beers I don't usually see at home (or do I????).
First up was the Hopfenweisse (below left). I'm not entirely sure how similar in terms of recipe this is with the other Hopfenweisse, which is a collaboration between Schneider and Brooklyn Brewery. The collaboration was all about tons of Hallertauer hops bringing their pungent bite to the wheat beer style in an American way, but I think this one is a little less aggressive. Nevertheless, all the right smells and flavors are there. The nose is a perfect mix between fresh citrus hops with a touch of herbally pine and a clean yeasty wave of wheaty goodness. Taste follows suit with bright citrus upfront followed by clove and banana. Just a tad bit of bitterness. Really nice.
Next round I tried the Grunes (above right). I had never heard of this beer before but apparently it is also known as the Schneider Edel-Weisse which is seasonally available back home in Ontario. This beer tasted pretty much exactly as the Edel-Weisse I have tried; just like the standard Schneider Weisse but with a little more hoppy flavor and a cleaner mouth feel and taste. Not quite as yeasty as other examples of the style. Ultra refreshing.
To finish off the tasting I decided to go out with a bang. My last order consisted of an Aventinus Weisen-Eisbock (a 12.5% monster of a beer) and a shot each of the Aventinus Schnapps and the Aventinus Beer Brandy. I'm not sure what possessed me to order this much in one sitting (especially after 2 beers) but I guess I got a little too into the Bavarian spirit.
The Eisbock was stellar as I expected. Its a huge beer with tons of fig, dark fruits, rum and a very strong almost burnt yeastiness. Taste matches the smell. This beer is overwhelmingly flavorful, almost stifling but in a good way. Just a trace of warm alcohol on the finish. The head stuck around forever and that is really a sight to see on a big alcohol beer like this. Beer Geeks: Please note the glass is not chilled, it is simply frosted glass.
I was really impressed by the beer brandy. The beer flavors actually came through quite well and were complimented by a subtle sweetness. The schnapps were pretty good too but seemed rather vodka like to me.
All in all, I think Wiesses Brauhaus is the place to go in Munich. Awesome beer, awesome food and lots of atmosphere.
