Tomm Carroll’s European Beer Dispatches

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Beer Europe


Throughout October, beer writer Tomm Carroll filed quick-hitting dispatches from Europe on his iPhone. He updated reports throughout his hop-soaked journey.

Back to L.A. (The final post)
Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 8:56 AM

It’s a long trip home from A-dam to LA, via Munich, so you know some final beers would be involved en route.

Beer Europe
Final breakfast of champions: the so-so major Dutch brand Brand Duppelbock with cappuccino at A-dam’s Schiopol Airport.

Warsteiner — in bottles — all the way home from Munich to LA!

Thanks for following along. Prost!

Amsterdam — Last Day!
Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 8:45 AM

Beer Europe
Our last-night-of-the-trip nightcaps include a draft Heineken (the only beer available at the Argentine restaurant where we had dinner) as well as a Gulpener Herpst Bock and an Eem Bitter at In de Wildeman, where we run into Menno from De Molen and the Swedish brewers, and finally over to the Beer Temple for more than one drink this time.

Actually a decent lager in Holland.

There, we run into Peter, the owner, and Jos from PINT (enjoying a bottle of Goose Island Pale Ale after judging all those bocks). Also get to meet Alex, the brewer/owner at Rome’s Revelation Cat, who’s very interested in participating in the Beachwood BBQ Italian beer dinner planned for December.

Bitter, left, and Bock at In de Wildeman.

Beers consumed included Southern Tier IPA (which we can’t get on the West Coast), and a pair of Beer Temple beers brewed for them by De Molen: Rood Borst and Temple Bier. Then it’s back to our hotel to pack up — including beers and glassware picked up along the travels….

Bock Festival in Amsterdam
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 6:31 PM

Happy Halloween! Despite the 24-hour party atmosphere of Amsterdam, the holiday is not widely celebrated here. Instead of shock, I go for bock this All Hallow’s Eve. Danise decides to go out museum browsing instead, but, almost nearly beered-out, attend day 2 of the 3-day 32nd annual BokFest, a few blocks walk from our hotel.

To an iPhone camera, a bock is a bock is a bock.

I had met Theo Flissebaajle and Jos Brouwer, 2 guys from PINT, the Dutch version of the UK’s CAMRA, in the States last year. They invited me to the fest, which PINT sponsors. Despite their roles (one organizing, the other judging), they were each able to spend some time with me and talk about the fest. Because, despite the fact that nearly all the Dutch speak English, there was hardly any printed material in anything but Dutch.

Beer Europe
One of the most full-bodied bocks of the fest.

Way over 50 bock beers were available for pouring, all on tap. Some of caves included the Hertog Jan Bockbier, rich and dark, a smoked bock from Mommeriete, and a bock from Belgium’s Chouffe brewery that unsurprisingly included all the Chouffe spices, led by coriander.

Smoked bock, anyone?

A fine sampling of beers. The winners of the competition should be posted on the PINT website soon.

De Molen Bier Fest
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 8:12 AM

Some 9 of us depart Amsterdam on a cool and misty morning for Bodegraven, about 30 mins north of Amsterdam. There, the great craft brewery De Molen is holding its first beer festival at its own facility.

A small but amazing fest, with a bunch of international beer geeks lining up before the noon opening time. With Fred Waltman as our leader and herder, we are of course at the head of the queue.

Some great beers from De Molen.

You can see a beer list and a report on the fest. But some of our faves were a pair of de Molen Eisbocks one made with cognac and wood chips, the other dry-hopped with Simcoe. Both topping 16% abc.

Also a great Triple Hopped Bock from Revelation Cat Brewery in Rome, but brewed at De Molen by it’s brewer Alex (forget his surname) and De Molen’s Menno Olivier; and Mikkel & Menno, another collaboration, this time with the great Mikkeller Danish brewery.

Speaking of which, Mikkell was there with his beers as well, including several takes on the Beer Geek Breakfast: one aged in Islay whiskey barrels and one aged in port barrels with Brett added. Amazing.

Beer Europe
Father and son brewers from Närke in Sweden.

Also some astounding beers from a small island blrewery in Sweden called Närke, who do a Rauch Sahtea beer (smoked malt and the traditional Scandanavian method of juniper in place of hops.

The sour Dirty Horse from Belgium brewery Struisse was the rare find. Apparently only brewed for the fest.

Wait; it gets better, there was also a bottleshop on the premesis, with many beers that were at the fest, as well as several hard-to-find (in Europe) US brews. Also some Westy 8s, a couple of which I pick up, along with some fest faves.

Amsterdam, Day 2
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 12:04 PM

Beer Europe
After some 5 hours of beer sampling and meeting other like-minded fans (interrupted by a do-it-yourself picnic lunch in a nearby park, we train back to A-dam. Regrouping and a quick dinner are followed by a trio to t’ Arandsnest, a great pub on a quiet canal that only serves Dutch beer. Buy you’ll find no Heineken or Grölsch here (actuall draught Heineken in Netherlands is a pretty decent lager.

Bar scene at Arandsnest.

Owner Peter is not here tonight, but the small place is packed. It’s Friday evening and the BokFest is in town, so the good beer bars are on a lot of agendas.

Some of us have the new Mikkel and Menno again, this time on tap. It’s a complex brew at 7.2%. Also the Pale Ale from SNAB (roughly the Southern Netherlands Association of Brewers), a hoppy American style of beer.

Then back to Wildeman for a final night cap, as many of the Pacific Graviteers are heading home tomorrow (we have 1 more day), it’s a time for reminiscing about the trip and our various agendas. I can’t believe that Amstel actually makes a Bock, so I order one — in anticipation of the BokFest I will attend tomorrow. It’s not bad, but nothing to rave about.

Amsterdam. Day 1, Part 2
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 5:52 AM

The beer board at In de Wildeman.

Many of us reconvene at In de Wildeman for a nightcap of several beers. Among them (all Dutch breweries): Jopen’s Hoppfenbier, Eem Bitter, and a bottle of The dark, heavy Rasputin from De Molen, where we are off to tomorrow morning for their inaugural beer festival.

Beer Europe
Just a couple of our beers.

Amsterdam, Day 1, part 1
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 4:16 AM

As luck would have it, our hotel in A-dam is about 150 feet from In de Wildeman, one of the city’s best beer bars! But first we meet up with some of the Pacific Gravity guys at The Beer Temple, a new bar opened just two months ago by Peter van der Arend, proprietor of ‘t Arendsnest (Eagle’s nest), and specializing in American craft beers. In fact, it even looks like the Toronado, with its beer names and prices on blackboard slats.

Here you could get Anchor Bock as well as Anker Bok. Also a lotta US beers from Flying Dog, Saranac and Southern Tier. We try two from the former: Dog Schwarz (a schwarze beer of course) and the appropriately named Raging Bitch (an intensely bitter IPA).

Unfortunately, did not manage to grab an iPhone photo of/in the place during both visits. But it has a 5-ft high statue of liberty draped in a US flag in its front window of you happen to walk by.

Belgo beer to go with Argy food in A-dam.

Across the street for a great Argentine meal at La Pampa. Bottled De Koninck (but not the appropriate bolleke glass)

Bamberg->Amsterdam
Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 12:39 AM

Hotel owner/manager Roland Kolb presents us with 3 bottles of Fässla’s fall bock, Bambergator, just released today. At 8.5% abv, it is the strongest beer brewed in Bamberg.

So it’s a few more bottles to lug along on what is essentially a travel/hangover day, some 8 hours of train travel (including a 1-hour layover in Frankfurt) to Amsterdam. Of course, we bring some hair-of-the-dog beer along for the trip.

Bamberg, Day 3, part 3
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 4:58 AM

Beer Europe
For our nightcap, we head over to Spezial, the only other Bamberg brewery that makes rauchbier. For a Wednesday night, it is packed. We share a table with two young German students, Johannes and Lukas, both fluent in English. They are beer geeks, and Johannes is a homebrewer, so you can imagine the topic of conversation.

Bamberg, Day 3, part 2
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 2:46 AM

Sorry, this day is actually 28/10. It’s difficult enough to keep the beers straight, let alone the days!

Next stop is Wunderberg, where 2 more Bamberg breweries are located, one across the street from the other. We start at Brauerei Mahr’s. Their classic Kellerbier, aka “U-beer,” is golden orange, smooth, creamy and malty, and served in a glass mug, not a stoneware krüg. The bottled Weisse is perfectly balanced.

Beer Europe
Mahr’s Weisse, left, and Kellerbier.

Next round is Mahr’s Helles, a very good take on the style; mild but with a nice malt profile. The seasonal Heller Bock was smooth and deceptively easy going down, but sure packs a punch!

It’s a busy dinner crowd, and most seem to be enjoining a Kellerbier.

Beer Europe
Danise photographing the Weisse, with my half-finished Sternla in the foreground, at Keesman.

For dessert, beer-wise, we cross the street to Wunderberg’s other brewery, Keesman Bräu. There, we have the flagship, Herren Pils, malty. But with an oxidization-like flaw in the finish. The Hellerbock is strong, creamy and strong. Sternla, the unfiltered lager (which still looked pretty clear), also had that off flavor. The Weissebier had a nice banana and clove esters harmony.

Bamberg Day 3, part 1
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 2:58 AM

The Day starts out with a quick tour of the Fässla, by braumeister Sebastian Kalb, all in German! Then off for some more sight-seeing. The Dom is particularly wonderful. Lunchtime finds us at a recommended restaurant: Kachelofen. We split a potato soup and salad, and enjoy two beers from St. Georgen Bräu of nearby Buttenheim: a Kellerbier served traditionally in a stoneware krüg. It was nice and malty with a grassy hoppy finish. Also a good Weisse beer, favoring the cloves.

We are right across from Schenkerla, so we pop in for a couple rauch bocks.

Bamberg, Day 2, part 4
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 1:43 PM

Beer Europe
The Braunbier, left, and the Schwarzla.

Some more wandering around. And getting lost after dark. Then we finally find Klosterbräu, Bamberg’s oldest brewery and the third in the old town.

The 5.7% Braunbier is an easy-drinking brown lager — golden orange really. The 4.9% Schwarzla (little black) gases like a regular Schwarz to me. Also at 4.9%, Braun’s Weisse is a nice Hefeweizen with the banana and clove esters merging wonderfully. The 7% Bockbier is blonde and malty, and packs a kick. But it does finish off another day of drinking.

Bamberg, Day 2, part 3
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 6:51 AM

The Ambräusianum brewpub is Bamberg’s newest brewery. It’s modern look seems more like a Euro Gastropub, but the beer and food is traditional style.

There is the malty Hell, a Weizen that tastes a little off with an herbal flavor that does not really taste like cloves, and a Dunkel that tastes malt extracty, and a wee bit sour. It makes a much better ingredient in the Biersuppe (beer soup), which we order, when accompanied by by spices and croutons.

Bamberg Day 2, part 2
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 6:17 AM

An older German gentleman, Hans-Uhlerich, a univeristy professor of organizational theory, and a rauchbier fan, joins us at our table. His English is measured and excellent, and soon we are talking about politics (German and US), history, gender roles, and even the French (don’t get him started).

We order a couple more Märzens and enjoy the conversation, like a couple of real Bambergers. We notice on the menu that Schenkerla also makes a rauch schnapps. And wonder what would taste like. Hans orders us a round. It is crystal clear, and tastes like a schnapps, altho there is that distinctive rauch taste in the finish.

Beer Europe
Rauch schnapps, anyone?

But then it is time to move on (there is a brewpub one door down), so we thank Hans and I give him a bottle of Alaskan Smoked Porter I brought along for just such an occasion…

Bamberg, Day 2, part 1
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 5:43 AM

Off to check out the altstadt (old town) including the bridge that goes right through the old Rathaus (city hall), which is built on an island in the middle of the river (long story).

The Holy Grail for smoke beer lovers.

Before long, we find ourselves at the Holy Grail for smoked beer (rauchbier) lovers, Aecht Schenkerla, the taphouse and restaurant. Construction work is being done out front, so one must walk up a plank instead of steps to enter. Seems like an effective sobriety test for those leaving!

Too early for us to eat lunch, so we sit in the schwemm and order from the window: ein bock und ein märzen, plus a weizen rauchbier served from a bottle. And what they say is true: at the source, you not taste the meat or fish with the smoke, which you do in bottled rauchbier in the states.

Bamberg Day 1, part 2
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 9:12 AM

Back to Fässla for a nightcap; well, 2. First, their Lagerbier. Tapped from the traditional wooden keglet, it is golden colored with a nice malt/hop balance and a sessionable 5.5% abv.

In typical Franconian fashion, there is a little window in the hallway (“schwemm”), from which I order the beer, and drink it in the same unheated hallway (it is a bit stuffy and warm in the main room), decorates with the little gnome the brewery uses as its logo — kinda like a chouffe in Belgium.

Speaking of which, my next beer is a Zwergla (the German name for the gnome), 6% dark lager that is malty but has some hops in its dry finish. I’ll sleep well tonight…

Bamberg, Day 1, Part 1
Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 8:26 AM

Check into the guestroom at Brauerei Fässla in the early evening and immediately have a lie down after a sugar crash resulting from the donuts and beer diet on the train ride. Then, as there is nothing to eat for me that isn’t red meat in the Fässla restaurant, we walk down the street to an Italian restaurant, Ristorante Dal Passatore, where I can order some grilled salmon.

Their draught beers, however, are not from Bamberg, but from nearby Reckendorf. The signature Recken Pils is typical of the style, slightly favoring the hops. The Weisse beer is clovely in aroma and flavor, and looks semi-clear for an unfiltered beer.

Beer Europe
Recken Dunkel, left and center, and Keller Bier.

Next round is the Reckendorfer Kellerbier, also seemingly clearish for an unfiltered beer. It has an amber color, medium body, and a malty nose and mouth. Nice beer, but served in a glass handled mug rather than the traditional stoneware krüg. Also a bottle of the Recken Dunkel, thin, malty sweet and a little caramelly.

Berlin -> Bamberg
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 3:57 PM

Beer Europe
Not quite a breakfast of champions.

Running late for our train to Bamburg. Coffee, donuts (Dunkin’? Am I in NJ?) and canned Pils fuel/fool us for a bit…

Berlin, Day 3, part 2
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 2:47 PM

Also tried some of the 100 beers, which were some weird entries:

Flagrantly defying Reinheitsgebot: Neuzeller beers.

Beer Europe
Nuezeller is a Reinheisgebot-defying German brewery and so we had to try some of their product: a Schwarzbier with added sugar (too sweet!) and a kirschbier, with cherry and, yes, added sugar, which, surprisingly, is not so bad — like a poorman’s Echte Kriek.

Merewan, the Lebanese waiter and little brother of the owner, guides us through these beers and others we sampled, most of which we’ve never had or are likely to ever see again — at least in the States. Since he knows the history of Berliner Weisse, we present him with a bottle of The Bruery’s award-winning Hottenroth Berliner Weisse. He promises to e-mail me his impressions.

Beer Europe
Merewan, left, and yours truly with handover of The Bruery’s Hottenroth Berliner Weisse.

Berlin Day 3, part 1
Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 10:43 AM

An easy going day, our last in Berlin. We wander around the neighborhood by our hotel and have a piesurely brunch before heading over to the Museun für Gegenwart Hamburger Bahnhof (the Museum of Contemporary Art in the old Hamburger Train Station, the oldest train station in Berlin), sorta like Paris’ Musée d’Orsay. Lotsa great modern and avant-garde works from the likes of Robert Rauschenberg, Nam June Peik, German great Joseph Beuys and, of course, Andy Warhol.

Evening is devoted to the Haus of 100 Beers in Posterdam Platz. Called Mommeseneck, it is Lebanese owned and indeed features 100 bottled beers as well as about a dozen draughts. Our waiter, Marawen, younger brother of the owner, was quite fluent in English, and had a basic knowledge of bieren.

Kristall Weizen, left and Schwarzbier at Mommseneck.

Beer Europe
We tried many beers with our dinner. Among the most interesting (in a good way) were: Kulmbacher Mönschoff Schwarz Bier in a flip-top bottle. It is rich and roasty like a Porter with chocolate notes. Also a Weiheistephaner Kristall Weizen. And apparently, Kristal Weisse IS traditionally served with lemon slices (please disregard earlier comment about this), with a crisper and cleaner banana and cloves flavor…

More to come…

Berlin Day 2, part 3
Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 3:33 PM

Beer Europe
For a nightcap, we wind up at the Lindenbräu, a hip, stylish brewpub in the massive Sony Center, a gigantic complex of restaurants, cinemas and even the Film Haus (German film museum, complete with Billy Wider’s Bar) at Potsdamer Platz, near where we started our tour today.

Part of Lindenbräu’s brew works, laid out in a spiral staircase!

Not only is the beer the best I had all day, but Lindenbräu also has the most unique brew works: the kettles and tuns are situated on different level of a spiral staircase that winds up (or down) the 3 floors of the brewpub! They must have a small and agile brewmaster. Brewing logistics aside, it makes for an impressive display.

However, the only beer actually brewed here is an unfiltered Weisse bier, cloudy orange opaque with a decidedly heavy body and a fine mix of ripe banana and clove aroma and flavor. Most flavorful Hefeweizen I’ve had all day.

Lindenbräu’s Zwickel, left, Pils and Weisse beers.

Beer Europe
Zwickelbier was also impressive, which, like everything but the Weisse here, is brewed by the giant Hofbrauhaus in Munich. A hazy, bright yellow lager, it is flavorful and well balanced. The Pils is typical, but the clearest I’ve seen in Germany so far. And the Altbiersch Dunkles, with a nice dark malt character, is caramelly and creamy, yet chewy in the mouthfeel. My favorite Dunkles so far as well.

Since the big thing here, regrettably I think, is to make a beer cocktail with the Weisse (with everything from cola to mango to lemonade), we decide to follow the “When in Berlin…” rule, and order one with ingwer (ginger). A strong Ginger root nose, but the flavor and mouthfeel is somewhat soapy, even solvent-y. 2 words come to mind: “Pine Sol.” We leave it.

And get ready to leave when an American guy makes a positive comment about the Harpoon Brewery in Boston, after seeing Danise’s Harpoon Shirt. Turns out he’s a beer geek who works in IT for the US State Department in Frankfurt and he and his wife are in Berlin for the weekend. He recommends a beer bar across the Platz from Lindenbräu that is known as the Haus de 100 Biere. Alright, something to visit tomorrow!

Berlin Day 2, part 2
Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 5:55 PM

Dunkles und Pils, the typical choice.

More touring along the River Spree, and past the Berlin Döm, which is lit with light projections as are most of the city’s monuments and huge buildings are being illuminated I’m the annual Festival Of Lights, which ends tomorrow night.

Next beer stop is deep into the Alexanderplatz area, not far from the ancient Nikolai Kirche and the city’s space needle.

Beer Europe
A small, traditional East Berlin restaurant that happens to brew its own beer, Marcus Braü. The beer? 2 styles: a nicely balanced Pils, but favoring the malt; and a Dunkel, a malty sweet almost fruity dubbel.

Beer Europe
Off to another nearby microbrauerei that we passed on our walkabout…a larger, more touristy brewpub, and another Bavarian-themed one. Brauhaus Mitte (it means middle, and is mid-Berlin, altho formerly East Berlin). It is huge, and connects to a shopping mall!

The Brauhaus Mitte Line-Up: Hefeweizen, Fest Bier, Pils and a taster of the Dunkel.

They have four brews:

A Pils, which seemed to favor the hops surprisingy, but was otherwise fine; a rather mediocre Dunkel; a mild and mildly malty Fest Bier (not as good as last night’s); and an extremely clovey Hefeweizen. Basically, traditional German beer microbrewed by Germans for tourists. Time to move on…

Berlin Day 2, Part 1
Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 10:46 AM

A dark and cold day, threatening rain but fortunately never following thru. Wayne takes us on a whirlwind tour of some the city’s best known sites, from Brandenberg Gate to the Reichstag (Gerrman Parliament) to the remnants of the Berlin Wall (whose falling was 20 years ago this Nov. 9). Of course, there were beer stops.

The first, and in many ways was the Berliner Republik pub, known for the Bier Börse (beer stock exchange).

Beer Europe
Beer Futures: The constantly changing beer prices at the Berliner Republik.

There are some 20 beers here, most on tap and all German (except for Corona in bottles!). The flat screens on the wall show the beers and their “stock” prices, which vary on supply and demand. You supposedly pay the “market” price of the beer when you order it. The beer prices are updated every 7 minutes. An interesting embrace of Capitalism for an area that was once behind the Iron Curtain.

Beer Europe
Interestingly, we were charged the printed menu prices for our 3 beers: Wayne’s Paulaner Pils (crisp, with a dry finish), Köstritzer (smooth and creamy with some chocolate notes) for me and Danise’s bottled Paulaner Kristallweizen (filtered and lotsa banana and clove, but marred by the 3 lemon slices they served it with! Because we are Americans?). German Fútbol was on and we watched FC Bayern defeat Frankfurt 2-1 in the last minute of the match.

STORY CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE

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Blog Comments

He has one of the oldest and most famous names in the beer industry so he is highly respected. You can attribute the discovery of Cantillon beer to his brewery as they came out with it first.

Ahhh… great site. Wish I travelled more.
But just to inform you about Picon Biere a little… I have been working in Luxembourg where Picon Beers are served with the local lager/light beer of Bofferding or Diekirch.

I bought a few bottles of Amer Picon to bring back with me, but the other Lagers/Beers I have tried with this drink dont taste as good as the ones back in Lux.

Maybe its down to the draught instead of bottles, but I would advise trying this with different beers.

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