Spring Has Sprung

The Vernal Equinox is upon us. And although as you’re reading this column there just as likely a chance of ice and freezing rain as there is sunshine, you should be ready to switch beer gears. So it might be time to lighten up, however slightly, with your beer choice. Several great options for beers lighter in body, but full on taste come from Germany, and fit nicely into a brisk March or April day.
Germany is definitely one of the great beer countries in the world. Their place in beer history is unquestioned, and beer’s place in the culture is of high importance. Given that the country as a whole brews and drinks much more lager than ale, it should not be a surprise these beers are of the cold-fermented variety. It is time to revisit Germany and see just what she has to offer. Several styles of underappreciated beer are great selections year round, much less during the wild weather of spring. A note of warning, many of these options are few and far between, but diligence and a search will prove worth the effort.
If you’re looking for a darker beer with rich flavors, you might like Schwarzbier. A German lager, name translates to black beer, is a roasted brew, although lagering softens the beer and keeps it from being as dry or roasted as stouts or porters. Colors will be almost black, but transparent and not opaque like the aforementioned ales. Aromas and smells are clean and lager-like, with touches of chocolate malt and moderate noble hops likely. The color can be deceiving, as these beers are typically medium to light in body. Mönchshof Schwarzbier is the German standard, but a great American version is Sprecher’s Black Bavarian as is Rogue’s Dirtoir.
Another great dark beer that does not get too heavy in body is Munich Dunkel lager. A bready beer if there ever was one, bread notes are present in smell and taste. Slightly fuller in body compared with Schwarzbiers, Munich Dunkels will be sweeter, less roasted, closer to brown in color, and would be more akin to brown ales of the lager family. Like Schwarzbiers, these are hard beers to come by, with the German brewed Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel being a classic example. I am unsure of many decent American versions widely available, but if you can find it, Penn Dark from Pennsylvania Brewing is outstanding.
Maybe you would prefer a beer lighter in color, yet with enough flavor to keep you interested. Germany has got you covered still. Bock also offers higher alcohol content than many of the other styles of Germany’s lagers. Malts dominate the flavor, with sweetness to varying degrees, but they offer little or no hop presence. Again, although dopplebocks abound, the standard variety of bock is a bit rare.
Einbecker’s Ur-Bock is a typical German version of the beer, and one I like. Although the lighter Maibock is available (Rogue Dead Guy, Victory St. Boisterous), and some call Sam Adams winter a spiced bock, few quality American examples are to be had. Anchor Brewing’s Bock Beer is not bad, nor is it great. Examples of Bock from Yuengling, Shiner, and most of all Michelob should be avoided. Best of luck with your spring lager search. Enjoy the brews … Cheers.
 
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.